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H I 8 T O E Y 



T 



POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, 



¥¥7 

IOWA. ^TS^ 



Containing a History from the earliest settlement to the present time, embracing its topographical, 

geological, physical and climatic features ; its agricultural, railroad interests, etc. ; giving 

an account of its aboriginal inhabitants, early settlement by the whites, pioneer 

incidents, its growth, its improvements, organization of the County, 

the judicial history, the business and industries, churches, 

schools, etc. ; Biographical Sketches ; Portraits of 

iome of the Early Settlers, Prominent Men, etc. 



ILaLaUSTRATRD. 



CHICAGO: 

O. L. BASKIN & CO., HISTORICAL PUBLISHERS, 

Lakeside Building. 

1883. 



Historical Sociei?. 



PREFACE 



AFTER several months of laborious research a-jd persistent toil, the history of Pottawat- 
tamie County is complete, and it is our hope and belief that no subject of general 
importance or interest has been overlooked or omitted, and even minor facts, when of sufficient 
note to be worthy of record, have been faithfully chronicled. In short, where protracted 
investigation promised results commensurate with the undertaking, matters not only of 
undoubted record but legendary lore, have been brought into requisition. We are well aware of 
the fact that it is next to impossible to furnish a perfect history from the meager resources at 
the command of the historian under ordinary' circumstances, but claim to have prepared a work 
fully up to the standard of our engagements. Through the courtesy and assistance generously 
atfordeil, we have been enabled to trace out and put into systematic shape the greater portions 
of the events that have transpired in the county up to the present time, and we feel assured 
that all thoughtful persons interested in the matter will recognize and appreciate the importance 
of the work and its permanent value. A drj' statement of facts has been avoided, so far as it 
was possible to do so, and anecdote and incident have been interwoven with plain recital and 
statistics, thereby forming a narrative at once instructive and entertaining. 

We are indebted to Col. John H. Keatley for furnishing us with the histor}- of Council 
Blutfs and some of the township histor}' ; also to Hon. D. C. Bloomer for the material assistance 
he rendered in the compilation of the work b3' the aid of his valuable and accurate notes in the 
'• Annals of Iowa " published by the Historical Society of the State. And to the many resi- 
dents of Pottawattamie who furnished our historians, Messrs. W. T. Giles and Frank M. Wright. 
with the facts and data for their portion of the work, we acknowledge thanks. 

Janu.^rv, 1SS3. THE PUBLISHERS. 



CONTENTS. 



PART I. 

HISTORICAL. 

PAGE. 

CHAPTER I.— Introductory — Organization of the County- 
Early Life in Pottawattamie — Topography — Richness of 
the Soil — The Famous "Bluffa" — Origin of the Name — 
Indian Traders — Origin of some Indian Names — Lively 
Indian Scenes — The Pottawattamies — Early Indian Wars, 
etc 11 

CHAPTER II.— Growth of the County— Early Settlers— Cath- 
olic ilis-^ ion arias— The Old Block-House— Old Mill— De- 
parture of the Pottawattamies — Kanesville — Settlement 
of the Mormons — Their Organization and Influence — 
Their part in the Mexican War — Their Enterprise, etc. — 
Decline of their Supremacy and Departure for Utah — 
Early Politics — Organization of the County, etc 18 

CHAPTER III.— Establishment of the Land Office— First En- 
tries, etc, — Its Discontinuance — Water-courses of the 
County— Timber— Stone — Coal Prospects^^Jlimate — Cat- 
tle-Raising — Great Productiveness of the Soil, etc 26 

CHAPTER IV.— The Missouri River— Steamboating— Remin- 
iscences of Capt. La Barge — Interesting Details — A War- 
like Outrage — Floating Palaces — Railroads — Sharp Con- 
test for Routes — Keokuk's Indifference and Consequent 
Loss of a Great Road — The Great Trunk Lines to the 
•* Bluffs," etc 31 

CHAPTER V. — Early and Present Religious Organizations 
and Societies — Secret and Benevolent Fraternities, 
Orders and Societies — Schools — The Press — Increase and 
Progress, etc 37 

CHAPTER VI.— Organization of the County — Organization 

of and Division into Townships — Officers — Patriotism, etc. 41 

CHAPTER VII.— Iowa; Origin of the Name— Her Future- 
Land Speculators and their Peculiar Methods of " Doing " 
Purchasers— Early Events— Financial Matters — Agricult- 
nral Association — Deaf and Dumb Asylum — SeTere 
Winter — Early Settlers — An Exciting Election, etc 55 

CHAPTER VIII.— Council Bluffs— Its First Era— The Site 
F fly Years Ago — American Fur Company and Trappers 
— La Salle's Exploration — Sacs and Foxes and Sioux 
Bands — Sale of Louisiana — Treaty of St. Ildefonso^Lewia 
and Clark's Explorations — Discovery of the Columbia 
River 69 

CHAPTER IX.— Council Bluffs— The Missiouri Valley— Frank 
Guittar — The Pawnees, Otoes and Omahas — William Men- 
ary, the Canadian — The Pottawattamies — Iowa Indian 
Raids — Fight at Otter River — Col. Hardin as Indian 
Agent 72 



CHAPTER X.— Council Bluffs— Oregon Route— John Charles 
Fremont — Kit Carson — Survey of 1S43 — Richard and M. 
D. Hardin— Maj. English 76 

CHAPTER XI.— Council Blufe— Its Second Era— The Mor- 
mon Movement — Prophet Joseph Smith — Bishop Pratt 
— Sidney Rigdon — Brigham Young — Driven from Mis- 
souri — Establishment of Nauvoo— The Legion — Death of 
the Prophet — Exodus to Salt Lake Valley — Stop at 
Council Bluffs— The Mormon Battalion 77 

CHAPTER XII.— Council Bluffs- Its Third Era— Movement 
from Iowa City— Terrible Sufferings En Route — Kanes- 
ville — Sketch of Col. Kane — First Appearance of Council 
Bluffs— First Store— The first Gemile Inhabitant- First 
Voting — Danite Band — First Prohibition 85 

CHAPTER XIII.— Council Bluffs— First Probate Case— Gold 
in California — Character of the Emigrants — Joseph 
Tootle and James A. Jackson — Gambling Hells — Drs. 
Shelly, Williams and McMahon — County Administra- 
tion — Fraudulent Practices — Stutsman and Powers' 
Loup Fork Ferry , 88 

CHAPTER XIV.— Council Bluffs— Judge Sloan— First Term 
of Court — First Bar — First Case Tried — State against 
Robert and Margaret Keys — Humorous Scene in the 
Trial— Unique Charge to the Jury 92 

CHAPTER XV.— Council Bluffs— Pawnee and Omaha Indiana 
— Trail to Fort Des Moines — A Ten Days' Jonrney^ — Post 
OfBce Established — Judge James and Contempt of Court 
— Ocean Wave Saloon — First Legislative Representative 
— First Newspaper — Thomas H. Benton, Jr. — First Gen- 
tile Preacher, Moses F.Shinn 94 

CHAPTER XVI.— Council Bluffs— First School— Francis A. 
Brown, First Teacher — James B. Rue — First Public 
Schools — Origin of Name of Council Bluffs — The City 
Incorporated— City Government Suspended — BaylissPark 
Litigation — First Brick House — The Samuels Murder — 
Lynch Law — Fred Lord Murder 97 

CHAPTER XVII.— Council Bluffs— Judge S. H. Riddle's Elec- 
tion — No Lawyer, but a good Judge — Laud Office Opened 
— Street and Ballard appointed — Sketch of Ballard — Nom- 
inates Ivirkwood — Dr. Enos Lowe and L. W. Babbitt — First 
Fire in 1853 — Tom Neeley the Davy Crockett— Opening 
of the Pacific House — Judge Douglass — Lite and Char- 
acter 104 

CHAPTER XVIII.— Council Bluffs— Gen. Curtis and J. D. Teat 
—Sketch of Judge Frank Street— Patrick Murphy— Test, 
Johnson and Casady — A. V. Larimer's Sketch — Fort Cal- 
houn Claim Fight — Death of Sherman Goss — H. C. Purple 
Wounded — A. J. Poppleton of Omaha — Lost St. Mary's... 108 



COXTENTS. 



PAGE. 

CHAPTER XIX.— Council Blufla— Sketch of Judge James— 
His Handicraft — Winter of 1853-54 — Death of James 
McMillan — Title of Lots Acquired — James W. Grimes — 
Curtis', Ramsay's and Grimes' x\.ddition8 — Sketch of Gen. 
Samuel Ryan Curtis — His Death at Council Bluffs 114 

CHAPTER XX— Council Bluffs— Incipient Duel — Marshall 
Turley — An Eccentric Character — The Underground 
Railway — Galesburg Addition — Philadelphia, Fort Wayne 
& Platte V;illey Railway —The Air Line— John T. Bald- 
win's Fortune— Odd Fellows Organized — First Banking 
House — The Ferry Company Organized 122 

CHAPTER XXI.— Council Bluffs— Nebraska Territory Organ- 
ized^The Mob atBellevue — Hadley Johnson, Territorial 
Delegate — Senator A. C. Dodge's Plan — Squatter Sover- 
eignty — "Chronotype" Established — Dr. Seth Craig's Ar- 
rival and Sketch — Council Bluffs Temperance — Indian 
Habits— Against Prohibition 125 

CHAPTER XXIL— Council Bluffs— Gen. G. M. Dodge— Sketch 
— His Birthplace — Father and Mother — Graduates — Mil- 
itary Training — Surveys the Mississippi & Missonri Road 
— Pacific Railway Explorations — Settles in Council Bluffs 
—Outbreak of The War — Pea Ridge — Atlanta Campaign 
— Indian Hostilities 128 

CHAPTER XXIII.— Council Biufls— W. H. M. Pusey— Banker 
and Politician — Birthplace and Education — State Senator 
— Delegate to Charlesttn Convention of 18G0 — Elected to 
Congress, 1882 143 

CHAPTER XXIV.— Council Bluffs— Election of 1856— D. W. 
Price chosen member ol the Constitutional Convention — 
Loan of 8lOO,nou — Missi-sippi & Missouri Celebration — 
Palmer'ts Block— Benedict Haag— Charles Bock — West- 
ern Stage Company — H. P. Warren — K*^okuk and Wa- 
pello — Anecdote of John C. Breckinridge — Charter 
Amended — Judge Baldwin 146 

CHAPTER XX v.— Council Bluffs— Crescent City a Rival- 
Joseph E. Johnson — The " Clariou " and the "Press" — 
Bonds in Aid of Mississippi &, Missouri Railroad — Pres- 
byterian Church Incorporated — Building Commt.'nced — 
Episcopal Church — Rial Estate Speculations— Concert 
Hall— Crash of 1S57— Indian Creek Channel Changed 152 

CHAPTER XXVI.— Council Bluffs— St. Joseph Railroad Meet- 
ing—Company Organized — Elections of 1S58— Curtis and 
Trimble for Congress — First County Fair — Babbitt's Cher- 
okee — Discovery of Gold in Colorado — "Nonpariel" Ad- 
vertises it — Pike's Peak Emigration — Greeley and Rich- 
ardson— D. C. Bloomer — Birthplace and Career — Free 
Public Library 159 

CHAPTER XXVII.— Council Bluffs— Election of 1859- 
Amount of Bonded Debt— Overflow of the Missouri- 
Judge Sherman Indicted and Convicted— Haskell, the 
Showman and Preacher — Abraham Lincoln's Visit in 
1S59 — Makes an Address — Judge Cole and Henry Clay 
Dean — Ground Broken for St. Joe Railroad — Swamp Land 
Transfers 165 

CHAPTER XXVIII.— Council Bluffs— Kidnaping of Negroes 
— Escape of Prisoners — Hanging of McGuire — Miller, 
the Horsethief, Lynched — State Bank Organized — Iron 
Foundry Established— Little Giant and Wide-Awake 
Clubs — Boards of Supervisors — Turner's Defalcation — 
Latter-Day Saints— M. E. Couference— Military Affairs... 168 



PAGE. 

CHAPTER XXIX.— Council Bluffs— Fourth Iowa Infantry- — 
Roll of Honor — Second Iowa Battery — Vic Keller's Gum 
Wood Mortars— Col. W. H. Kinsman's Death — Death of 
Adjt. Tuttle— Fischer, the Fifer-Boy- Twenty-ninth 
Iowa — 3Ibj. Lyman and Comrades — The Draft — Sixth 
Iowa Cavalry — An Ovation 175 

CHAPTER XXX,— Council Bluffs— Soldiers' Bounties— First 
School Buildiug — Fairview Cemetery — George Francis 
Train — Cift;us Calamity — William Marble killed by In- 
dians — Lincoln's Assjissination — Presbyterian Church 
Building — Lynching of a Robber — Union Pacific Begun.. 1:^1 

CHAPTER XXXI.— Council Bluff;-— St. Joe Railroad Revived 
— Congressional Fight of 18S0 — New Court House — Rt-v. 
Clark Scandal — Narrow Escape at Burhop's Hall — M. E. 
Church Edifice — Completion of the Northwestern Jubilee 
— Sketch of the "Nonpareil" and the '■ Bugle" 185 

CHAPTER XXXII.— Knox Township— First Settlers— First 
Marriage — First Wheat Sown — Missionary Work — Avoca 
— Origin of Name — Railroads — Churches — Societies — The 
Press — Bnsiness Interests, etc 240 

CHAPTER XXXIII.— Laytou Township— Organization— Natu- 
ral Advantages — Boundary — First St-ttlers — Rapid Im- 
provement of the Settlement — Ruads and Bridges— Gov- 
ernment — Population — Mills--New8papers — (-hurches — 
Schools — Secret Societies '.;52 

CHAPTER XXXIV.— Pleasant Township— Boundaries— Or- 
ganization — Fine Soil — Timber — Fruit — Streams — Old 
Settlers — Schools — Township Officers — Murder, Suicide 
and Accidents 256 

CHAPTER XXXV.— Minden Town -hip— Origin of the Name 
— First Election — Soil — Boundary — Drainage — Minden 
Station — Roads — Timber Laud — Schools — Churches — 
Business Industries — Incidents 260 

CHAPTER XXXVI.— Neola Township— Introductory-Organi- 
zation — Drainage — Early Settlers — Roads — Bridges — 
First Railroad- Schools. Post Office— Gnin Elevators- 
Business Industries — Secret Societies — Churches 267 

CHAPTER XXXVII.— Boomer Township— Organization— Ori- 
gin of Name — Early Settlers— Adam Heageny's "Dug- 
Out"— An Early Trial, etc 273 

CHAPTER XXXVIII.— Rockford Township— One of the Orig- 
inal Three Townships of the County— First Mormon Set- 
tlers—Other Settlers— Organization of Public Schools- 
First Death — Two Murder Cases— Lovelaud aud Honey 
Creek, etc 276 

CHAPTER XXXIX.— Crescent Township— Origin of Name— 
The Indians — First Settlers — Organization — First Road 
— Fii-st Bridge— Fii-st Mill— Schools— First Post Office- 
Mutual Protection Society— Crescent City— The Press — 
Indian Incident — Early Justice, etc 285 

CHAPTER XL.— Hazel Dell Township — Separation from Cres- 
cent Township — Schools — Organization and Officers 292 

CHAPTER XLI.— Norwalk Township— Introductory— Natural 
Advantages — Boundaries — Drainage — Early Settlers — 
Mills- Koadsand Bridges— Schools — Downsville — Under- 
wood 293 

CHAPTER XLIL— York Township — Description — First Set- 
tiers— Earlv Industries- First Schools and Teachers 3i'0 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE. 

CHAPTER XLIII.— J.imes Township— Boundaries— Soil— Tim- 
ber — Early Settlers — Religious, etc 30i 

CHAPTER XLIV.— Valley Township — Organization —First 
Election — Old Settlere — Religious Matters — Societies — 
Hancock — Its Busine*? Interests, Churches and Societies. 304 

CHAPTER XLV.— Lincoln Tom- d ship— First Election- Schools 

-Early Settlers 308 

CHAPTER XLVL— Wright Township— Organization— Lay of 
the Land— First House — First Death— First Marriage- 
Religious — Schools, etc 309 

CHAPTER XLVII.— Center Township— Its Separation from 
Knox — Earliest Settlers— First Justice of the Peace — 
Home Guards of 1S61— First Mill— Fourth of July in 
lt^57— Prospective Railroad 311 

CHAPTERXLVIII.—Bflknap Township— The First Settler- 
First Marriage- First Death— First Birth— First House 
—Vest Murder Case — Railroads — Oakland, and Its Busi- - 
ness and Other Interests — Big Grove, etc 317 

CHAPTER XLIX— Washington Township— Organization- 
First Election— An Old Stage Station— Scbools—Churchea 
—A Tragedy 323 

CHAPTER L. — Hardin Township— Introductory — Drainage — 
First Families—*' Old Dick Hardin "—Roads and Bridges 
— Churches and Schools-;Rapid Increase of Population — 324 

CHAPTER LI.— Garner Township— The Mormon Settlers— 
Cartervill^The Old Indian Mill— Other Mills— Organi- 
zation of the Township — Origin of Its Kame — Timber, 
Streams, Surface — First Sale of Real Estate in the County 
— Early Schools — Railroads 328 

CHAPTER LII.— Lewis Township— Its Separation from Kane 
Township — Boundaries — Origin of Name — Railroads — 
Deaf and Dumb Institute — Plumer Settlement, etc 336 

CHAPTER LIIL— Keg Creek Township— Organization— First 

Officers — Origin of the Xame~Ear]y Settlers, etc 338 

CHAPTER LIV.— Silver Creek Township— First Settlement by 
the Mormons— First Settlers — Separution from Kane 
Township- Township Officers — A Terrible Tragedy- 
Schools, Religious, etc 340 

CHAPTER LV.— Macedonia Township — Organization — First 
Settler — Early Privations — Mills — Old Macedonia — Car- 
son — New Macedonia — Churches — Schools — Societies — 
Business Interests- The Fire of 1SS2— The Cyclone, etc. 343 

CHAPTER LVI.— Grove Township— Introductory— Boundaries 
—Drainage — " Old Mormon Trail "—First Settlers- Mills, 
Roads and Bridges— Schools and Churches — The Great 
Cj-clone 348 

CHAPTER LVII.— Waveland Township— Organization— Town- 
ship Officers — Streams— Churches — Schools — A Tragic 
Aflfair 359 



PAGE. 

CHAPTER LVIII.— Appendix— School Statistics of Pottawat- 
tamie County for the Tear 1882... 362 



PART II. 

BIOGRAPHICAL. 

Page. 
Council Bluffs 3 

Belknap Township 62 ' 

Boomer Township 79 

Center Township 83 

Crescent Township 87 

Garner Township 93 

Grove Township „ 99 

Hardin Township 107 

Hazel Dell Township II5 

James Township Jig 

Keg Creek Township 126 

Knox Towns'hip 132 

Lay ton Township 140 

Lewis Township '. 145 

Lincoln Township 149 

Macedonia Township 152 

Minden Township 172 

Neola Township 183 

Norwalk Township 198 

Pleasant Township 207 

Rockfurd Township 222 

Silver Creek Township 230 

Valley ToMnship 238 

Washington Township 252 

Waveland Township 254 

Wright Township....! 260 

York Township 26S 



PORTRAITS. 

Bond, N. J 117 

Bresee, P. F 171 

Bryant, A. S 63 

Cdsady,J. P 45 

Clayton, Eli 261 

Clayton, B. F 99 

Dodge, G. M 27 

Jackson, J. A 135 

Keller, John 297 

Knotts, Joseph -. 225 

Macrae, D 153 

Wright, George F 81 

VIEWS. 

"Nonpareil" Building 189 

Residence of William Clark 351 



PART I. 



History OF Pottawattamie County, 



CHAPTEK 1.' 



INTRODUCTORY— ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY— EARLY LIFE IN POTTAWATTAMIE— TOPOGRA- 
PHY'- RICHNESS OF THE SOIL— THE FAMOUS " BLUFFS'— ORIGIN OF THE NAME- 
INDIAN TRADERS— ORIGIN OF SOME INDIAN NAMES — LIVELY INDIAN 
SCENES— THE POTTAWATOMIES— EARLY INDIAN WARS, ETC 



IN entering upon the work of writing up the 
history of a count}- of the vast, rich and now 
populous State of Iowa, a State that begins to 
take a front rank with the first States of the 
grandest nation on earth, we are fully im- 
pressed with the responsibility of the undertak- 
ing. Iowa is in the mouth of every one, and 
all are looking forward to her great future with 
anxictj', and it is important that Pottawatta- 
mie County, one of the largest, richest and 
most productive in the State, should have its 
place in history ; and to this end the work has 
been undertaken. The history of this county 
is of a varied character — religious, political 
and otherwise. It has passed through many 
peculiar changes, and now presents a most 
prosperous condition. 

This county was organized September 21, 
184S, with A. H, Perkins, David D. Yearsley 
and George D. Coulter as the first Countj- 

'By W. T. Giles, 



Commissioners, These Commissioners held 
their first session at the house of Hiram Clark, 
in Kanesville, T, Burdiek acted as the Clerk 
for the Board at this meeting. 

The writer hereof was for the first time in 
Council Bluffs in the fall of 1854, just at the 
beginning of Omaha, Neb., and the new life 
given to this iiew city. At that date, Council 
Bluffs, the county seat of Pottawattamie, was 
not of any very extended size, and red men 
were scattered in and about the city in large 
numbers, and several Indian traders occupied 
tents and small trading-posts. As late as this 
day, the life in this section was ver}- much like 
the life on the plains, or that of early Califor- 
nia, To trace the changes and to collect the 
historic facts transpiring here in these many 
years, is a vast job, one that will require time, 
labor and patience, and then we cannot expect 
to satisf}' every person. Our aim will be to 
give the most perfect hi.story that extraordinary 



12 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



effort will enable us to do. Of course, we will 
refer to the notes of Hon. D. C. Bloomer, in 
tlie Annals of Iowa, and to old settlers and all 
records that can be obtained, for facts to make 
up this history, and in doing this, we will select 
only the important facts connected with the 
growth and prosperity of the county. Potta- 
wattamie is one of the very largest, as well 
as one of the most important, counties in the 
State of Iowa, and it should become the busi- 
ness and duty of every citizen to aid the writer 
in perpetuating her history'. If errors shall 
appear in this history, they will, in the greatest 
measure, be chargeable to the sources from 
whence the}' will be collected, for in relation to 
dates and detailed statements we will rely 
strictly upon the records as made. 

In 1854, this county was without a railroad 
— it was but very thinly settled — the red men 
made the city of Council Bluffs their home, but 
to-day this citj* numbers 20,000 inhabitants, 
railroads cover its surface, large hotels, stores, 
mills and machine-shops are found everywhere, 
and the changes have been indescribably great 
and grand. It would give us pleasure to here 
write a few pages upou the progress and beauty 
of Council Bluffs, but this will appear elsewhere 
in this work, and we will proceed to record 
some of the history of tiie county. 

Pottawattamie is not only one of the largest, 
but it is one of the richest counties in the State 
of Iowa, being forty-four miles from east to 
west, and possessing a width of about twenty- 
four miles from north to south. The soil is 
generalh" a black, rich loam, and yields abun- 
dant crops of all kinds of grain. This county 
contains twenty-four full congressional town- 
ships, six miles square each, and seven frac- 
tional townships, containing 960 square miles, 
or 614,400 acres of land. 

The Missouri River meanders along its west- 
ern border, only touching the bluffs at a single 
point in the county, leaving wide bottom lands 
on its eastern bank. The valley is from two to 



ten miles in width, its narrowest point being 
near Council Bluffs, and the widest point near 
the northwest corner of the county. This val- 
ley cannot be excelled for grass or heavy crops 
of gi'ain. The soil is very deep and almost in- 
exhaustible. 

The far-famed bluffs skirt the valley, and 
rise to a height of from 50 to 300 feet, and are 
generally' composed of clay and sand, with only 
a few exceptions, where stones are found. 
These bluffs are piled up in every conceivable 
shape, frequently giving a pleasant view to the 
e^'e, and are often compared to distinguished 
spots in other countries. Imagination points 
these to represent things living and dead, and 
often in the summer, when the green grass cov- 
ers their surface, the traveler is heard to ex- 
press joj' at the " beauty of the bluffs." From 
their tops the wondering man can iiave a grand 
view of the valleys and farms for miles around. 
The country for a few miles on the east of 
the bluffs is very irregular and broken, after 
which it becomes beautifully rolling, having an 
excellent drainage, and being susceptible of 
easy cultivation. Numerous streams flow 
through these beautiful prairies, generally in a 
southwesterly direction, emptying into the 
grand old Missouri River. The soil of this sec- 
tion is very much like that of the other river 
valleys, and extensive crops are taken from it, 
while the climate is invigorating and healthful. 
The people who settled here years ago, and 
were compelled to remain because they could 
not sell, are now rejoicing over their 'large for- 
tunes, and enjoying beautiful homes, surrounded 
by every comfort that wealth and a rich soil 
can give to man. 

Tile lands that but a few years ago were of- 
fered, and some sold, for $2.50 an acre, cannot 
now be bought for $50 or even $100 an acre in 
some cases. The settlement and advancement 
in Pottawattamie County have been constant 
and rapid, and still the progress goes right 
along. Even in our days, in this section, we 



HISTORY OF POT^TAAVATTAMIE COUNTY. 



13 



have noticed wonderful changes, such as the 
most hopeful for this county could scarcely 
have anticipated. We find those who came 
liere at an early day and got lands, and let them 
pass away at small prices, regretting how little 
they could see of the future, while others re- 
joice that they could not sell when thc3' were 
anxious to do so. The recent fine crops and 
high prices have given great prosperitj- to the 
people of the AVest and this count}'. 

It is not the intention of the writer to ex- 
tend his remarks in a description of the count}', 
but he will proceed to note down some of the 
incidents and lacts connected with tlie early 
histor}', which extend far bacli of any written 
memorials. Pottawattamie County, like other 
prairie counties, had been traveled over long 
before any arrivals from the Old World, by the 
natives or red men, who were found here bj 
the earliest white settlers. These natives lived 
upon the wild game, fish, etc., which abounded 
here in abundance. It is not to be wondered at 
that the Indians became alarmed and discon- 
tented when the whites began to pour into their 
countf}', to kill and drive away their game, and 
to take up their lands. They could not under- 
stand why the}' should be disturbed, or tell by 
what authority any other people should be al- 
lowed to settle upon their undisputed territory. 

The white people are constantly " on the 
make," and learning at a very early day that 
buffalo and other game were abundant upon 
the prairies of this section, a number of them 
came here to seek the furs and skins that were 
taken by the Indians, and these whites extend- 
ed their search for game and furs, as far West 
as the Kocky Mountains. It is supposed that 
the Missouri River was traversed as early as 
the last century by whites, even to its head. 
In 1804, the Government first organized an ex- 
pedition, commanded by Lewis and Clark, to 
explore these extensive prairies and investigate 
the condition and length of the rivers coursing 
through them. This expedition started from 



St. Louis, and passed up the Missouri River to 
its source, after which they crossed the moun- 
tains dividing it from Oregon, and thence pro- 
ceeded to the Pacific coast. 

History informs us that the Indians flocked 
from every direction to examine the boats and 
equipments, and also to solicit presents. Fre- 
quent assemblages and talks were held by 
the commanders of the expedition with 
the Indians, and one of these friendly meet- 
ings took place at a point near the north- 
western corner of Pottawattamie County, 
causing that spot to be called Council 
Bluffs. In time, a fort was erected at or near 
this spot, by the United States C-overnment, 
and it was designated on all the maps of the 
northwest territory, for fifty years, a.s " Coun- 
cil Bluffs." In 1853, the citizens of this county 
seat, by a special act of the General Assembly 
of this State, adopted the name, and now Coun- 
cil Bluffs stands among the great cities of the 
Northwest, and is the terminus of the Union 
Pacific Railway. 

The dealers in furs and hides of various 
kinds, continued in their hazardous and profit- 
able business, and for the first half of the pres- 
ent century, their agents, many of them French, 
or descendants of Frenchmen by Indian women, 
labored incessantly in propelling their loaded 
boats or canoes up the rapid ^lissouri River, 
where they traded with the Indians for furs, 
etc., and then loaded the same boats, and float- 
ed back to St. Louis. This was the constant 
work of many persons for years. Some of the 
old traders are still living in this county, and 
they can give many interesting facts in relation 
to the early trials and adventures of the border 
people. Mr. Francis Guittar, who was a trader 
among the Indians, relates the circumstance of 
his encampment under the bluffs, when on a 
trading expedition, in 1827, fifty-five years ago. 
He still lives in Council Bluffs, and is in the 
enjoyment of excellent health, and presents the 
appearance of a man of flft}- or fifty-five years. 



14 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



The traders had their regular camps, or trad- 
ing points, along the Missouri River, and the 
Indians usually understood when to be at their 
stopping points, and would be on band with 
their furs and pelts, to trade for such articles 
as they wanted. One of these stations was 
situated at what was Icnown as Hart's Bluffs, 
in 1824, but is at present known as Mj-nster's 
Springs, where an abundance of water gushes 
from the bluffs at tbat point. It is also stated 
that farther down tlie river, and near the south- 
western corner of the countj', was another cele- 
brated post for Indians and traders to meet, 
known as Traders' Point, where Peter A. Sarpy, 
a noted character in all these regions in the 
early days, had his headquarters, and accumu- 
lated a fortune. Mr. Sarp}-, like many other 
Frenchmen, married an Indian woman. 

It is impossible for any writer, however well 
posted in relation to names, events, dates or 
discoveries, to satisfy all classes as to the facts. 
Speculations have always existed and will exist 
to the end of time as to the derivation of In- 
dian names, etc. Each writer has his own 
speculation or the speculation of some one 
who professes to be posted in I'elation to tlie 
meaning of the Indian names, and in a recent 
article in the St. Louis Gluhe- Democrat, we 
find the name of Iowa discussed at some 
length. It cannot fail to be interesting to the 
people of this county and tlie State, to here 
transcribe some of the speculations of the 
writer of this commuication, in relation to the 
meaning and the derivation of the name "Iowa." 
Indian tribes generally' have their own ideas 
and meanings in relation to all names, and they 
generally give things names to represent objects 
either imaginarj- or real, but as frequently 
imaginar)-. In early days, on the plains, hun- 
dreds of Indians would assemble at some 
point, and there have a dance in worship to 
the God of game particularly when game was 
plentj'. The}- named the rivers and streams 
in accordance with some of their crude ideas 



of deity. The writer has had many a conver- 
sation with various tribes, and he found that 
all had some vague idea of a great Ruler, or 
Rulers, for most the tribes have various gods. 
The}- have the god of fowls and fisiies; the 
god of buffalo, elk and deer, etc. They wor- 
ship these separately, and in their season, and 
on occasions of this kind they dance, race and 
feast in a style that would put to shame most 
of the jubilees gotten up by the more civilized 
races, for their enjoyments seem to be com- 
plete. No bickering is found in the camp, but 
each and all make the best of the occasion. 

A writer to the Glohe-Democrat gives as the 
derivation of the name "Iowa," •• Ah-hee-oo-ba," 
meaning " sleepers." But another correspond- 
ent to the same paper, who claims to be post- 
ed in relation to the tribes of Iowa Indians, 
and signs himself " L. F.," says : "It is well 
settled and understood that the State was named 
from the River Iowa, and that tlie river derived 
its name from the Indian tribe of that name. 
The Indian word was Kiowa, and so it is print- 
ed on the early maps of the Territory. Two 
traditions exist in relation to this tribe. One 
comes from the Omahas, who called them the 
' Gray-Snows,' from the fact that tiiey left the 
parent tribe in the far north or the Superior 
country during a snow storm, and the snow 
falling and mingling with the sand, gave it a 
gray appearance, hence the term ' Graj- Snows,' 
or those who went off' in the ' graj'-snow.' We 
are here informed that the Indian word was 
' Pj'-ho-ja,' which was corrupted by traders to 
' Py-hoo-ia,' and then Anglicized to Iowa. 
The writer is of opinion tliat this version is 
quite mythical, if not verj- questionable." 

But we will now follow the second and more 
reasonable tradition, as given by this corre- 
I spondeut. The history is very interesting, and 
will bear being repeated here. The writer says : 
•■ The [M'obable correct tradition is that these 
Indians came from the upper lake region. 
Thev were originallv called the ' Pan-hoo- 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



15 



chees.' Nearly two hundred years ago, a large 
body of the tribe started ofl' southwestward 
with their chief, Man-han-gaw. They crossed 
the Mississippi River, moved southward, and 
settled on the west bank of the Kiowa River. 
They established a village, which they named 
Ne-o-ho-nee, and became prosperous, and this 
excited the jealousj- of the marauding Sioux 
on the north. Thej' were strong and powerful. 
The question arose, how to destroy their head, 
and the Sioux, with their traditional deceit and 
treacherj', sent a deputation to Man-han-gaw 
to invite him to join with the Sioux in a dog- 
feast. They presented him with a pipe of peace, 
and smoked it with him as an earnest of their 
good faith. After a long consultation and 
earnest entreat}, Man-han-gaw accepted. He 
paid the penalty of his trust by being assassin- 
ated, an act of treachery which was never for- 
given or forgotten. Slan-han-gaw was suc- 
ceeded as ciiief bj' Mahaska, or White Cloud, 
Or direct descendent. He was a noted warrior, 
and tradition saj-s, led his braves successfully 
tlirougli eighteen battles with the Sioux. He 
was never beaten, but in consequence of his 
success, was betra3'ed and assassinated. He 
was succeeded by his son, Ma-has-ka, from 
whom tlie county of JIahaska derived its name. 
Continuous wars reduced the tribe so that in 
1824, when the old Fox chief, Black Hawk, in 
his triumphal march westward, came upon them, 
they were completel}' destroyed as a tribe and 
fled across the Missouri River, or were scat- 
tered over the territory. Subse(iuently, wiien 
the Foxes, under Black Hawk and Sacs, were 
defeated and conquered by the whites, they 
formed a part of the confederation of the rem- 
nants of the conquered tribes in the territory of 
which were Foxes, Sacs, Pottawatomies and 
Kiowas. Tins confederated bodj' was called 
Musquakie, a small remnant of whom still ex- 
ists in Tama Count}-.' 

Again we are told, on the autiiorit}- of one 
" wlio had much to do with the Fox and Sac 



Indians, who was personally familiar with 
their traditions, and was personally acquainted 
with Powesiiiek, Wapello. Kenesaw, Keokuk, 
^lahaska and other prominent chiefs, and who 
often sought out the traditions of the tribes, 
that the word ' Kiowa ' always meant ' cross- 
ing over,' whether used Isy Fox, Sac or Potta- 
watomie. This meaning is in consonance with 
later history. The Musquakies of to-daj- use 
the same word in the same sense. So when 
the otTshoot of the Pan-hoochees crossed over 
the river, they called the river Kiowa, or the 
river they crossed over. Tribes eastward called 
them Kiowas, or the Indians who crossed the 
river. When Black Hawk, in his march, entered 
the territory west of the Mississippi, he called 
it Kiowa, or where he crossed over. When the 
earliest white people came to the territory, in 
advance of settlements, at the trading-posts, 
when the bands of the several chiefs came in, 
and were asked where they came from, the 
reply was, ' Kiowa Chedapa,' or across Skunk 
River, Kiowa meaning over or across, and Chi- 
caqua Skunk or Stinking River, so called from 
the wild onions found in profusion along its 
banks. Perhaps they would say ' Ne-ko-ma- 
puk-a-chee keo-sau-qua-sepo-kiou,' meaning 
their ponies had run away across the dark 
river. Ne-ko-ma, pony ; puk-a-chee, run away ; 
keo-sauqua, dark, inky ; sepo, river ; and kiou, 
over. In whatever connection the Indians 
used the word ' Kiowa,' it signified over, or 
the act of crossing. It had no other meaning, 
and every tribe in Iowa so used it." 

This writer to the Glohe- Democrat further 
says : " There is no poetry in it. Every one 
familiar with Indian history knows their vo- 
cabulary was formed from events. Words 
took rise from circumstances, and one word was 
frequently used to express many things, or was 
interpreted, together with some sign, gesture or 
incident, to var}' its signification. From Ma- 
haska I, down to this time, Kiowa has signified 
crossing over, and that antedates Black Hawk's 



16 



HISTORY OF POTT AAV ATT A MIE COD NT Y. 



expedition across the Mississippi. It may be 
well here to remark that the Indians from the 
south to the north called the Des Moines River 
(Keo-sau-qua Sepo), or dark. ink\', rolling river, 
from the black color of the water in the spring 
and fall, the result of the washings of the 
burned-out prairies along the banks." 

It may be interesting to man^y of the readers 
of this histor}' to know the derivation of some 
of the Indian words, and for this reason, we 
will quote the following from a writer who 
claims to be versed in the Indian language. 
He gives a number of words in Indian with 
the translations, as follows : 

Indian. English. 

Miss-sisk, Grass. 

Mis-sis-ke-kon. Weeds. 

Mis-is-que, Medicine herbs. 

Mis-sis-ke-wa-keck, Field of luxuriant herbage. 
Mis-ku-tak, Meadow. 

The writer interprets this last word as being 
" derived from miss, prairie, and Shu-tak, fire, 
literally meaning grass fire, an idea apparent 
to all conversant with burning prairies." It 
was from these names that the Mississippi 
River was so called, as will be shown by this 
quotatioiis from the same writer, who says : 
" The meadows or broad-grass lands along the 
river were called Mis-ke-tak, and the Indians 
who occupied the adjoining lands on either side, 
were called ' Mis-she-ten,' or 'Meadow Indians.' 
The river was called ■ Mis-sis-wa-keek,' sepo, or 
literallj', Meadow River, or river of Meadows 
or grass." 

Here we will give the French rule as it ap- 
pears in history. It is stated that Marquette, 
in 1673, recorded the name Mississipy ; Claude 
Dablon, in 1671, had it Mississippo ; Francia 
LeMercieu, in 1666, wrote it Messipi; Hen- 
nipin, in 1680, wrote Mechaspi, and D. Coxe, in 
1689, Meschasabe. 

This will show that the writers attempted to 
enunciate the articulate sounds of the Indian 
speech. The same sound in the above quota- 



tions are attempted to be given in similar 
character in English. 

Some of the Indians here described, came 
to this countrj' with the Pottawatomies, and 
remained here until their removal from this 
section to Kansas. The red men have always, 
and in every country, given way to the sturdy, 
industrious white people, and the same results 
will continue until the whites will hold every 
foot of land in the United States. 

As late as 1856 and 1857, the Indians, we 
are informed by Hon. C. D. Bloomer in the 
Annals of Iowa, had free access to the streets 
of Council Bluffs, and traversed many sections 
of this count}'. At this time the Omahas and 
Pawnees predominated, the Pottawatomies 
having removed farther south. These red- 
skins did not stand upon any ceremony when 
they desired to visit the houses of the whites, 
but came and left at pleasure and without in- 
vitation. We are here told. " they would open 
doors and walk into a house with the most 
astonishing coolness, and when they could not 
do this, they would plant themselves before the 
windows and watch the movements of the in- 
mates." At about this time, " Mr. Francis 
Guittar, kept an Indian grocery store, on the 
corner of Broadway and Main streets, and here 
the Indians assembled in large numbers, when 
shooting at dimes, jumping, running, dancing 
and singing were indulged in, and enjoj'ed b}- 
the crowd. Mr. Guittar having passed many 
years among them as a fur-trader, could speak 
their language readily," and could explain to 
the assembled audiences the meaning of the red 
people, and also their wants. 

The same writer describes a lively scene that 
took place in this city in 1855, on the occasion 
of the Indians receiving their annual payment 
from the Government in gold. He says : 
" Very soon the intelligence spread abroad that 
the Indians would arrive to buj' horses, and in 
a short time nearly ever}' horse and pony in 
the place were on the streets for sale. The red 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



17 



men were quite good on a bargain wlien horse 
flesh was to be bought, and trading went on 
actively all that daj-. Horses and ponies were 
flying in ever}' direction, red or white riders 
showing them to the crowd. Gold was the 
only medium of exchange that passed current, 
and eagles were traded for horses and ponies 
in large numbers, and when night came the 
Indians retired to the bottoms with their ani- 
mals, while their former owners were engaged 
in counting up their gold." Those who have 
seen one of these gatherings, can understand 
what a lively time it makes. Many of the In- 
dians get on ■' high horses," while some of the 
whites take a jubilee over their gains. 

But we will again recur to the Pottawato- 
mie Indians, from whom this county takes its 
name, and in referring to history we find that 
this tribe lived in Indiana, the southern part of 
Michigan and eastern part of Illinois, before 
removing to Iowa. We are told " their early 
history was very obscure," and yet we learn 
that the " United States has had more business 
transactions with them than with any other In- 
dians." It is stated that they were received 
into the friendship and protection of the Gov- 
ernment, by a treat}', as early as the 9th of 
January, 1789 ; and since that time, and pre- 
vious to their removal to Iowa, the Govern- 
ment held tbirty-five treaties with this nation." 

In history, it is stated that, '-in 1755, the 
French, Pottawatomies and other Indians of 
the West, were combined in a war against Eng- 
land, which caused a gloomy prospect for the 
future growth of the colonies, and the emigra- 
tion to the West, for a time, was nearly cut 
ofl'." The " British determined to retrieve their 
possessions in the West, and for this purpose 
sent out two regiments of veteran soldiers, un- 
der command of Gen. Edward Braddock, who 
had learned the art of war on the battle- fields 
of Europe, but had little idea of Indian war- 
fare. He landed at Alexandria with much pomp 
and show, and being clothed with the fullest 



power of the King, he was treated with the 
greatest attention by the Governors and 
officers of the colonies, and the expectation of 
success reached the highest pitch. With the 
skill of an experienced General, Braddock soon 
had everything in readiness, and with unusual 
dispatch, marched with his army across the 
Alleghanies, and was descending the Mononga- 
hela, when, on the 9th of July, they met with 
the combined force of the enemy, who were 
concealed in ambush. In almost an incredibly 
short time, seven hundred men and their offi- 
cers lay dead on the field, and the advance col- 
umn, panic-stricken, commenced a flight which 
nothing could check. The General himself 
fell, and that proud army, which in the early 
morning had crossed the Monongahela, in gal- 
lant array, with drums beating and banners 
flying, fled like sheep before wolves — aban- 
doning their cannon, amunition and their 
wounded to the unmerciful foe. Prominent 
among the red men of the West, who achieved 
this signal victorj', were the Pottawatomies." 

We find that in " the war carried on against 
the English, after Great Britain and France had 
made peace, under the lead of Pontiac, the Pot- 
tawatomies were the first to join the confeder- 
acy, and took a prominent part in the siege. 
In the summer of 1 790, hostile demonstrations 
were apprehended from the Indians of the AVa- 
bash Valley, and Col. Hammer was directed to 
advance into that country and endeavor to 
bring them to terms." On the " 30th of Sep- 
tember, he left for duty, with 1,000 men, but 
when he arrived near the Miami of the Lakes, 
he met the combined force of Pottawatomies 
Shawnees and Miamis, and was forced to make 
a disorderly retreat, with a loss of nearly one- 
third of his men." 

" This invasion of their country by Col. Ham- 
mer was considered b}- the Indians as a decla- 
ration of war, and the Pottawatomies, notwith- 
standing they had been received into the friend- 
ship of the United States Government, joined 



18 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



the Miamis and other hostile tribes against the 
whites. 

It will be observed, by this history, that the 
Pottawatomies, long before removing to Iowa, 
figured extensively in the battles of this 
country. They occupied the position of friends 
to our Government until they supposed their 
country was to be taken from them, and when 
this time came, they were read}' for battle. In 
whatever place we find this tribe of Indians, 
they appear to have held important posts — 
seemed to be leaders. In 1812, they are found, 



after some hesitancy, taking sides with Tecum- 
seh and the British, and during the war 
they remained, on that side, but after the 
treaty of Ghent, they again returned and 
placed themselves under the protection of the 
United States Government, and an agreement 
was entered into between them and the 
Government to mutually forgive and forget 
past difficulties. Pottawattamie County, lilce 
these Indians, will occupy a prominent place 
in the history of the State of Iowa and the 
nation. 



CHAPTER II. 



GROWTH OF THE COUNTY— EARLV SBTrLERS—C.A.THOLIC MISSIONARIES— THE OLD BLOCK-HOUSE 

—OLD MILL— DEPARTURE OF THE POTTAWATOMIES — KANESVILLE—SETTLE.MENT 

OF THE MORMONS— THEIR ORGANIZ.ITION AND INFLUENCE— THEIR PART 

IN THE MEXICAN WAR— THEIR ENTERPRISE, ETC.— DECLINE OF 

THEIR SUPREMAGV AND DEPARTURE FOR UTAH— EARLY 

POLITICS— ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY, ETC. 

This same history informs us that in 1839, 
two companies of United States troops landed 
here, having come up the Missouri River on a 
steamboat. The}" at once proceeded to erect a 
fort or block-house, on what is now the eastern 
part of Council Bluffs. At about the same 
period, two Catholic missionaries came to the 
same point, and at once established a mission 
among the Indians. These missionaries were 
permitted to use the block-house for religious 
meetings, and they erected a log cabin for their 
own accommodations. As late as 1855, the 
block-house was still standing, and it was sur- 
mounted by a rude cross, emblematic of the 
faith and zeal of these pious pioneers in this 
region of country. These Catholics also estab- 
lished a burying-ground in the" vicinity of 
the fort, where the dead received a Christian 
burial. 

The United States Government erected a 
mill on Musketo Creek, about two miles from 



WHEN you look at the present growth 
and condition of Council Bluffs and 
Pottamattamie County, you will be astonished 
to learn how recently tlie red men of the forests 
occupied this territory. The writer finds re- 
corded in the Annals of Iowa, that "in 1838, 
the Government of the United States removed 
the Pottawatomie Indians from the Platte pur- 
chase in Missouri, to the Southwestern part of 
Iowa, with their headquarters in Pottawatta- 
mie County, where Council Bluffs now stands." 
A number of agents, mechanics and employes 
accompanied the Indians to their new home, 
among whom was David Hardin, who was sent 
by the Government to instruct the red men in 
the art of farming. Mr. Hardin landed at 
Traders' Point, with his family, consisting of 
his wife and seven sons, two of whom, Richard 
and Martin D., are still residents, and among 
the oldest white inhabitants of Western Iowa. 

*By W.T.Giles. 



HISTOKY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



19 



the iMissouri Valley, with Mr. S. E. Wicks as 
niiller for the Indians. 

The history of the Pottawatomies while in 
Iowa, is the f'story of most Indians to the 
present time. It is said of them, " they did not 
make any rapid progress in the arts of civiliza- 
tion." Their squaws cultivated some small 
pat<;lie3 of corn, while the men and boys spent 
nearly all their time in hunting and fishing, 
(rame was plenty, even buffalo and elk were 
found east of the Missouri River. The Indians 
remained here till 1841) and 1847, when they 
sold their possessions to the Government, by 
treaty, on June 5, 1846, and removed to Kan- 
sas, where, what are left of them still remain. 

The sale and departure of the Pottawatomies 
from this section of country, left it open for 
tlie settlement of the followers of Joseph Smith, 
who was killed while in prison, in Nauvoo, 111. 
These people were called Latter Day Saints, 
and were very deluded on the subject of re- 
ligion. It was generally supposed that Joseph 
Smith, like Brigham Young, was a polygamist 
but some of the followers of Joseph, who still 
live in this county, deny this, and contend 
that such was not in accord with that supposed 
saints teachings. His death occurred in 1844, 
and in a 3'car or two after, the Mormons, head- 
ed by Brigham Young, turned their faces west- 
ward, crossed Iowa and landed on the borders 
of the Missouri River. In 184G, Young and 
his followers again changed their location, and 
this time settled at what wiis known as Winter 
Quarters, on the west side of the Missouri Riv- 
er, where they remained until the following 
spring, when the saints arose and marched to 
Salt Lake City, arriving there on the 24th day 
of July, 1847. Of course, all the Mormons did 
not go to Salt Lake in this season, for many 
remained in Winter Quarters, to await the news 
from those who had gone. These people con- 
tinued to emigrate for Salt Lake, as the news 
of the beauty of the country was sounded afar 
by those who had settled there. The climate 



was also excellent, and it was not long till Win- 
ter Quarters was almost deserted, for many of 
these people who did not go to Salt Lake, 
moved into Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and 
some of them are among its most wealthy and 
respected citizens of to-day. 

In 184G, many of the Mormons arrived in this 
county from Nauvoo in time to plant and 
secure crops for the season, and many more 
arrived the following season. They scattered 
over the county, and many went to the adjoin- 
ing counties, selecting localities in the groves 
and near the beautiful little streams and springs 
of pure waters. It wa§ not long till the timber 
covering the blufl's and skirting the water 
courses, was cut down and converted into cab- 
ins and barns by these new settlers. In many 
cases where timber was scarce, caves were made 
in hillsides, and were occupied as places of 
shelter to protect these families from the wild 
storms that frequently visit these prairies. 

A history of this county would be very im- 
perfect unless it would give an extended his- 
tory of the early settlement of the Latter Day 
Saints here ; and that we may be enabled to 
more perfectly do this, we will again recur to 
a statement made by Mr. Bloomer, in the An- 
nals of Iowa, in which he says : " The valley of 
Indian Creek, with the adjacent bluffs and the 
high tablo-lands stretching westward to the 
Missouri River, were, from the first, the center 
and headquarters of this new community. 
Here a village of log cabins speeflily arose, 
numbering its population by the thousands, 
and here a mammoth tabernacle was erected , 
of logs, capable of accommodating one thou- 
sand worshipers. Orson Hvde, priest, editor, 
writer and lawyer, was installed as President 
of the quorum of the select twelve, and here 
his people dwelt for many months, unmolested 
and undisturbed by the surgings and strifes of 
the outside world. The wild whistle of the 
locomotive did not disturb the dreams of these 
people ; even the echo of the stage driver's 



20 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



horn was not heard in these valleys, for the 
Western Stage Company had not extended their 
lines thus far. These " Saints" had to depend 
upon private enterprise for all letters and news 
from the outside world, the only post ofHce 
being in Missouri, and one hundred miles 
away. 

This new village was given the name of 
Kanesville, in honor of Col. Kane, of Peinisyl- 
vania, who visited the Mormons in their early 
settlement, and who then and in subsequent 
years proved to be their true friend. The 
location and limits of this village were identical 
with the territorial limits of Council Bluffs. 

Over four years Kanesville and the entire 
county of Pottawattamie, with some of the ter- 
ritory of other counties, remained under the 
exclusive control of the Mormons. They made 
public sentiment, controlled elections and filled 
all the public offices. Representatives of their 
faith sat in two General Assemblies, and it is 
reported that their influence was the cause of 
the peculiar provision in the code of Iowa, in 
relation to prosecution for adultery. At any 
rate, it is certain that their ideas in relation to 
a plurality of wives were, in a measure, prac- 
ticed by not a few of the Jlormon leaders with 
impunity while living in Iowa. 

It has been charged that these people were 
hostile to the United States Government ; but 
it is stated, in the Annals of Iowa, that " when 
they were appealed to in 1846 to raise a bat- 
talion for service in the Mexican war, the}' 
promptlj' responded, and marched 500 strong, 
under the command of Col. Clark, through the 
Northern States of Mexico, taking part in sev- 
eral battles, and finally closing their campaign 
in California, where many of them engaged in 
mining, and secured large fortunes. Among 
the latter number was Mr. William Garner, who 
returned to Kanesville, and still resides in the 
count}', where he is known as one of its most 
wealthy and public-spirited citizens. It is 
claimed, with a reasonable show of evidence. 



that the first discovery of gold in the banks 
and waters of the Sacramento was made by one 
or more members of this battalion. 

It is further stated that the ^Jorraon popula- 
tion of the county was larger in 1848 than at 
any subsequent period, but the State census of 
1849, after many had left for Utah, showed it 
to have been, at that time, 6,552, and in IS.iO 
the census gave 7,828. The limits of the 
county, at that time, were much larger than at 
present. It had acquired separate organization 
in September, 1848. The first Clerk was James 
Sloan ; the first County Commissioners were 
A. H. Perkins, David D. Yearsley ajid George 
Coulson ; and its first County Judge, elected 
in 1851, was T. Burdick. The first term of the 
District Court was held on the 5th day of May, 
1851. James Sloan presided as the District 
Judge ; Evan M. Green was Clerk, and Alex- 
ander M'Rae, Sheriff. Mr. Green, Clerk, seemed 
to have conceived the idea that he was required 
to keep a full proceedings of all that transpired 
in court, including the testimony of witnesses 
and the arguments of the lawyers, as well as 
the charge of the Judge. Judge Sloan was a 
native of Ireland, and it is stated that he was 
full of eccentricities and anecdotes, and many 
stories are told of his conduct on the bench 
that are quite refreshing. In religion, he pro- 
fessed to be a Mormon, in common with all the 
oflBcials. After holding the oflBce for a year. 
Judge Sloan resigned, when the Governor of 
Iowa appointed Judge Bradford to the place 
This gentleman presided until the people 
elected S. H. Riddle, who did not reach the 
bench until the Mormon rule was passing away. 
It is stated that Orson Hyde was one of the 
first attorneys admittod to practice law before 
Judge Sloan. 

In 1848, I]van M. Green was appointed the 
first Postmaster in Kanesville, but it was some- 
time before a regular mail route was estab- 
lished between this point and the nearest post 
office in Missouri, and four or five years before 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



21 



regular mails began to arrive from the East 
over Iowa. 

Orson Hyde established the Frontier Guar- 
dian, in 1848, which paper was published till 
1852. It was edited by Hyde and A. C. Ford, 
and advocated the Mormon religion. This 
paper, in politics, was Whig, and yet it is 
stated that the political feelings of Hyde and 
Ford did not seriously interfere with their ac- 
tions, for their votes were cast wherever and for 
whatever party they supposed would favor 
tliem most. 

The politicians who always discover the 
points to be made among a people who have 
no decided politics, frequentl}' made a pilgrim- 
age across the State of Iowa to secure the Mor- 
mon'vote, which could change the result of the 
election. Riglit in this connection, it was re- 
ported that Orson Hyde was appointed to the 
office of Guardian, for securing very nearly a 
unanimous vote for a particular candidate for 
Congress, in 1848, but the poll books were not 
to be found when the Canvassing Board assem- 
bled to make their returns. In the Southern 
States, in later days, returning boards did not 
need books. 

. It is recorded that the first Representative 
to the General Assembly of Iowa, from this 
section, was Henry Miller, and the second, 
Archibald Bryant; and Hadley D. Johnson 
was elected to the State Senate in 1852. 

In 1849, the first great rush to California 
began, and soon Council Blufts became a noted 
out-fitting point, where hundreds of teams and 
thousands of people assembled to lay in feed 
and provisions for the perilous trip. This tide 
of emigration continued for a few years, and 
many merchants reaped large rewards from the 
passing people. The feny business became 
very profitable, and a number of persons went 
into the enterprise, and all were kept busy dui'- 
ing the springs of the years that the people 
rushed to to the California mines, where thou- 
sands of fortunes were made and lost. 



The Mormons were as quick to see a dollar as 
the rest of mankind, and they settled along the 
routes to California and established ranches 
and trading posts, and made much money. 
Some of the gold seekers who had not the ut- 
most regard for any religion, frequently made 
light of the professions of the Mormons, and 
in fact caused some of the adherents of the 
cause to forget their professions. Kanesville 
became a general rendezvous of all the gold- 
hunting people who crossed Iowa, and this 
caused the place to grow rapidly. Many who 
had started for California sold their teams and 
remained here to make their fortunes, and some 
of the.se succeeded beyond their own expecta- 
tion.s. The valley along the Missouri River 
was covered with canvas- covered wagons and 
oxen, mules and horses, while the streets of the 
town were thronged by as hardy a lot of men 
as ever entered upon a frontier life, and some 
of these were as rough as thej' were hardy and 
daring. Among them were all manner of men, 
traders, gamblers, horse thieves, murderers and 
desperadoes of every description, and soon 
every conceivable crime was pi-acticed here. The 
gambler applied himiself to his occupation at 
every corner of the streets of the village, 
and drinking was common at every shop. The 
Sabbath was almost entirely forgotten, and ex- 
cept at the Mormon Tabernacle, where Hyde 
presided, no word of God or religion was heard. 
At this early day more than one'poor fellow 
was strung up by the neck to the most conven- 
ient tree, bj- a self-constituted vigilance com- 
mittee. The return of miners from California, 
I who had accumulated lots of gold, did not 
I abate these crimes, but gambling and drinking 
' seemed to increase, particularly among the 
Gentiles, who had so sadly demoralized the 
early settlers." 

We will again return to the Annals of Iowa, 
and transcribe therefrom a chapter on the de- 
parture of the Latter Day Saints from Potta- 
wattamie County. It says : " The time had 



22 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



now fully come for the Mormons to follow their 
great leader to the happj' valley among the 
mountains of Utah. Many had already taken 
their departure for the land of promise, while 
fresh trains of newly-converted disciples from 
the Old and New World were pressing their way 
to the dominions of Brigham Young. While 
Hyde's followers in AV^estern Iowa had been 
gradually diminishinsi in numbers, those of 
Young, at Salt Lake, had rapidly increased. In 
1852, an order came and was given to all of 
the Mormons, that all true believers in the 
creed of Joseph Smith, as taught b_v his Vice- 
gerent, Brigham Young, should assemble 
around the great central temple in Utah. Now 
came the harvest for the Gentiles. They 
swarmed into Kanesville, and into all the set- 
tlements of the faithful throughout the country. 
Farms were sold to them for a few hundred 
dollars ; claims were bargained away for a 
span of horses and a wagon ; lots in Kanesville 
were traded for a yoke of oxen, and cabins and 
store rooms were exchanged for furniture and 
a few articles for the journej-. During all the 
spring and summer of 1852, the work of sell- 
ing out and removing went forward. Long 
trains of the pilgrims covered all tlie roads up 
the Platte Vallej', and across the Laramie 
plains, as tliej' wended their way to the Cit^' 
of the Saints. This migration continued with 
diminished volume during several succeeding 
years, until all the believers in the Mormon 
faith who were willing to acknowledge Brigham 
Young as the true successor of their first 
prophet and leader had departed from this 
countrj'. 

Man}' of these people have since occupied 
prominent positions in the Mormon hierarchy, 
and one of Brigham's favorite concubines, was 
formerly a well-known citizen of Council Bluffs, 
and was highly esteemed for her beaut}' and 
accomplishments. A few of the prominent 
citizens of this county who were once num- 
bered among Hyde's desciples, renounced the 



faith altogether, and are now among the most 
respected citizens ; while others, refusing to 
recognize Brigham Young as their prophet, 
have adhered to the fortunes of Joseph Smith, 
Jr. These latter have rather increased than di- 
minished in numbers, during the last few years, 
and they now have a regular religious organiza- 
tion in several of the western counties of this 
State, and a church in Council Bluffs. These 
people repudiate the doctrine of the plurality 
of wives, and believe much in doctrines similar 
to those taught by the Baptists. They are 
among the most industrious and respectable 
citizens. 

In 1852 and 1853. the Mormon predominance 
in Pottawattamie County practically ceased, 
and within a year or two thereafter the "•Gen- 
tiles," by which name all othes than Mormons 
were known, acquired entire control of its 
destinies. In closing the subject of the Mor- 
mons in this county, it may be necessary to 
refer to this matter and people again, for they 
figured extensivel}' in the early settlement of 
the count}-, and in fact, were prett}- much all 
of the early settlement, leaving out the 
Indians. 

It may be well to give a little of the early 
political history of the State and county, and to 
do so we will refer to some facts found in the 
Annals of Iowa as presented by Charles Negus. 
It is here stated that " in 1848, there were two 
elections — one in August, at which there were 
to be elected two members of Congress, the 
State officers and members of the Legislature ; 
and in November, for the first time, the electors 
of Iowa had an opportunity to take part in a 
Presidential election. Lewis Cass was the Dem- 
ocratic candidate, and Zacharj' Taylor the 
Whig nominee, and the political excitement ran 
high, and greater efforts were made b}' both par- 
ties than were ever made befure in Iowa. For the 
August election, the Democrats nominated all 
the old State otiicers, with the exception of Cut- 
ler, the Secretary of State, who, from his course 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



23 



pursued towards Harlan, or for some other rea- 
son, had become unpopuhir with the people, 
Josiah Bonney, of Van Buren County, was nom- 
inated in his place. A. C. Dodge, Lincoln 
Clark, John Selmon and Joseph Williams were 
nominated by the Democrats for Presidential 
electors ; and Fitz Henry Warren, William H. 
Wallace, Jesse Bowen and Thomas I, McKean 
were nominated as the Whig electors." Here, 
again. ' the Mormons who had settled on the 
western slope of the State, and had become 
quite nnmerouR. became important factors to 
both political parties, and it was a question 
with each party how best to manage this large 
vote. It was discovered by the Democrats 
that Orson Hyde, who was the Presiding Elder 
over the Mormons in Iowa, and had the super- 
intendence of this part of the church, visited 
Burlington earlj- in the season, and had a long 
interview with Warren, one of the Whig candi- 
dates for elector, and it was currently circulated 
that he had received some personal favors from 
and had pledged himself to Warren that the 
Mormon vote should be cast for the Whigs at 
the coming election, if thev were permitted to 
vote. At this period, it was supposed there 
were from 8,000 to 10,000 Mormons in the 
western part of the State, and that they would 
at least cast 800 or 1,000 votes, if they were 
ail brought to the polls, a vote which would 
probably carry the election in the First Con- 
gressional District, if not the State, and elect 
the Whig candidates in the western districts to 
the Legislature, When it became understood 
that these peo))le, at the coming election, would 
vote the Whig ticket, tliere was great anxiety, 
on the part of the leading Democrats, to coun- 
teract the influence of this vote. Judge Carlton, 
whose duty it had been made by law to appoint 
a Sheriff for the purpose of organizing Potta- 
wattamie County, whenever he should think the 
public good required it, had appointed William 
S, Townsend, a Democrat, Organizing Sherifl", 
and had ordered that an election should be 



held on the first Monday in April, 1848, But 
when it was ascertained that the Mormons 
would probably vote with the Whigs, Town- 
send declined to act, and consequently the 
count}' was not organized, and without an or- 
ganization of some kind they could not vote at 
the coming election. After the Mormons found 
out that Townsend was not going to organize 
the county, they petitioned the County Com- 
missioners of Monroe County to " grant them a 
township for the purpose of electing two Jus- 
tices of the Peace and Constables, as thej' la- 
bored under much disadvantage for the want 
of legal authority among them, and that the 
election might be held at the council house in 
Kanesville (now Council Bluffs City,) 

On the 3d of July, the Board of Commis- 
sioners of Monroe County ordered, " That 
that portion of the country called Pottawatta- 
mie County, which lies due west- of Monroe 
County (at that time it was supposed tiiat 
Kanesville was due west of Monroe County), 
be organized into a township, and that Kanes- 
ville be a precinct for election purposes in said 
township, and that the boundaries of said town- 
ship extend east as far as the East Nishnabot- 
na; " and they also ordered, " That that por- 
tion of the country called Clark Count}-, lying 
immediately west of Lucas County, to what is 
called East Nishnabotna, be organized into a 
precinct for election and judicial purposes," 

The organization of these precincts became 
a matter of much concern to the Democrats; 
and the securing or defeating the Mormon vote 
was a matter of vital interest to both parties. 
After the election was over, about the time it 
was supposed the poll-books would be returned 
to the Clerk's office in Jlonroe County from 
Kanesville precinct, quite a number of active 
politicians from both parties assembled at Al- 
bia, the county seat of Monroe County. Among 
those most active, were James B. Howell, the 
editor of the Whig paper at Keokuk, on the 
Whig side, and L C. Hall in behalf of the Demo. 



24 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



crats. James Sloan, one of the Clerks, brought 
the poll-books of the Kanesville precinct to 
Albia, where there arose quite a spirited dis- 
cussion about the Clerk's receiving them. 
Howell contended that they ought to be re- 
ceived and counted b}' the Clerk, and Hall 
opposed it. Sloan, in bis deposition, taken 
afterward, in relation to this matter, in speak- 
ing of the Clerk, said : " He (the Clerk) re- 
ceived the poll-books bj' reaching out his hand 
and taking them. I informed him what it was. 
He looked at the parcel on both sides, and 
reached out his hand to return it to me. I 
declined accepting it. He afterward went par- 
tially around the table and put it under some 
newspapers, where lay some books, close by 
where a gentleman sat, who, I was informed, 
was Dr. Flint, with his left arm resting on the 
table. I requested the Clerk to endorse the 
poll-books, stating who had brought them, and 
how far I bad come. He declined doing so. I 
told him I was bound to deliver the poll-books ; 
that I had understood there was a heav^' pen- 
alty if I neglected to do it, and that I now 
wished to get my pay ; also, that I had per- 
formed my dutj', and I would not carry them 
back or receive them, and told the Clerk that 
we had no use for them. Mr. Hall told the 
Clerk he might sweep them into the street (in 
repl^' to a question as to what should be done 
with them), and I replied he might for aught I 
cared, as it did not concern me ; I had done 
my duty." 

The Clerk refused to receive the Kanesville 
poll-books on the ground that the County Com- 
missioners of Monroe County had no right to 
organize the township, and the Mormon vote 
was not counted in canvassing the votes. The 
room where the parties had assembled was a 
log house, with the floor laid down with loose 
boards, and while the contest was going on 
about what was to be done with the poll-books, 
they fell down from the table on the floor, and 
probably, by the aid of some one's foot, got 



through a crack in the floor, and were missing. 
After the crowd had dispersed, Israel Keister, 
learning where the poll-books were, went and 
got them from under the floor and put them 
into Hall's carpet-sack. Hall, on his waj' home, 
found the poll-books in his possession, and did 
not make it public, and there were many sur- 
mises for a long time, as to what had become 
of them. 

The official returns for Congressman for 
the First District gave William Thompson, 
Democrat, 6,477 votes, and Daniel F. Miller, 
Whig, 6,091 votes. The Kanesville Precinct, 
which was not counted in this result, gave 
Thompson thirty' votes, and Miller 493 votes. 
If the Mormon votes had been counted, it 
would have elected Miller by a small majority, 
but as it was not counted, he was defeated by 
almost 400 votes. Mr. Miller concluded to 
contest the election of Thompson, and during 
the contest, the Kanesville poll-books were 
found in Judge Mason's ofBce, but the Judge 
refused to tell how they came there, only say- 
ing "they came into m}- hands honestly." The 
Whigs made a great handle of the discovery, 
and the Whig papers were full of bitter denun- 
ciations of the Democratic party in relation to 
•' the stolen poll-books." 

When the Whigs ascertained how the Mor- 
mons voted at the August election, they thought 
if all the settlements on the western slope were 
organized into preeints, so that all could easily 
get to the polls, that with the Mormon vote 
they would be able to carry the State at the 
November election, and there was a great 
anxiety on the part of the Whigs to have 
Pottawattamie County organized. Fitz Henry 
Warren, who was regarded as one of the best 
managers in the State, had been made Chair- 
man of the Whig Executive Committee of 
Iowa, and had been entrusted with the funds 
raised to defray the expense of the campaign. 
He undertook to have Pottawattamie County 
organized and laid ofl' into suitable precincts, 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



35 



so as to have thf vote of ever}- voter. Warren 
found in the person of one William Pyckett, 
whose family were living in Kanesville, as he 
thought, a suitable person to organize the 
country purchased from the Pottawatomie 
Indians, into a county, as provided for by the 
Legislature ; and as an inducement for him to 
undertake it, he gave him $140 from the Whig 
funds in his hands, which he was to receive for 
his services, over the fees allowed bj* law. 

Pyckett, having been known for some time 
previous as a Democrat, and professing to be 
desirous for the success of the Democratic 
party, and claiming he could induce the Mor- 
mons to vote the ticket, and it not being known 
that he was in the paj- of Warren, succeeded 
in getting some influential Democrats to recom- 
mend the organizing of the western slope of 
Iowa into a county, and Pyckett as a suitable 
person to do it, and upon this recommendation 
he received the appointment. Pyckett did not 
have the prudence to keep these matters to 
liiraself, but on his waj- back, while at Burling- 
ton, told that he had received a commission 
from Judge Carleton to organize Pottawatta- 
mie Count}-, and that Warren had given him 
$140. When it w-as discovered he was working 
under the pay of Warren, some of the Demo- 
crats who had signed his recommendation 
were very much chagrined, and the leading 
Democrats about Burlington determined to de- 
feat his undertaking, if possible. 

The law authorizing the appointment of an 
Organizing Sheriff, required that the person 
appointed, before he should be qualified to enter 
upon the discharge of the duties of his office, 
should file his bond and oath of office in the 
• Clerk's office of the District Court of Polk 
County. I. C. Hall was dispatched to go forth 
with to Polk County and get the Clerk to resign, 
80 that the appointed Organizing Sheriff could 
not qualify. Pyckett. not suspecting any at- 
tempt to defeat him in his undertaking, and 



not being in a hurry, took things so leisurely 
that when he got to Polk County, he found that 
Hall had Iieen there two or three days previous 
to his arrival, and by this maneuver, Pottawat- 
tamie County was not organized in time for 
the settlers on the western slope to vote at the 
Presidential election. 

With the exception of Thompson, the Demo- 
crats this j-ear were triumphant, both at tlie 
August and November elections, and elected 
the congressional, State and electoral tickets by 
decided majorities, and also had the ascendency 
in both branches of the Legislature, and in 
joint ballot a majoritj' of nineteen. This es- 
tablished the fact that the Democrats could 
elect two United States Senators and Supreme 
Judges, and these offices elicited much interest 
among the politicians, and at the convening of 
the Legislature there were a great number of 
the leading Democrats, from all parts of the 
State, assembled at Iowa City, each using his 
best efforts to get himself or his particular 
friend elected to the United States Senate or as 
Judge of the Supreme Court. 

It was not long after the organization of the 
Legislature till the Democrats held a caucus, 
and nominated Gen. A. C. Dodge and George 
W. Jones as candidates for the United States 
Senate, and then adjourned till nest day, to 
nominate candidates for Supreme Judges. As 
soon as the result for Senators was known, 
shouts of joy went forth, and a large number 
of the friends of the candidates repaired to a 
saloon, where there was a general time of re- 
joicing. Oysters, wines and other liquors were 
dealt out with profusion, for which the candi- 
dates paid $300, an extraordinar}- treat for 
Iowa in those daj-s. On the following day, the 
Democratic caucus put in nomination, Joseph 
Williams for Chief Justice, George Green and 
John F. Kinnej- for Associate Justices. Thus 
ended the political and Mormon conflict for the 
time. 



26 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



CHAPTER III. 



ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LAND OFFICE— FIRST ENTRIES, ETC.— ITS DISCONTINUANCI^— WATER- 
COURSES OF THE COUNTY— TIMBER — STONE— COAL PROSFECTS— CLIMATE— 
CATTLE-RAISING— GREAT PRODUCTIVENESS OF THE SOIL, ETC. 



THE United States Land Office was estab- 
lished in Council Bluffs, in the spring of 
1853, with Joseph H. D. Street, Register, and 
Dr. S. jM. Ballard, Receiver. These gentlemen 
only held the offices until June, when they were 
superseded by Lysander \V. Babbitt, as Regis- 
ter, and Enos Lowe, as Receiver. The office 
was first held in a log building on Broadwaj^, 
and the first entry was made. March 12, 1853, 
by Joseph I). Lane, and the fourth by Maria 
Mynster, being the section on which her lime- 
kiln is located. At that time, the Receiver 
was required to deposit the public monej' 
in Dubuque, and the journey there and back 
generally occupied two or three weeks. At a 
later period, St. Louis was made the deposit- 
ing point, and the gold and silver collected by 
the Receiver were conve3'ed to this point on 
board the steamboats running on the Missouri 
River. 

The first pul:)lic sale of (xovernment lands 
took place on the 7th day of June, 1853. The 
office continued open for private entry until the 
31st day of May, 185G, when it was closed on 
account of the passage of the law granting public 
lands to Iowa railroads, and from this time until 
the 23d of Pebruar3', 1858, entries were onl}' 
made under the pre-emption law. On the last- 
named duj-, a second public sale took place, which 
sale called together a large crowd of people, who 
bought large tracts of land. Nearly a million 
of acres were entered by the end of the year. 

In 1857, new officers were appointed. James 
Pollard became Register, and A. H. Palmer 

*By W. T. Giles. 



Receiver. Mr. Pollard resigned the Register's 
office in 1858, and Lewis S. Hill was appointed 
to fill the place. Mr. Hill had been a clerk in 
the office for several years before his appoint- 
ment as Register. The next change in the 
office was made May 20, 1861, after the election 
of President Lincoln, when Frank Street became 
Register, and D. C. Bloomer was made Receiver. 
At this time, nearly all the public lands in this 
vicinity had been sold. In 1862, the new 
homestead law passed, and the first entr}- un- 
der it was made Januarj- 1, 1863. 

Up to the close of the office in Council Bluffs, 
in May, 1873, the whole number of homestead 
entries was 648. Of this number, 194 were 
'•proved up." In the spring of 1869, Mr. Syl- 
vanus Dodge was appointed Register. He re- 
mained in the office until his death, in January, 
1871, and in Januarj-, 1872, Mr. Nehemiah 
Baldwin was appointed Register, and held the 
office until its removal to Des Moines. Hon. 
D. C. Bloomer remained Receiver of the Land 
Office for over twelve years. The whole num- 
ber of cash entries made at this office during 
its existence was 13,049, and the whole number 
of land warrants located was 18,647. 

The 600,000 acres of land in Pottawattamie 
County are well watered by the Missouri River 
and numerous other streams, and it is bounded 
on ttie north by Harrison and Shelby- Counties, 
and on the east l)j' Cass Couutj-, and on the 
south b}' Montgomery and Mills Counties, and 
on the west by the Missouri River. The Bo3'er 
River, in the northwest corner, enters from 
Harrison County, and meanders down the Mis- 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



29 



souri bottom about fifteen miles, where it joins 
that great father of waters about ten miles 
above Council Bluffs. The next stream east- 
ward is Houej- Creek, a tributary of Boyer 
River. This stream rises in Harrison Countj', 
and runs in a southwest course for about 
twelve miles through Pottawattamie County, 
and enters the Boyer about three miles north- 
west of Crescent City. In its course it passes 
through what is known as Honey Creek Lake, 
a small lake containing about eighty acres. It 
is supposed that at one time this was a portion 
of the channel of the Missouri River. 

Big Pigeon Creek comes next, on the east. 
It enters from Harrison Countj', about fifteen 
miles east of the Missouri, and runs in a south- 
west course to a junction with said river, about 
ten miles above Council Bluffs. Along this 
stream, it is said, some of the finest farming 
land in Iowa is to be found. The Big Pigeon 
affords some fine mill privileges, with two or 
three mills already in operation on it. 

The Mosquito Creek also enters from Harri- 
son County, about twenty miles east of the 
Missouri River. It runs in a southwest course 
entirely across the county, touching the cit}- 
limits of Council Bluffs, and enters the Mis- 
souri Valley a short distance below the citj'. 
This stream affords some good mill sites, and 
one mill, valued at $20,000, is already in opera- 
tion on it. About six miles above this citj-, 
on the same stream, can be found an excellent 
woolen mill. The valley of this creek contains 
some of the very best of farming lands. The 
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad enters 
this valley four miles south of the north line of 
Pottawattamie Count}', and follows it, nearly 
on a direct line, to Council Bluffs. 

The nest stream east is Keg Creek. It also 
enters from Harrison Countj-, twenty-five miles 
east of the Missouri River, and runs in a south- 
westerly course, and affords sufficient fall and 
water for small mills. 

Silver Creek has its head in Shelby County, 



and enters Pottawattamie about thirty miles 
east of the Missouri River, and runs in a south- 
west direction. Middle Silver Creek is a trib- 
utary which rises in the north part of the county, 
and runs nearly south to its junction with the 
main stream on the west side. 

The West Nishnabotna River enters from 
Shelby County, about thirtj'-four miles east of 
the Missouri River. It also has a branch two 
miles farther east. These two streams form a 
junction four miles south of the county line, 
and flow in nearly- a south course across the 
county. This is a good mill stream, and sev- 
eral grist and saw mills are in operation along 
its banks. The rich and beautiful valley of 
the West Nishnabotna contains some of the 
finest farms in the State, mauj' of which are 
highly improved. 

Jordan Creek rises in the northeast part of 
the count}-, and flows in a southwest direction. 
This stream has several small tributaries, the 
largest being Mud Creek. 

Walnut Creek rises in a small lake near the 
northeast corner of the count}-, and runs nearly 
south across its limit. The next stream is the 
East Nishnabotna, which flows about seven 
miles through the county, across the south- 
east corner of the same. 

, To the streams mentioned above can be 
added numerous other small tributaries, such 
as Pony Creek, Little Silver, Little Mosquito 
Indian Creek, etc. These streams are well dis- 
tributed at regular intervals, and afford an 
abundance of water to every section of the 
county. Many springs of pure, cold water flow 
from the bluffs and along most of the streams 
in the county. The wells are not generally 
deep, and thej' give excellent water. 

TIMBER. 

It may be well enough in writing up this 
history to state that, while timber is not abun- 
dant in Pottawattamie County, it is to be found 
in such quantities as to answer all necessary use, 



30 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



if properly husbanded. The largest bodies to 
be found are the eottonwood groves along the 
Missouri, but there are also some excellent 
bodies of various kinds, on West Nishnabotna, 
Honey Creek, Pigeon and Musquito Creeks. 

Two varieties of eottonwood are to be found 
on the Missouri River, known as white and 
yellow. Among the other varieties of timber 
found are burr oak, black oak, red oak, walnut, 
white elm, red elm, ash, soft maple, linn, honey 
locust, hickory, etc. Nearl}' all the streams 
herein mentioned are skirted by groves of tim- 
ber of greater or less magnitude, but in quanti- 
ties for fuel, convenient to all parts of the coun- 
ty. The largest suppl3' of timber will be found 
in the western part of the county. If the 
prairie fires could be prevented for ten or fifteen 
years, timber would be abundant in everj' sec- 
tion of this and other counties in Iowa. 

WILD FRUIT. 

It is a well-established fact, that some very 
delicious wild fruit is to be found in this coun- 
ty, particularly along the Missouri slope. Here 
you will find plums of good quality and vari- 
ous kinds ; grapes, raspberries, gooseberries, 
strawberries and crab apples, all growing lux- 
uriantly. 

STONE. 

It was generally supposed that stone, in 
this county, was not to be found, but upon in- 
vestigation, the facts show an abundance of lime 
stone and some sandstone. These can be ob- 
tained in large quantities whenever the vari- 
ous quarries in Pottawattamie shall be opened 
up properlj-. Limestone can be found on Sec- 
tion 36, Township 75, Range 38, and on vari- 
ous other adjoining sections. In the south 
part, on West Nishnabotna, limestone suitable 
for building purposes can be obtained. North 
of Council Bluffs, two and a half and four 
miles, on Mosquito Creek and along the Mis- 
souri River, are to be seen exposures of lime- 
stone. In Township 74, Range 40, an excellent 



quality of stone for burning lime is to be had. 
At various points along the Missouri Bhift's are 
" masses of coarse sandstone and conglomer- 
ate, formed by the percolation of lime water 
through the beds of sand and bebbles belonging 
to the drift deposits." These beds of sand and 
pebbles having been deposited in layers, and 
being cemented in that position, present in 
many places the appearance of a rocky ledge. 
The best of brick can be manufactured in 
the bluffs and all parts of the county, where 
the best of sand and clay are obtainable for the 
purpose. Many of the sidewalks made of these 
bricks have endured for many years. 

COAL. 

Some years ago it was stated that coal had 
been discovered a few miles up the Missouri 
River, in the bluffs, but up to the present 
writing no such discover}- has proven correct. 
Coal is abundant in some parts of Iowa, and 
may in time, b}' deep boring, be discovered in 
this count}'. If this article of fuel should be- 
come a commodit}' of this section, it would be 
a great blessing to those who have but little 
timber, and in fact, it would be beneficial to all 
classes. Coal is one of the cheapest and best 
heating substances yet discovered, and its im- 
portance to the public can scarcely be calcu- 
lated by dollars and cents, for it has a value 
beyond the money that is in it. Many of the 
citizens of Pottawattamie Count}' seem confi- 
dent that coal will yet be found in the vicinity 
of Council Bluffs. 

The climate of the Missouri slope is salubri- 
ous and bracing, and in consequence of this 
fact, many persons have located in the city of 
Council Bluffs and the County of Pottawatta- 
mie. At one time the idea prevailed that 
much of the Missouri River bottom would 
prove too wet for agricultural purposes, but 
this idea has long since been dispelled, for 
these lands are of the very richest in the 
county, and yield the most abundant corn. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



31 



grass and other crops. Here cattle and stock 
growers find the very richest spots on earth for 
their business. The luxuriant growth of grass 
on these bottom lands causes cattle men to 
drive their stock for manj- miles for the feed 
that is to be found from earl}- spring till late 
fall. Thousands of head arc fed and fattened 
here for the market with but very little other 
feed than the grass they find upon this land. 
Often cattle are driven from these pastures 
directly to the slaughter house, where they are 
killed for the market. 

Nearly ever}- acre of this bottom land is 
susceptible of excellent drainage, and when 
reduced to cultivation, it presents a moist, 
loamy surface, easy of tillage and is unsur- 
passed for productive qualities. The uplands 
arc also rich, and the best of healtli prevails 
among the settlers. All the climatic conditions 
of this county are such as to attract special 
attention from persons who are uaturall}' weak 
or debilitated. Here man\- have gone out upon 



these prairies, and have become strong and 
health}', and are now among the most prosper- 
ous people of the county. Persons seeking 
homes for health and rich soil, have found thera 
in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and with but 
few exceptions, are satisfied to remain. 

In 1804, when Lewis and Clarke were hold- 
ing their first council with red men of the for- 
est, no such grand things as have occurred 
could have been hoped for this country. But 
the time has arrived when e^'erything can be 
hoped and looked for, and man}- things not 
now expected will be seen. The da}' for doubt- 
ing the hcalthfuluess, the productiveness and the 
prosperity of this large and extensive county 
has passed. No one any longer seems to have 
fears or doubts as to the future greatness and 
growth of Pottawattamie, for these are inevita- 
ble, and her increase and prosperity only de- 
pend upon a little time. Climate, water, soil, a 
navigable river and railroads all combine to 
complete the grandeur long since begun. 



CHAPTER IV.* 



THE MISSOURI RIVER— STEAMBOATING — REMINISCENCES OF CAPT. LA BARGE— INTERESTING 

DETAILS— A WARLIKE OUTRAGE— FLOATING PALACES— RAILROADS— SHARP CONTEST 

FOR ROUTES— KEOKUK'S INDIFFERENCE AND CONSEQUENT LOSS OF A GREAT 

ROAD — THE GREAT TRUNK LINES TO THE "BLUFFS," ETC. 



THE following interesting account of the 
Missouri River, its early navigation and 
navigators, is to be found in the Omaha Bee, as 
gathered from Capt. La Barge, at one time 
owner and Captain of the steamer •' John 
Chambers." The Bee says : '-Capt. Joseph La 
Barge has been steamboating on the Missouri 
River since the year 1832, a longer period than 
any other steamboat man was ever engaged on 
this stream. In 1832, Captain La Barge, then 
but seventeen years of age, was running on the 
Mississippi, and was present at the Indian bat- 

*Bj- W, T. Giles. 



tie of Bad Ax, Wis. During the same year, he 
came to the Missouri, and began learning the 
river preparatory to becoming a pilot. 

His first trip up the Missouri River was on 
the " Yellowstone," which was built in Pitts- 
burgh, in 1827, and was the first steamboat to 
engage in the Upper Missouri trade. She was 
built and owned by the American Fur Com- 
pany, and was commanded by Capt. Young. 
She was laden with miscellaneous merchandise, 
designed for trading purposes. This boat went 
up the river as far as the mouth of the Yellow- 
stone, the trip taking all summer. 



33 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



The " Yellowstone " continued to run on the 
Missouri during the jears 1832 and 1833, and 
in 1834 the American Fur Compan}- sold her 
and built a new boat, called the " Assiniboine," 
named after an Indian tribe, to take her place. 
This new boat was commanded by Captain, 
now General. Pratt. She made her first suc- 
cessful trip, but in 1835 she was burned, about 
three miles below where now stands Fort Abra- 
ham Lincoln. 

Capt. La Barge was put in charge of the 
company's boats, and continued as pilot for them 
for thirty 3-ear8. He never lost a boat during 
his forty-six 3'ears' experience. He also built 
a number of boats for the Missouri River, be- 
ginning in 1839. "The steamer " Chambers" 
was the fifteenth boat built by him, and was 
the first stern wheeler that he ever constructed 
and owned. He thinks a stern wheeler is bet- 
ter adapted to the Missouri River than any 
other kind of boat, and it is especially adapted 
for the navigation of the Yellowstone. 

" It is wonderful," said Capt. La Barge, " to 
see the remarkable changes that have taken 
place since then. Little did I think that I 
would ever live to witness them, and 1 can 
hardly realize it. In 1831, there was, at the 
spot where Bellevue now is, a noted trading 
establishment. It was the rendezvous for the 
tribes of tlie Rocky Mountains, and was under 
the control of Fontenelle and Dripps, and after- 
ward became the property of David Sarpy. 
The Omahas were here, where the city of 
Omaha now stands. Just above where Flor- 
ence now is, Cabanne had his trading post. All 
of these points along the river, in this vicinit}', 
were quite important trading posts, the trading 
being done with the Omaiias, the Otoes and 
the Pawnees. These trading posts, as well as 
others, were outfitted by 'the American Fur 
Company. Their next post up the river was 
just below the mouth of the Vermillion, and 
twenty miles above Sioux City. It was a large 
establishment. 



" I remember many interesting incidents 
that transpired in this vicinity," said Capt. La 
Barge, " and one in particular, which proved 
to be quite an important event before the end 
was reached. It was in 1833. One Le Clair, 
who had been in the employ of the American 
Fur Compan}' for some time, and had saved up 
several thousand dollars, went to St. Louis and 
purchased a keel boat, loaded it with merchan- 
dise, and started up the Missouri River with 
the craft, intending to trade with the Indians 
on his own account. Henry Shaw, of St. Louis, 
and the proprietor of ' Shaw's Gardens,' was 
heavily interested with him in the enterprise. 
Le Clair had a slow trip of it, as it was tedious 
work to cordelle the boat up the river. The 
American Fur Company had the only steam- 
boat for this trade. Steamboats were both 
scarce and expensive then, while keel boats 
were, of course, cheaper and more numerous. 
The onl}' way to get them up stream was to 
pull them by a tow line along the bank of the 
river. 

" When Le Clair was approaching this point, 
the American Fur Companj- gave orders to 
watch him closely, and at the first good oppor- 
tunity to capture the whole outfit, as they 
would not allow any opposition. At that time 
there was a long bend in the river, opposite 
where Florence now is, and where Cabanne's 
trading post was. It was ten miles around 
and two miles across the bend at this point, 
where Cabanne had six large buildings. 

'• As the boat was going around this bend, 
old Col. Peter Sarpy mustered out the Fur 
Company's employes, to the number of about 
eighteen men, all armed, and marched across 
the neck of land at Cabanne's, and there took 
station, and planted a cannon about three feet 
long. When Le Clair's boat came within hail- 
ing distance, Col. Sarp3' commanded Le Clair to 
surrender or he would blow the boat out of the 
water with his cannon. Le Clair was forced to 
obej-. If he had not done so, old Sarpj- would 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



33 



certainlj- have carried his threat out. The Fur 
Company tooli possession of the boat and 
goods. It was nothing more or less than high- 
way- robbery, and the afl'air created considera- 
ble commotion, almost resulting in a movement 
that might have ended in forcing the company 
to leave the country. 

" Le Clair returned to St. Louis financially 
ruined ; he never got over it. A big lawsuit 
followed, but Le Clair never got anything out of 
it, although the company settled with Shaw. 

" The Missouri River in those days ran over 
by the lake above Council Bluffs, and continued 
there for several j-ears, and when that cut-off 
was made, it was called ' Heart Cut-off.' I 
rememljer the river formerly ran along where 
the smelting works now stands, striking the 
bluffs just below there. Little did I ever sup- 
pose that such a large town as Omaha would 
be located there. In 1854, town sites were 
laid out all along the Missouri River, wherever 
there was a steamboat landing. Steamboating 
was very profitable in those days, much more 
so than it has been for several years back. The 
passenger boats on the Missouri River, from 
1856 to 1869, were the finest and most substan- 
tial ever built, and cost from SI 10,000 to 
$125,000 each. The people demanded floating 
palaces, and would not travel on ordinary 
boats." 

Capt. La Barge said, " I find you are mis- 
taken in relation to the name of Kanesville, 
now Council Bluffs. It was not called Kanes- 
ville in honor of a Jlormon Elder, as j'ou have 
stated, but in honor of Dr. Kane, the celebrated 
Arctic explorer. I brought Dr. Kane up here 
on a steamljoat. He came up as Government 
Commissioner to investigate the Mormons, and 
not finding them as bad as they had been rep- 
resented, he made a verj- favorable report on 
his return, and the Mormons, who thought con- 
siderable of him on that account, changed the 
name of the place from Miller's Hill to Kanes- 
ville. 



RAILROADS. 

Early in 1848, the older and more thickly 
settled portions of Iowa began to clamor for 
railroads, and petitions were sent to Congress 
asking grants of land for building railroads in 
the State, but no proposed routes had been 
mentioned in the petitions, and the committee to 
whom said petitions were referred reported 
against them on these grounds. When these 
olijections were made known, the Dubuque 
and Keokuk Company immediately went to 
work to get their stock taken in their pro- 
proposed road, and to organize. The or- 
ganization was completed in the month 
of December, 1848, at Iowa City, with Lucius 
Langworthy as President. The President was 
a citizen of Dubuque. P. R. Skinner, of 
Anamosa, was chosen Secretarj-, and J. H. 
Fisher, of Iowa City, appointed Treasurer. A 
Board of Directors were elected. Maj. Thomas 
J. McKean was selected as Engineer. He made 
a cursory surve}- of the route, and reported the 
distance to the Board of Directors. This re- 
port was laid before the Legislature, and was 
accepted and adopted by that body, when 
another memorial was sent to the United States 
Senators and members of Congress, asking 
grants of lands for this road. Another me- 
morial was also sent, asking a grant of land to 
aid in constructing a road '■ from Davenport by 
Muscatine, Iowa City and Fort Des Moines, to 
some suitable point near Council Bluffs, on the 
Missouri River." These proposed routes began 
to assume a character of importance, and 
the people of the various counties and towns 
began to make a hot contest as to the locations 
of the roads. Davenport and Iowa City could 
not see the proprict}' of making a road west 
via Muscatine to the Missouri River. These 
two cities contended for a straight line, and this 
produced ill feeling among the citizens of Mus- 
catine in relation to the other two places, and 
the battle became quite warm. On the Du- 
buque and Keokuk line; in the north, Cedar and 



u 



HISTOKY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY 



Liun were rivals, and in the south, Henry and 
Jefferson Counties, each of which counties 
contended liotly for the location of the road. 

Soon after the meeting of the Legislature, in 
1850, the Dubuque and Keokuk road attracted 
special attention, and a large number of promi- 
nent men from along the line of this road as- 
sembled at the capital and effected a new or- 
ganization, with two sets of officers ; one set 
were to control the business south, and the 
other north, of Iowa Cit\-, and were known as 
the north aud south divisions. In the articles 
of incorporation, and in the memorial passed 
bj the Legislature that winter, asking for a 
grant of laud, the towns of Cascade, Anamosa, 
Marion, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Citj-, Washington, 
Fairfield. Glasgow. Salem and West Point were 
made points on the road. At that time this 
had every appearance of lieing the first road 
that would be built in the State, and if proper 
efforts had been made, probably would have 
been. 

Along the line of the road, particularly in 
Jefferson County, there were liberal subscrip- 
tions made, and hopes were entertained of ob- 
taining a grant of land for its aid at the next 
Congress. At that time no road had reached 
the Mississippi from the East, and nearly all 
the trade from Iowa sought an eastern outlet 
by going down the river. The citizens of Keo- 
kuk, who, as a matter of fact, were to be bene- 
fited the most by the enterprise, thinking they 
were, by their location, "The Gate" through 
which most of the trade of the back country 
must pass, whether the road was made or not, 
took but little interest in the enterprise. With- 
out the aid of Keokuk, where the road was to 
commence, those north of the city, particularly 
Jefferson Count}-, did not feel like engaging in 
the enterprise, aud the public mind was look- 
ing to Keokuk with much anxiety to see what 
her people would do. 

A meeting of the citizens of Keokuk was 
held, and the railroad question agitated, when 



it was decided to make a plank road up the 
divide toward Des Moines, leaving Fairfield on 
one side. When this result was understood by 
the citizens of Fairfield, public sentiment in the 
county soon changed, and notwithstanding the 
wedded feeling formerly entertained for Keo- 
kuk, the sentiment was transferred in favor of 
Burlington. This cit}- treasured the advantage 
gained, and the citizens went to work in ear- 
nest to get the road, and urged the people of 
Jeflerson County to aid them. The}- raised a 
fund, and sent a person to Washington to lobby 
against the grant of land by Congress to the 
Dubuque and Keokuk road. The papers of 
Burlington attacked the project with fierceness. 
particularly the Telegraph, edited by James 
Morgan, who gave the road the name of 'The 
Kam's Horn Eailroad," on accountof its crook- 
edness. The ridicule thrown out by Burling- 
ton against the road, defeated the land grant, 
and blasted the hopes of the road. Keokuk, 
like many other towns in Iowa, ruined her own 
prospect for the first road in the State, and 
thereby destroyed her chances to become the 
first and best city of Iowa. 
ly' At a verj- early day, Pottawattamie County 
was marked out as the great railroad center for 
the Missouri Slope in Iowa, and Council Bluffs, 
the county seat, having long been the starting- 
point for the plains, was, necessarily, to become 
the great city of railroads. But when this was 
discovered by Omaha and other points, in 1866 
and 1867, a strong fight was made against this 
city, aud every effort was made to divert the 
great railway center from this point. The citi- 
zens of Council Bluffs, seeing the necessit}- of 
speedy action to hold the ground already gained, 
held meetings aud appointed committees to 
act for the city and county, with the authorities 
in the State at Washington, and also with the 
railroad meu. The greatest battle arose be- 
tween Omaha and the Bluffs as to the eastern 
terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad, and 
the location of the bridare over the Missouri 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



35 



River. This conflict grew earnest and liot, and 
the citizens of either city became bitter and 
fierce in the advocacj' of their special city. 
While spealiiug on this point, permit the writer 
to refer to a statement found in a history and 
directory published bj- Messrs. Hawley & Street 
,for 1880-81, wherein it is stated that "in Au- 
gust, 1859, Abraham Lincoln visited Council 
Bluffs and old acquaintances in the citj'. During 
his stay here, he delivered an address at Con- 
cert Hall, and made our situation a special 
study, which resulted in a decided action in 
our favor on his part when he became Presi- 
dent, a few 3-ears afterward. We now refer to 
his proclamation establishing the eastern ter- 
minus of the Union Pacific Railroad, a duty 
'imposed upon him bj- the Act of Congress 
chartering the enterprise. At the time of his 
visit, we were without any railroad facilities, but 
were looking anxiousl}' for the approach of those 
whose tendency was westward across the State." 
The designation of the eastern terminus by 
the charter and signature of President Lincoln 
did not appease the wrath of the citizens of 
Omaha, and thej' determined to set the whole 
matter aside — went into Congress and then to 
the courts to accomplish this work, but the cit- 
izens of Council Bluffs followed them closely-, 
and after many long and warm legal and other 
controversies. Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie 
gained the day, and to-day an extensive trans- 
fer depot stands in this city as a monument of 
the victory obtained over Omaha. 

A company was organized to build the road 
known as the Council Bluffs & St. Joseph, 
Mo., Railroad, down the Missouri River Vallej-. 
This company was officered and urged by the 
citizens of Council Blufl's, and the city, by its 
officers, subscribed to the stock. This act, on 
the part of the officers of the city, was declared 
invalid bj' the Supreme Court of Iowa, on a 
case made to restrain the collection of taxes to 
pay interest on the bonds so issued. But the 
road proceeded, and on the 9th of November, 



1859, ground was broken for the building of 
the road, on which occasion appropriate ceremo- 
nies were had. At this time, the county of Pot- 
tawattamie donated $40,000 of the proceeds of 
swamp-lands granted by the United States Gov- 
ernment. The completion of this road, through 
disturbing causes, was delayed until 1868, since 
when it has been a prosperous railroad. It 
was continued under the original name for four 
years, but when the railway S3'stem in Mis- 
souri, under the influence of peace, expanded, 
and Kansas Citj- became an important point, a 
consolidation of the line between that city and 
Council Bluffs was made, and the corporation 
is now known as the Kansas Citj', St. Joseph 
and Council Bluffs Railway. It is a trunk line 
to the east and south, and as such is growing 
into public favor. It traverses one of the 
most beautiful and rich valleys to be discov- 
ered in the country. Its agricultural resources 
are unlimited, and this gives the road an ex- 
tensive local traffic. The trains began running 
to this city December 17, 1867. 

The Sioux City & Pacific Railway has regu- 
lar trains running from Council Bluffs to St. 
Paul, via Sioux Cit3\ over a very rich and 
beautiful country. This road does a large 
business, and is growing into popularity under 
the management of Maj. J. H. O'Brien, who has 
his headquarters in Council Bluffs. This road 
began making regular trips to thiscitj- in 1874. 

In August, 1882, Major O'Brien received a 
new appointment, and early in this month de- 
parted from Council Bluffs for Illinois, where 
he entered upon duty. 

The Chicago & North- Western Railroad was 
the first road to reach Council Bluffs, on Janu- 
ary 22, 1871, and upon the arrival ot cars in 
this city, a grand demonstration took place. 
The citizens, as well as the railroad men, were 
jubilant over the completion of the extensive 
work. The road crosses the entire State, from 
east to west, through a rich and thickly settled 
countrj-, and its traffic is exceedingly heavy, 



36 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



and is constautl}- on the increase. This being 
the first line completed to this cit^', the people 
here have more than an ordinarj' desire to see 
it prosper. Manj' settlers along this line of 
railway have become quite independent in 
world}' goods. J. T. Clark is General Agent 
in Council Blufis ; J. W. McKenzie is the 
Local Passenger and Freight Agent. 

The Chicago, Kock Island & Pacific Railway 
is one of the leading lines touching and hav- 
ing a terminus in Council Bluffs. It crosses 
Iowa from Davenport, passing through Iowa 
City, Des Moines and other important points 
where coal is found in large quantities and rich 
fields yield abundant harvests, and give to the 
road a verj' extensive traflSc. Here this line 
connects with the Union Pacific, and, there- 
fore, it enjoys a through thoroughfare from 
Chicago to San Francisco, Cal. It also 
passes southwest from Davenport to Kansas 
City, a distance of 300 miles, where it makes a 
connection with all the West and Southwestern 
railroads. This railway was completed to 
Council Bluffs, May 12, 1869. S. S. Stevens, 
is the popular General Western Agent, 

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad 
is one of the leading roads passing through 
a large portion of Pottawattamie Count}', and 
having a center in Council Bluffs. It passes 
through a I'ich and populous portion of Iowa, 
and is doing a heav}' freight and passenger 
business. D. W. Hitchcock is the General 
Western Agent, and has his headquarters at 
St. Joseph, Mo. This road first entered Coun- 
cil Bluffs in 1869. 

Along about the 1st of July, 1882, the Chi- 
cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Compan}' 
entered Council Bluffs with their construction 
train. This road has bBanches extending all 
over the country, east and west, north and 
south. Its regular trains began to arrive in 
Council Bluffs in the fall of 1882. 

The Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific is one of 
the ver}' important railway lines reaching and 



having a western terminus in the city of Coun- 
cil Bluffs. It has innumerable branches, which 
pass through Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois 
and Iowa, as well as Northern Missouri. This 
is a direct line to St. Louis from this city, and 
it is doing an extensive passenger and freight 
business. Trains on this road began running 
to Council Bluffs in the fall of 1879. J. B. 
Gault, General Agent, resides in this city. 

We are informed that as early as 1853, Gen. 
G. M. Dodge, then a resident of Iowa Citj', and 
who had been employed as an engineer in the 
construction of a railroad from Chicago to 
Rock Island, surveyed a line for a railroad 
across the State of Iowa from Davenport to 
Council Bluffs. This line was called the Mis- 
sissippi & Missouri, and was the one adopted 
generally in the construction of the road be- 
tween the two points mentioned. Gen. Dodge 
extended his surveys across the Missouri River 
and up the Platte Valley, on what is now the 
line of the Union Pacific Railroad. He figured 
extensivel}' in the construction of this line as 
engineer, and as its friend in Congress. In 
1854, he brought his family to Council Bluffs, 
and was soon followed by his father and family, 
who located on the Elkhorn River, Neb., for a 
few years, and then located here. 

In the fall of 1853, Hon. Samuel R. Curtis 
traced a railroad line across the State of Iowa, 
called the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte 
Valley Railroad, which, in after years, was called 
the "Air Line " road. S. S. Bayliss, who was 
always noted for his liberality to every object 
calculated to build up Council Bluffs, made a 
contract with Gen. Curtis for depot grounds in 
the event that the road should be built to the 
Missouri River. This road was never made. 
Gen. Curtis, in after years, took a great interest 
in the Union Pacific Railroad and the develop- 
ment of Pottawattamie County. During his 
life, he frequently visited this section, and, in 
in fact, died at the residence of Col. Nutt, in 
this city, when on a visit, in 1867. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



37 



CHAPTER V. 



EARLY AND PRESENT RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND SOCIETIES — SECRET AND BENEVOLENT 
FRATERNITIES, ORDERS AND SOCIETIES— SCHOOLS— THE PRESS- 
INCREASE AND PROGRESS, ETC. 



IN every age and in everj- clime, religion has 
marched along with cn'ilization, and, in- 
deed, without the Christianizing influence, it is 
doubtful if the progress in civilization would 
have been so rapid, or could have been main- 
tained. Wherever religion is entirelj- ignored, 
society becomes rough, and all civilizing influ- 
ences appear to depart. All protection to re- 
finement is gone, and people cannot feel secure, 
and the result is, that the best men and women 
will not settle in such community. Even the 
non-believer prefers to take his family into a 
settlement where religion is practiced, and has 
its civilizing and refining influence. If you 
will go with us to some of the mining camps in 
the mountains, where religion has not penetrat- 
ed, we can show you that the civilization pre- 
vailing there is of a low order, and the once 
refined gentleman has forgotten his early train- 
ing and onl}- because of the abandonment of 
the religious practices of earlj- life. And, 
again, where religion is entirely abandoned, 
education is neglected and all refinement is 
lost. It is because of these prevailing reasons 
that religion and civilization travel together, 
and benevolent, self-sacrificing people are found 
marching " in the wilderness, preaching to all." 
It is but right that in this history the churches, 
schools and societies should have a place. 

In referring to the early religious organiza- 
tion, we find that the Catholics were the first 
to plant missionaries. They were here before 
the settlements by the whites, and labored 
among the Indians. It was in 1839 that Rev. 

»By W. T. GileB. 



Fathers DeSmith and Veright established a 
Catholic Mission here. In September, 1870, 
Rev. Father B. P. McMenomy, Pastor of the 
Catholic Church in this citj', opened a school 
for girls, and this school is in charge of the 
Sisters of Charity. 

It is stated that Rev. William Rector, of 
Fremont Count}-, preached the first orthodox 
sermon in this citj'. 

In 1850, Rev. William Simpson organized 
the first Methodist Episcopal Church in Potta- 
wattamie County. At this writing, numerous 
churches are scattered over the county, and 
this people have become very strong and nu- 
merous. 

On June 12, 1853, a Congregational organi- 
zation was perfected, and the foundation of a 
church building laid, August 9, 1854. It was 
completed and dedicated July 6, 1856. 

In April, 1856, the Episcopalians organized 
a society, and in August, 1857, Bishop Lee 
laid the corner-stone of the St. Paul Episcopal 
Church. It remained in this condition until 
1860, when a frame church was erected and 
consecrated by Bishop Lee. 

The first Presbyterian organization was made 
October 12, 1856, and the society has a fine 
brick church. The organization is verj' large 
at present. 

The first Baptist society was organized in 
Council Blufls, Pottawattamie County, in Jan- 
uary, 1868, with nine members. G. T. John- 
son, D. v., afterwards of Philadelphia, Penn., 
preached the first sermon, and Rev. T. F. 
Thickstun became the local minister. The new 



38 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



temple of this societj- was completed aud dedi- 
cated to the worship of God on Juue 15, 1878. 

The Grerraan Lutherans have a large society' 
in the city of Council Bluffs, and are organized 
in other portions of the countj-. 

The United Brethren have formed a society 
here, and have a comfortable frame building in 
which they worship. 

Other religious organizations are in success- 
ful operation, among which are the Spiritualists. 
They have their own hall, and meet regularlj- 
every Sunday. 

It is impossible to visit any portion of Pot- 
tawattamie County, where any settlement of 
note exists, without finding churches, schools, 
and other benevolent organizations, and wher- 
evei these institutions abound you will find 
refinement and the very best of societ}'. The 
farmers appear more intelligent and prosperous, 
and, in fact, the stranger approaching such dis- 
tricts, feels perfectlj- safe. 

SOCIETIES. 

The church has not been able to rescue suf- 
fering humanit3-, and therefore secret benevolent 
societies have been formed in all sections of 
the world, and Pottawattamie County is not 
without her fair proportion of these societies. 
The Odd Fellows, standing upon the principles 
of religion and charity, were the first to organ- 
ize ill Council Bluffs. This organization dates 
back to 1853, and the lodge was No. 49. In 
1855, the Masonic order established a lodge, 
and held their first meeting in Odd Fellows 
Hall. This order has several different organi- 
zations at the present time, and all are in a 
flourishing condition. Every town of any im- 
portance in the county has its lodge. 

The American Order United Workmen is of 
more recent date, and it is also growing into 
public favor. It is based upon an insurance 
plan, and in many cases has resulted in good 
to the families of destitute men who have been 
called to their eternal homes. Like other in- 



stitutions of this kind, it finds a home in every 
place in the county where the population is 
sufficient to establish a lodge. 

The lawyers, doctors and other professional 
men have each their respective organization. 

Several German lodges and societies are in 
full operation, and our German citizens appear 
to be making as rapid progress in this line as 
other citizens. It is also a fact that their asso- 
ciations are generall}' well conducted and are 
financial successes. 

The farmers also formed themselves into se- 
cret organizations for their better protection 
from extortions. 

These orders have grown so rapidi}-, and so 
manj' new orders are springing up, that it is 
almost impossible to keep pace with them. 
But a few j-ears ago this count}' was without 
any of these organizations, and for a long time 
the}' had so few members that it made the ex- 
pense heavy upon each, but now the orders 
number by the score, and the members 
by the hundreds. The increase can scarce- 
ly be told at the present time. Go where 
j'ou will. Odd Fellows, Masons, Working Men 
associations of every description are to be 
found. These societies appear to iiave a good 
influence over the people where they prevail, 
in more waj's than is generally supposed, and 
yet they have their opponents in men who 
know little or nothing about their teachings. 

SCHOOLS. 

We look back upon our early educational 
advantages with astonishment when looking at 
the schools of to-daj-, and even wonder how 
our people of the primitive times obtained so 
much information. The small log cabin has 
given place to the fine, large brick or frame 
building — the old books have been surrendered 
for new ones, and eveiything has been simpli- 
fied and perfected. Xow it is a comfort to visit 
the schoolroom and behold the children well 
seated and enjoying fine, airy rooms. The con- 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



89 



trast is so great that it seems as if children 
should make more progress than thej' do. 

In this city, much of the grand result in our 
common schools can be attributed to the efforts 
made M- Hon. D. C. Bloomer, who devoted his 
time and energies to building them up. In 
Crescent Township, we learn, David Dunkle, 
Esq., was one of the leading spirits in the ad- 
vocacy of free schools and good school build- 
ings. Many others ought to be mentioned in 
this county who were strong advocates of our 
free school system, and improved educational 
advantages. They can look back to their la- 
bors with joy, for their efforts have been 
crowned with wonderful success, even exceed- 
ing their greatest expectations. But few coun- 
ties in Iowa can boast of better schools and 
school buildings than are to be found in Potta- 
wattamie. Go where you will, and the large 
school building rises above all others. Gen- 
erally, care is taken in the selection of teachers, 
and our schools are the boast of our people. 
A few days since, we met a gentleman from the 
countrj', and his first remarks were in relation 
to the schools in his section, and he remarked 
" how different are our schools to what thej' 
were when I was jouug." He thought that 
children ought to take delight in going to the 
places of learning, for, said he. " thej- are pal- 
aces compared with where we were edu- 
cated." 

In the earlj' days of this count}, saj' twentj^- 
five years ago, but few children were here, but 
look at the thousands of scholars that fill our 
large buildings of to-day, and yet we have not 
school room enough. Council Bluffs alone has 
more school children now than the whole county 
had twenty or twenty- five years ago. It is to 
be hoped that our educational advantages will 
keep pace with the increase of our population. 
If our people will guard well the education of 
the children, the liberties of the American citi- 
zens will ever be safe. Our free institutions 
can only be secure in accordance with our in- 



telligence, and this, in a measure, must depend 
upon our educational advantages. 

A statement in relation to the increase of 
school buildings and number of schools in 
Council Bluffs alone will, in a measure, show 
the increase in the county, for all portions of 
the country have increased proportionately as 
they have increased in population. It is stated 
that twelve buildings, and mostly large ones, 
are filled with scholars, and a contract has been 
made for the building of another schoolhouse, 
to cost $8,000 or .$10,000. Then we find that 
the Catholics maintain one or two schools. Be- 
sides these, several private institutions are do 
ing excellent work in the way of educating our 
}oung people and fitting them for life's battle. 
What is true of this city is true of our whole 
county, and the educational interests of all 
classes are being well protected. 

THE PRESS. 

The first paper published in the county of 
Pottawattamie was the Frontier Guardian. It 
was first published in the summer of 1848, 
with Orson Hyde as editor, and Mr. Pj'ckett as 
publisher. A. C. Ford was assistant editor for 
some time. It was an organ of the Whig part}-, 
and was discontinued in the spring of 1853. 

The Council Bluffs Bugle, a Democratic pa- 
per, was started in the spring of 1850 by A. 
W. Babbitt, who remained as editor and pub- 
lisher between two and three j-ears. It was 
then sold to Joseph E. Johnson, who conducted 
it about two years, when the proprietorship 
changed to Johnson «& Carpenter. From 1856 
to 1864, it was published by Babbitt & Car- 
penter, The senior member of this firm was ' 
Hon. L. W. Babbitt, but no relation of A. W. 
Babbitt, the first editor. From 1864 to 1866, 
the publishers were Babbitt & Son. In Jan- 
uary, 1866, W. T. Giles bought the Bugle of L. 
W. Babbitt, and became the editor and pub- 
lisher till October, 1867. Mr. Giles also pub- 
lished a daily Bugle for several months. 



40 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



It was W. T. Giles who started a German 
Democratic paper in 1867, and he employed 
Weubone & Worden to edit and publish it. 
This paper was called the Council Bluffs 
Presse. In 1867, after the October election, 
which went Democratic, Mr. Giles then sold the 
Bugle back to Hon. L. AV. Babbitt and his 
German type to Messrs. Wenbone & Worden, 
who ran the Presse for some months, and fail- 
ing to paj' Giles, he then sold the establishment 
to Herman Wagner, who also failed to pay for 
it, and the original owner was compelled to take 
the material back, at a considerable loss to 
himself 

In 1857, Col. Babbitt started the Daily Bu- 
gle, and continued the daily for about six 
months. The Bugle office passed through two 
fires, the first being November 14, 1853, and 
the last November 14, 1854. These were the 
worst fires ever experienced in Council Bluffs, 
the first being estimated at a loss of $180,000 
and the last $130,000. In the first fire, the 
Bvgle was nearly all destroyed, while in the 
last, two presses and a large amount of other 
material were destroyed. 

In 1854, Jeremiah Folsom commenced the 
publication of the Council Bluffs Chmnotype, 
with W. W. Maynard as editor. It was pub- 
lished as a Whig paper till 1857. It was 
changed into a Democratic organ this year, 
but onl}' continued for a short time, and was 
edited by A. P. Bentley, and called the Demo- 
cratic Clarion. 

In 1859, J. E. Johnson started a paper 
called the Council Bluffs Press. It was a 
Democratic organ, but did not last long. Pre- 
vious to this time, Mr. Johnson published a 
paper at Crescent City, called the Crescent 
City Oracle. It was Democratic, but was 
principally devoted to the interest of the new 
town where it was published. 

The Council Bluffs Xonpareil was started in 
the spring of 1857, as a Republican sheet, by 
W. W. Maynard and A. D. Long. In 1862, 



W. S. Burke bought Mr. Mayuard's interest in 
the establishment, and soon after started the 
Daily Konparcil. Mr. Burke was at one time 
the entire owner of this paper, we believe, and 
sold to Chapman & Maynard, and Mr. May- 
nard sold his interest to Mr. Walker, and for a 
time the firm stood Chapman & Walker. 
Several other changes have taken place in later 
years in the management and ownership of the 
Nonpareil, but at this time it is published by 
the Xonpareil Printing Compan3-, and is iu a 
very prosperous condition. John W. Chap- 
man, who is United States Marshal for the 
State of Iowa, is one of the largest stock 
owners in the companj-. He is energetic, and 
takes pride in making the Nonpareil a very 
excellent newspaper, while it is strongly- Re- 
publican, 

The Council Bluffs Democrat made its ap- 
pearance as a dailj- and weeklj- paper on May 
3, 1868, with Alf S. Kierolf & Co., as pub- 
lishers, Iu about three weeks the name was 
changed, and it was called the Council Bluffs 
Democrat and Sentinel on the Border. In about 
a month the extention was dropped, and the 
paper again became the Council Bluffs Demo- 
crat. In September of this jear, the office was 
purchased b}- Hon, B, F. Montgomerj-, but on 
the 1st of October, 1868, Alf S, Kierolf, again 
assumed charge of the paper. On the 31st of 
October, the last issue of the paper was sent 
out, and this issue appeared as "Red Hot," and 
contained some very bitter and denunciatorj- 
articles. On December 12th, the press and 
material were sold under a chattel mortgage, 
and M, M. Pomeroy, of the LaCrosse Democrat, 
became the purchaser. 

In 1878, Col. John H, Keatly, bought the 
Bugle, and edited and published it weekly for 
about two years. Col. Keatlj- is a fine writer, 
and has been at the head of some of the other 
papers of the city as the principal editor. 

The Globe, a Democratic paper, was estab- 
lished in November, 1873, by S. W. Morehead, 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



41 



and in February, the following year, Jacob 
Williams became the purchaser and editor. In 
June, 1875, J. C. Morgan bought a half inter- 
est in the paper and became an active part- 
ner. In May, 1879, Mr. Morgan purchased 
the half interest in the Globe owned by Mr. 
Williams, and the paper is now published 
daily and weekl}' by J. C. Morgan. The daily 
is an evening publication. 

The Freie Presse is a German paper, claiming 
to be independent in politics. It was estab- 
lished in August, 1875, by R. P. Riegel, who 
continued its publication until December, 1878, 
when Messrs. Matthai, Faul & Betz, became 
owners. Mr. Betz retired from the paper 
July 1, 1880, and Messrs. Matthai & Faul re- 
tired August 1, 1880, when F. G. Pfeiffer be- 
came publisher and editor. It is now Demo- 
cratic, 

The Macedonia Tribune was established in the 
town of Macedonia, by W, A. Spencer, in 
1880, and is published weekly, and is Repub- 
lican in politics. 

The Fairdealer is the name of a paper pub- 



lished weekl}', at Carson, this county, by J. G. 
Jullian. 

The Northwestern Odd Fellow, a monthly 
paper of sixteen pages, devoted to the inter- 
ests of Odd Fellowship, was commenced by W. 
R. Vaughn, with Hon, D, C, Bloomer as editor, 
in January, 1871, and continued for two years 
in Council Bluffs, 

The press has been a powerful lever in push- 
ing forward the great reforms of the world, 
and it has also done much to settle up and 
civilize the great West. Without the aid of 
the press, the American people, in a measure, 
would be in darkness and ignorance, and yet, 
many who should stand by it are frequently its 
bitterest enemies, simpl3- because the press is so 
powerful, and because, when left free, it ex- 
poses false ideas, sophistry and h3-pocrisy. 

In Jauuar}-, 1871, the Avoca Delta, a weekly 
paper, was first published in the town of Avoca, 
by C, V. Gardner and T. Ledwich. It was 
Republican in politics. Before the end of the 
year, this paper passed into the hands of J. C. 
Adams. 



CHAPTER VI.* 



ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTV- 



-OKGANIZATION OF AND DIVISION INTO TOWNSHIPS- 
— PATRIOTISM, ETO. 



-OFFICERS 



THE county of Pottawattamie was organized 
on September 21, 1848, with onlj' two or 
three voting precincts, which have been divided 
up into twentj'-seven townships, and several 
wards in the city of Council Bluffs. But few 
of the early settlers of this county had any 
idea of what would follow in the short time 
that has passed. They did not dream of the 
railroads and triumphs that now astonish their 
vision. The growth aud advancement of this 
section of countrj' have been very much more 
rapid and extensive than could be foreseen by 

♦By W. T. Giles, 



the most observing or experienced in the early 
settlement of countries. It may well be re- 
peated, the change has been so vast and 
rapid as to " astonish the oldest inhabitant," 
Many stand amazed, and frequently express 
surprise that thej' should have lived to see the 
grand changes that have taken place. The red 
men who were here have departed, and given 
place to a sturdy, energetic and progressive 
white race, who allow no obstacle to retard 
their onward march. The)- are determined to 
recover every •' lost art,'' and improve upon 
everj' invention, and herein lies the cause of 



42 



HISTORY OF POTTAAVATTAMIE COUNTY. 



the triumphs made and the progress developed 
in the new settlements of the great American 
continent. Every new discover}' seems to sur- 
pass its former attainments, and one surprise is 
left to astonish the other, until surprises will 
become obsolete in the way of developments in 
our new countries and settlements. Even now, 
this section, of but a few years, is becoming 
too old for many of the earlj' settlers, and they 
are talking of the " West,'' as if they were on 
the extreme of the Bast, and were too circum- 
scribed to enjoy life. These restless spirits 
have been the pioneers of every new country, 
and to them much of our wonderful success is 
due. It was this spirit that caused the discov- 
ery of America by Columbus — that sent Lewis 
and Clark to explore this section and the 
Rocky Mountains ; and in fact, it was this 
spirit that settled and caused Pottawattamie 
County to bloom and blossom. 

In the earlj' organization of Pottawattamie 
County, James Sloan was selected as the first 
District Judge. The county was formed in the 
usual waj", from a survey- made b}' the agents 
of the United States Government, embracing a 
large territory. In 1852, Thomas Burdick 
acted as first County Judge ; Even Green, 
County Clerk and Auditor ; Luke Johnson, 
County Treasurer ; Alexander McRae, Sheriff, 
and Dr. E. Aylesworth, Coroner. 

The county, at this time, was in its incipient 
state of formation, and just emerging from wide 
scattered settlements, and establishing local 
authorities for the protection of its people. 
The town site of Kanesville (now Council 
Bluffs), having long been a garrisoned fort of 
the Government, established for the protection 
of the earl\- pioneers seeking homes here, was 
naturally selected as the county seat, and here 
the largest body of settlers accumulated by col- 
onization, under the Kgis of a religious belief 
known as Mormonism. The leaders of these 
people exercised a great control over their ad- 
herents, and this contributed largely- to good 



government, peaceful relations, and the opening 
up of the count}' to speedy settlement. In 
1853, Franklin Street, as County Judge, was 
authorized by the United States Government 
to execute deeds to those who had settled upon 
the public domain under what was commonlj- 
known as a " squatter's claim." The order is- 
sued in 1853, and the deeds were generally 
given in 1854. Hons. J. P. Cassady and AV. 
C. James were acting as Notaries Public, the 
acknowledgments of deeds being made before 
David De Vol and David Lindley, Justices of 
the Peace. The divisions of the county into 
townships began back as long ago as its organ- 
ization, and divisions have continued until re- 
cently. 

In August, 1853, Rockford Township was 
organized, and in 1880 the census showed that 
it contained a population of 930. This town- 
ship occupies a prominent place in the historj- 
of the count}', as it was one of the first town- 
ships organized. Some of the old settlers here 
are in a prosperous condition, and own well- 
improved and well-stocked farms, where they 
are surrounded by peace and plenty. 

The organization of 'Wright Township took 
place in September, 1873, and the report of the 
census in 1880 showed the population of the 
township to be 683. This portion of the county 
contains some excellent farms, many of which 
are under a good state of improvement and cul- 
tivation, and their owners are growing inde- 
pendent. 

In September, 1858, the township of Silver 
Creek was organized, and in 1880, the popula- 
tion numbered 634, with many fine and well- 
improved farms. Many of the settlers are en- 
terprising, and are growing some fine blooded 
stock. 

Layton Township dates its organization back 
to June, 1878. It is located on a high, rich, 
rolling prairie country, and is quite a wealthy 
portion of Pottawattamie County. Walnut, a 
thriving town and good grain maiket, on the 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



43 



Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, in 
1880, contained about one thousand of a popu- 
lation, and the township, in addition to the 
town, 488, making the population of Layton 
Township, complete, 1,488. Here man}- of the 
best farms are to be found, and best farmers in 
the county reside, and many of them are inde- 
pendent — have good improvements and fine 
stock. 

On June 6, 1870, Washington Township was 
organized, and became one of the important 
divisions of the countj' of Pottawattamie. In 
the 3-ear 1880, the population of this township 
was 519. A large proportion of this popula- 
tion are well-to-do farmers, who are surrounded 
with good improvements, including most of 
the late farm implements, and possess some 
fine stock. The soil of this section of countr}' 
is generally excellent. 

Lincoln Township was organized on April 5, 
187G, and the census report of 1880 showed a 
population of 628, mostly composed of thrifty, 
prosperous farmers, some of whom are growing 
fine stock. This township is rapidly growing 
into favor, as one of the best sections of the 
county. At the present rate of growth, it will 
soon be one among the most populous in the 
count}-. 

Keg Creek Township was organized in Jan- 
uary, 1873, and the population in 1880 was 
given at 692, many of these persons being 
among the most independent and oldest set- 
tlers of the county. Among the early settlers 
in Keg Creek Township are Rasmus Campbell, 
wife and family of four children (Mr. Camp- 
bell has officiated in several of the offices of 
the township), Morrison M. Fay, William Orr, 
S. G. Underwood and others. Sir. Underwood 
came to this county in 1854, and is now one of 
the most prosperous farmers in his township, 
possessing 1,000 acres of that rich and pro- 
ductive soil. 

In June, 1878, Valley Township was organ- 
ized, and is now one of the most important 



townships in the county. The population of 
this organization was given in the census of 
1880 at 965. This section is rapidly filling up, 
and ere long it promises to become one of the 
most desirable townships in Pottawattamie. 
The farmers are taking a deep interest in their 
improvements, as well as in stock-growing. The 
yield of crops is generally good and remunera- 
tive. 

In August, 1857, Macedonia Township, one 
of the most populous in this county, was or- 
ganized. The census of 1880 showed a popu- 
lation of 1,064. It is about twenty-five miles 
southeast of Council Bluffs, situated on the 
rich and fertile soil of the West Nishnabotna, 
which land, for productiveness, is equal to any 
in the State of Iowa. It is fine for grazing 
purposes also, and therefore a great deal of 
fine stock is grown and sent to the markets 
from this section. Here we find a good mill, 
an excellent elevator, stores, hotel and other 
public buildings of interest. The town of 
Macedonia also contains a bank and printing 
office, and it is a very good point for trade. 
The country is rolling and beautiful, and is 
attracting the attention of men of capital. 
Here blue limestone is found in large quanti- 
ties, but the quarries are just being utilized. 
Hon. B. F. Clayton, R. H. and T. J. Wood- 
mancy, F. J. Potter, Sylvester Dye and Mr. 
Lane are solid men and enterprising citizens. 
We are told this township is third in the State 
for stock-growing. 

In addition to the town of Macedonia, we 
find the enterprising town of Carson in this 
township, with elevator, stores, hotel and the 
Carson FairJealer, edited and published bj' 
Messrs. Jullian and McManima. This town is- 
at the junction of the Chicago, Rock Island & 
Pacific and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 
Railroads. These two towns give to the citi- 
zens of Macedonia Township excellent markets 
for all they have for sale. 

Wavelaud Township, formerly Walnut Creek, 



44 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



was organized in Januar3', 1857, and its popu- 
lation in 1880 was 776. Here are some of the 
finest and most inviting lands to be found in 
the count}'. The improvements are generally 
of a good character, and in some cases, many 
of these are ver}- costly. Much fine stock is 
to be seen in this township, and the farmers 
are generally growing rich. 

On June 10, 1876, Lewis township was or- 
ganized, and the census report in 1880 gave 
the population at 977. The land and improve- 
ments in this township will compare ver}' favor- 
ably with any other section of the county, and 
the farmers here are making good progress in 
the growth of fine stock. Some of the old set- 
tlers are nicely fixed, and are in a condition to 
enjoy their hard-earned homes. 

James Township was organized in Septem- 
ber, 1858, and the population in 1880 was 570. 
The citizens of this township have battled 
along manfully, and now many of them are en- 
joying fine homes and handsome farms. Thej' 
also grow a great deal of good stock, and are 
well prepared to battle with life's difficulties. 
JIany of these individuals passed through se- 
vere trials and great difficulties in the early 
daj's of the settlement of this count}", and are 
entitled to the pleasures they find in their nice 
homes and on their well-stocked farms. 

On June 9, 1873, Norwalk Township was or- 
ganized, and in 1880 the population was 618. 
This township is possessed of some very 
valuable lands, as well as many well-improved 
farms. Most of the citizens of this section, 
after many struggles, are enjoying peace, plenty 
and prosperity. They possess good houses, 
and some of the best stock in the State, show- 
ing what time and industry will accomplish. 
The population of this township is increasing 
with commendable rapidit}', and soon the pop- 
ulation will be double that of 1880. 

It appears, from the records of the county, 
that the township of York was organized on 
the National birthday, July 4, 1856. The pop- 



ulation of this township in 1880 was 526. The 
farmers here, like in the other townships, had 
to undergo many privations in the earl}- days 
of the settlement, but now the}' are enjoy- 
ing good buildings, orchards, well-cultivated 
places, with a large amount of excellent stock 
of every kind. 

Center Township was organized in June, 
1856, and the population in 1880 was 1,075. 
Oakland, formerly called Big Grove, is located 
on the east bank of the West Nishnabotna, 
in Center Township, in the center of a rich and 
extensive country. It is a leading point on the 
Avoea & Southwestern Railroad. It is a pict- 
uresque place, being a natural forest town. At 
this section of the Nishnabotna Valley are 
found forests of oak, walnut, hickory and other 
trees of hard wood. Not many years ago the 
hunter found wild game, such as deer, turkey, 
prairie chickens and other game in abundance. 
Oakland is near the center of one of these ex- 
tensive forests, where the belt of timber extends 
for some distance east of the town. This town 
was founded by Hon. John T. Baldwin, of 
Council Bluffs. It is supposed that at some 
day not far distant, Oakland will be the seat of 
a new county. Center Township is put down 
as one of the best stock growing townships in 
the State of Iowa, and that portion of it is un- 
rivaled for grain. 

Pleasant Township was organized April 7, 
1873, and in 1880, contained a population of 
654. This township is filling up fast with solid 
farmers, who are making the lands bloom and 
blossom. They are also raising some very fine 
stock, and making substantial improvements. 
It will be, as the name indicates, a pleasant 
section of country to dwell in. 

The township of Belknap was organized in 
September, 1872, and we find that the census 
report for 1880 gave the population at that 
time at 583. This township contains fine lands, 
and is becoming one of the popular sections of 
the county. The old settlers who are now en- 



J .L 



c 




iv*. 




C(--^^ 




HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



47 



joying life had to pass through mau3- trials and 
difficulties, but at this time thej" have their 
railroad stations, and are in the midst of good 
markets, where they tind ready sales for their 
grain and fine stock. .Many of the improve- 
ments in this township will compare favorably 
with the improvements in other portions of the 
county. Considerable timber will be found in 
portions of this country. 

Boomer Township was organized as earlj- as 
1858, in June, and, of course, it has changed 
very materially in the 3'ears that have elapsed 
since. The population of this township in 
1880 was 870. Here jou will find well-im- 
proved, beautiful farms, where in 1856 nothing 
but the wild prairie was to be seen. The early 
settlers toiled along for j-ears with commenda- 
ble energy, and the}' are now enjoying their 
hard-earned homes of plenty. Here you will 
find schools, churches and all the advance- 
ments of civilization. 

It is recorded that Minden Township was or- 
ganized in September, 1876, and the population 
in 1880 was 700. The village of Minden is 
located on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 
Railroad. It contains about three hundred in- 
habitants, mostly Germans. This is the place 
where most of the business of the township is 
transacted. Here you will find merchants and 
grain buyers, and men carrying on the various 
avocations of life. James Crow, a Justice of 
the Peace, is an American by birth, and is en- 
terprising. This township is making good pro- 
gi'ess, and the old settlers who went there when 
everything was wild, are enjoying the fruits of 
some of the best farms in the county of Pot- 
tawattamie. 

Either because of neglect or slow growth of 
population, some of the townships of this 
county are of recent date ; we find that Xeola, 
with a population in 1880 of 681, forming an 
organization in June, 1872. While this town- 
ship was slow in organizing, it has been pro- 
gressing in improvements, and contains some 



very excellent farms, flue stock and many fruit 
trees, schools, churches, etc. The early settlers 
are generally well fixed, and have good markets 
within short distances. 

Knox Township, containing the largest popu- 
lation of anj- township in the county, except- 
ing Kane, was organized in January, 1855, and 
in 1880, contained 2,237 of a population. The 
town of Avoca is near the center of this town- 
ship, and it has grown into a place of con- 
siderable importance, contains schoolhouses, 
churches, hotels, stores, two newspapers, rail- 
road and grain depots, etc. The town was 
platted in the spring of 1869, but it did not 
take much of a start till 1871. Mr. Jules 
Priester is said to have erected the first house. 
The first building of any note was the hotel, 
known as the New England House. The 
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad 
reached the town in April, 1869. The name 
first given the town was Pacific, then Botna, 
and in June of the same year, the name was 
again changed to Avoca by some ladies who 
were there on a railroad excursion, and this 
name still remains. In 1873, Avoca put on 
the mantle of a city, and the citizens elected 
the following persons as officers : H. W. Wil- 
son, Mayor ; Fred G. Hetzel, Clerk ; Edward 
Davis, Treasurer ; R. S. Heart, Charles Nor- 
ton, George Phall, James Hipsley, Nat. Acker 
and Samuel Temple, Aldermen. 

The Catholic, Presbyterian, Congregational 
and Methodist denominations each have an 
organization. The public schools were at- 
tended by 400 pupils. 

This township is probablj- one of the best 
improved in several counties, and contains a 
large amount of wealth. The early settlers are 
mostly independent, and in a condition to en- 
joj- life. Their farms, in many cases, are per- 
fect gardens, and they are surrounded by an 
abundance of good stock. 

Grove Township was organized in August. 
1859, and its population in 1880 amounted to 



48 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



958. This township was so called because of 
the numerous groves in it. Wheeler's Grove 
is one of the principal post ofBces, at which a 
large proportion of its citizens get their mail 
matter. The land in this township is generally 
rolling, rich and beautiful. Here some of the 
finest homes in the count}- are found. The old 
settlers of this section would not exchange 
lands with the farmers of any other section. 
Thej- have taken great pains with their homes 
in many cases, and have beautified their lands 
until they are ver^' attractive. This people 
have considerable fruit and are very advanced 
in all the impi'ovements of the times. i 

In 1869, Hardin Township was organized and 
took an independent position in the county of 
Pottawattamie, and in 1880 the population, ac- 
cording to the census of that jear, was 549. 
The old settlers of this township have some of : 
the best lands and neatest homes in Iowa. 
The}' appreciate their situation, and surrounded 
by good stock and all the conveniences of the 
day are enjoying life as becomes the Christian. 
They find ready markets for all they have for 
sale, and their pleasures are so complete as to 
cause them to forget their early trials and trib- 
ulations. The traveler passing over this town- 
ship now could scarcely be made to believe that 
many of the settlers had passed through half 
the hardships they were compelled to undergo 
in its early organization. 

The township of Crescent was organized on 
March 2, 1857, and the first election was held 
on the 19th of June following, when 109 votes 
were polled. The Mormons originally settled 
this township. In 1848, immediately south of 
the bottom land skirting Pigeon Creek Valley, 
in Township 76, Range 44, they erected a large 
tabernacle of logs, capable of holding 500 per- 
sons. A mill was erected near this point and 
a number of farms were opened. In 1852-53, 
when the Mormons left for Salt Lake, they 
were succeeded by a number of families from 
Indiana, among whom were William A. Reel 



and family in 1852. Mr. Reel erected a large 
frame dwelling in one of the most beautiful lo- 
calities in the northern part of the township. 
He also built a saw-mill and laid out a town 
site, which place he called Americus. Here a 
number of Gentiles settled, among whom were 
Edmund Latham, Joseph Boulden, D.avid Dun- 
kle and Elkanah Hall. After the location of 
the Mississippi & Missouri River Railroad and 
the alleged discovery of rock bottom on the 
Missouri, at Florence, in Nebraska, which point 
is just east of Crescent Township, much excite- 
ment was created. It was supposed that the 
line of railroad, instead of following the valley, 
would incline westward in the northern part of 
the county, and run down the valley of Pigeon 
Creek and across the Missouri at Florence. This 
created a furor, and soon some speculative per- 
sons located a town site and called it Crescent 
City. This was on Sections 24 and 25, in Town- 
ship 76, Range 43. J. E. Johnson, the wide- 
awake editor of the Council Bluffs Bugh, had 
a farm a short distance from the new city, and 
he at once established a paper there to advo- 
cate the interests of the town. The paper was 
called the Crescent City Oracle, and it lived 
two years. During the years of 1856-57, the 
new town grew rapidly. Stores and shops were 
opened. A steam grist and saw mill were 
erected. A schoolhouse was put up and a 
school opened. Early in 1857, a post office 
was established, with Lewis J. Goddard as 
Postmaster. Samuel Eggleston followed Mr. 
Goddard in this office, and he only remained in 
it for a short time, when David Dunkle became 
Postmaster. The principal business men in 
the town were Johnson & Blake, Reel & Dut- 
row, Samuel Eggleston, William Meury, Allison 
& Nutting. The financial crash of 1857, and 
the knowledge that the railroad mentioned 
would continue its line to Council Bluffs, caused 
a check to fall upon the growth of the new 
town. In 1858, Mr. Johnson removed his press 
to the county seat. Many of the best buildings 



HISTORY OF rOTTAAVATTAMIE COUXTY. 



49 



were removed to Coiinuil Blutt's or to farms. 
The North Western Railroad crosses this town- 
ship from north to south. This is a fine farm- 
ing district. It is ■n-ell supplied with water and 
considerable timber. The population, as given 
b}- the census of 1880, was 575. 

It is stated that the township of Garner, 
called so for William Garner, one of the best 
citizens in the county, was organized in April, 
1877, and in 18S0, the population was 908. 
This township, without doubt, contains a num- 
ber of the ver3- finest farms in Western Iowa, 
and man}- of the citizens of this section are en- 
terprising, industrious and energetic, and after 
toiling man\- years, are in the enjoyment of 
peace, plenty and prosperity. They are also 
very hospitable, and entertain in the olden stj'le, 
with a freedom that makes the visitor feel at 
home. Here, too, they have taken great pains 
to get and grow fine blooded stock, and in 
man}- cases some of the finest cattle, horses 
and hogs can be seen. 

Hazel Dell Township was organized in June, 
1873. The population, as given in the census 
of 1880, was 960. Many of the oldest settlers 
in the county are comfortably located in this 
township. William J. Cook, a native of En- 
gland, settled in this county in 1857 ; Mrs. 
Lucy A. F. Hall, a native of Kentucky ; Capt. 
Robert Frost, a native of England, came to 
this county in 1855 ; Joshua A. Gregg, a na- 
tive of Ohio, came to Pottawattamie in 1856, 
and all are well rewarded for their staj- in the 
count}- and their early settlement in Hazel 
Dell Township. It is true, in the early settle- 
ment of this township, the pleasures and ad- 
vantages were few, but now schools and 
churches abound, and every convenience that 
is to be found has its locality here. The peo- 
ple are progressive and show it in their way of 
living. 

First District and County Officers. — James 
Sloan was first District Judge; Thomas Bur- 
dick was County Judge ; Even Green was first 



County Clerk and Auditor ; Luke Johnson 
was first County Treasurer ; Alexander McRae, 
Sheriff ; E. Aylesworth, Coroner. 

Present Dis'rict and County Officers. — J. R. 
Reed, District Judge ; C. F. Loofbourow. Cir- 
cuit Judge ; J. P. Conner, District Attorney ; 
S. D. Street, County Clerk ; T. A. Kirkland, 
County Auditor ; John Bennett, County Treas- 
urer ; Theodore Guittar, Sheriff; Samuel Den- 
ton, County Surveyor ; Bradbury W. Hight, 
County Attorney ; Henry Faul, Coroner. 

Board of Siqxrvisors. — Eli Clayton, Chair- 
man ; S. B. Frum, S. Dye, J. M. Phillips and S. 
J. Underwood. 

City Organization. — It is stated in the An- 
nals of Iowa, that " in April, 1854, Congress 
passed an act authorizing the Judge of Potta- 
wattamie County to enter 610 acres of laud 
for the benefit of the owners and occupants of 
claims. STudge Street, accordingly, on the 10th 
day of May, 1854, entered, under the law, 
eighty acres in Section 30, and eighty acres in 
Section 31, Township 75, Range 43 ; and 
240 acres in Section 25, and 240 acres 
in Section 36, Township 75, Range 44 — form- 
ing a square mile, and comprising within its 
limits nearly all of the village of Kauesville." 

We are told that it was a difficult matter to 
divide this land to give satisfaction, in all 
cases, to the claimants. It frequently happened 
that two parties claimed the same lot. In the 
spring of this year. Judge Street employed 
Thomas Tostevin to survey the land entered 
by him, and Mr. Tostevin performed his work 
with care, when a large majority of the owners 
of claims became satisfied, and in all subse- 
quent conveyances, the original survey stood 
as the guide. Many suits grew out of the dis- 
puted claims, and took much of the time of 
the courts, for some years. The additions of 
S. S. Bayliss, Mynster, Jackson, Stutsman and 
Mills were within the limits of the one mile 
square entered by the County Judge. In the 
fall of 1854, other lots were surveyed, and new 



50 



HISTORY OF rOTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



additions made to the town. Among these 
additions were tlie names of Grimes, Curtis, 
Hall and Beers. 

The exchange of lots, and other business, went 
along finel3- till the panic in the State, and, in 
fact, all over the countrj-, in 1857, when failure 
after failure followed each other, and carried 
down some of the leading houses of the coun- 
try', and among them the banking house of 
Col. Thomas H. Benton, Jr., in Council Bluffs. 
This panic, for a short time, appeared to check 
the sale of lots and land, and the people gener- 
ally began to complain of hard times. But, 
fortunately for this new State and county, these 
distressed times did not continue long, and 
speculation in land and lots began, and re- 
mained livel}- for some time, when the city and 
count}- began to settle rapidlj- with a thrift}' 
people. The early settlers began to make bet- 
ter improvements, and business wore a new 
and more smiling face. The progress on the 
part of the early settlers encouraged the new- 
comers, and they also entered into improving 
lots and farms, and money began to assume its 
natural channel. This prosperity- continued 
for some time, and until this country and the 
people were more al)le to stand the extremes 
and results of a panic. 

It is true, Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie 
County have passed through many a tr^-ing 
time since the year herein mentioned, but ap- 
pear to have come out the brighter for the 
reverses. Both the city and the county are 
now upon a solid basis, where they can defy 
panics and reverses in trade. The soil of the 
countrj' is rich and deep, and will jield an 
abundant harvest for all, and what does not 
sell to-day will sell to-morrow. So, now, panics 
of short duration can have but a slight effect 
upon the growth of the country or prosperity 
of the people. The spirit of progress is now 
fairly alive, and must continue to work great 
results for both country and citj'. The one is 
dependent upou the other, and the people of 



each should go hand in hand to bring about 
the greatest prosperity. The city must afford 
the market, while the farmers must produce the 
articles to suppl}- it ; and thus united, nothing 
but a visitation of wrath from God, and the 
entire destruction of crops can ever prevail 
against this section of countr}' and this people. 

The first settlers of this county laid a solid 
foundation for those who were to come after 
them to build upon, and now the result begins 
to prove that their ideas were correct. Their 
sons and daughters, in many cases, are enjoying 
large harvests and rich rewards, while the pa- 
rents who remain point back to their early 
times here with pleasure and pride. It is de- 
cidedly interesting to sit down and listen to a 
recitation of these people of their trials, priva- 
tions, ups and downs, and the manj- wa\-s they 
had to manage to live and maintain large and 
growing families, such as you do not often see 
at the present time. But few persons would 
now undertake the same difficulties for all that 
the future promises. 

We are informed that on the 5th da}- of Feb- 
ruary, 1855, under the charter granted bj- the 
Legislature of the State in 1853, the first elec- 
tion for city officers was held. No election took 
place in 1854. At the election held, the follow- 
ing persons were elected to fill the offices : C. 
E. Stone, Mayor ; C. W. Boyers, Recorder ; B. 
R. Pegram, Treasurer ; A. F. Thompson. Mar- 
shal ; and G. A. Robinson, Assessor. The first 
council consisted of the following gentlemen : 
First Ward — J. B. Stutsman, J. B. Lewis, and 
AV. Hepner ; Second Ward— J. P. Casady, E. 
P. Snow and S. S. Bayliss; Third Ward— J. A. 
Jackson, Milton Rogers and W. J. Cooper. 
Messrs. Suow and Hepner declined to serve, 
when J. D. Test and J. E. Johnson were ap- 
pointed to fill the vacancies. At a meeting of 
the council the following-named gentlemen 
were appointed to fill the offices named : R. L. 
Douglass, City Attorney : Thomas Tosteviu, 
City Surveyor, and H. D. Harl, City Supervisor 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



51 



A tax of five mills was levied for cit}' pur- 
poses. The Maj-or recommended that a sys- 
tem of improvements should commence early 
in the year, and that the bonds of the city should 
be issued to pay the expense of such public 
improvements as might be made in the wisdom 
of the authorities. The Mayor was allowed 
SI 00 as his salary for one year. A Board of 
Health was created, and the following gentle- 
men were appointed to fill the place : Drs. 
Honn, Malcolm and Shoemaker. 

No startling developments were made dur- 
ing this year, but the Mayor and Council, and 
in fact, all the officers, discharged their duties 
well during this term. 

These organizations established evidence of 
the rapid increase of population in the few 
years of the existence of the county. But 
beyond this, the growth of wealth has been 
wonderful, and now we find Pottawattamie 
numbered among the wealthiest counties in the 
State. With the present advantages possessed 
by this people, nothing can stop the increase 
of population or retard the growth of wealth 
and prosperity. Eveiything is combined to 
continue Council Blufls as the gi'eat western 
railroad center of Iowa, while the rich and 
productive soil of the countrj- around will pro- 
duce abundant harvests and sustain large herds 
of stock. In the next ten years, the popula- 
tion will be double its present number, while the 
wealth will more than double. 

pottavtatt.\mie's war record. 

In a country like this, filled with people 
from every section, patriotism is always above 
par, and ready for action, as was proven when 
our country called for help. The call was 
scarcely out till hundreds of the brave men of 
Pottawattamie County responded. They did 
not stand upon the manner of going, but went 
at once to the front to defend this Nation 
against disruption and division. Those who 
left here to do battle for their country, made 



records for themselves that will stand as living 
monuments to their memories as long as our 
country and time last. Their noble deeds are 
recorded upon the memory of every patriotic 
citizen in this county, and in all time to come 
blessings will be invoked upon their heads. It 
is said •' to be noble to die for your country," and 
it is noble to live and defend it. Those who 
have been through our difficulties, and now 
live to enjoj- the peace and prosperity of homes, 
can enjoy them with an appreciation that others 
know nothing about. In speaking of the pa- 
triotic acts of the brave men of this couatv, 
we do not confine our remarks to the recent 
war, but also to the noble men who endured 
the earlier wars in vindication of the honor and 
liberties of the people of the United States. 
History informs us that at an early day many 
a brave soldier left this country for Mexico in 
vindication of our rights and honor, among 
whom was William Garner, who is still an. 
honored citizen, and is in the possession of 
peace and plenty, but we are sorry to say, is 
not in good health. During the later war, citi- 
zens of this count}- rushed to the. front of the 
battle fields by the hundreds, and many never 
returned to enjoy the results of their labors, 
but were cut down in the thick of the battle. 
Our citizens, of course, revere their memories 
and honor their graves. 

The people of this country are full of pa- 
triotism, and therefore allow themselves to be 
imposed upon b}- cunning politicians, as has 
ever been the case. All men who went into 
the army did not go in upon the simple idea of 
doing service for the country, but many had 
selfishness in every step they took, and have 
been making political c.npital out of it ever 
since, and this class are not entitled to any 
great credit for their acts. But the true patriot 
is entitled to the lasting blessing and prayers 
of the American people. His aims and am- 
bitions were all for his and our common country. 
He had no other or higher ambition, and was 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



always found at his post ou all tiyiug occasions. 
These are the men and memories we shall hold 
sacred. To honor them is to express a love of 
countr}'. This large and fertile countrj- sent 
manj- such men to the battle fields of their coun- 
try, and they did noble service on many occasions. 

It must be said to the honor of our people 
they did not allow a draft to be made, but the 
citizens freely volunteered and the demand on 
this county was constantly satisfied with one ex- 
ception. The Democrats and Republicans 
went forward at every call, shoulder to shoulder, 
many folliug side by side in the bloody con- 
flicts. The recruiting and organizing were 
mostly done in the citj-, and of course, the 
particulars of sending forward the men will be 
given in this portion of the histor}'. But 
while this is true, we cannot refrain from men- 
tioning a few of the brave men, and some of 
the incidents connected with the war. The 
first companj- raised was the Council Bluff's 
Guards, consisting of fifty men. Ou the 11th 
of April, 1861, G. M. Dodge was elected cap- 
tain ; John F. Hopper and C. C. Rice, chosen 
First and Second Lieutenants, and Ira Hotl'man 
was appointed Ortierly Sergeant. 

The Council Blutls Union Cavalry was the 
second organized companj-. On the 14th daj' 
of April, 1861, the following gentlemen were 
chosen for the officers: S. H. Craig, Captain ; 
J. T. Oliver and P. A. Wheeler, Lieutenants, 
and F. M. Davenport, Orderly Sergeant. 

In a short time after the above organization, 
a company of flying artillery, consisting of about 
forty men, was formed and elected Samuel 
Clinton Captain. In May, William H. Kins- 
man went to the capital to procure arms. He 
was in a measure successful, and returned on the 
6th of June with a six-pound brass cannon 
sabers and other implements. The cannon 
arrived about midnight, when Mr. Kinsman 
settled it on Broadwa_y, and aroused the natives 
by firing a salute, which bursted a number of 
windows. 



It was not long until steps were taken for 
the organization of a regiment in Western Iowa. 
This city was made headquarters for all the 
companies. Company A, of Mills County, with 
William A. English, as Captain, was marched 
into camp. Compauj- B, of Pottawattamie 
County, with S. H. Craig, Captain ; P. A. 
Wheeler and William H. Kinsman, Lieutenants, 
next arrived. As Companj' B was mostly com- 
posed of citizens of Council BlufiEs, the ladies 
of the citj- presented the company with a flag 
before thej- left for active service, and it can be 
said to the honor of the members of the com- 
pany, thej- never allowed that banner to be dis- 
graced. This companj- was commanded suc- 
cessivelj- by Capts. Craig, Kinsman and George 
E. Ford. In 1864, the Fourth Regiment was 
re-organized, and the following veterans of Com- 
pany B were found upon the rolls ; George E. 
Ford, George W. Lloj'd, Christian Weirich, 
Henrj^ Bradshaw, C. A. D. Clarke, Lawrence 
Doren, Levi Jones, Heurj- C. Clayton, James 
D. Lewis, John W. Nesbitt, Curtis O'Neil, 
George W. Tucker, Jonathan West, Isaac Y. 
Maynard. It is reported that of this companj- 
two were killed and twenty-one wounded, and 
four captured and died in Andersonville prison, 
viz.: Maynard, Reed, Jones and Ennes. 

This regiment was recruited in the follow- 
ing counties : Pottawattamie, Mills, Guthrie, 
Decatur, Polk, Madison, Waj-ne, Page, Ringgold 
and Adams, with G. M. Dodge as Colonel. On 
the 9th of Julj-, 1864, Col. Dodge returned 
home, and was escorted to his residence bj- 
Companies A, B and the Flying Artillerj-, 
when he returned thanks for the honor con- 
ferred upon him, and spoke in high terms of 
the noble bearing of the companies. 

In a short time the headquarters of the army 
were removed to an elevated spot of land, one 
or two miles from the citj-. This point became 
quite attractive, as it was placed under strict 
militarj- discipline, and the men were regularly- 
drilled everv daj-. Col. Dodge was anxious to 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



53 



have this regiment well advanced when it should 
enter upon the field of duty. 

A detachment of twenty-five men from each 
company were called out on the '30th of July to 
make a forced march to the Missouri line, where 
it was reported the rebels were assembling, but 
were not found. In the early part of August 
the regiment left camp for Jefiersou Barracks, 
Mo., where on the 15th day of this month, the 
regiment was mustered into the service of the 
United States. 

The regiment took an active part in all the 
stirring battles of the West, and won honors 
under the command of Gen. Curtis, at Pea 
Ridge, under Gen. Grant at Chickasaw Baj-ou, 
and through the entire campaign at Vicksburg, 
and marched thence to Chattanooga, fighting at 
Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge and Ring- 
gold. Then they marched under Gen. Sher- 
man, through the Atlanta campaign to the sea, 
and tlience to Washington, and after being in 
thirty hotly contested conflicts, were honorably 
mustered out of service at Louisville, Ky., on 
the 24:th of July, 1865. The records show a 
heavy fatality ; 119 were killed or died of 
wounds ; 240 died of disease, and the dis- 
charged only numbered 309. 

July 4, 1861, the Second Iowa Battery Light 
Artillery went into camp at Camp Kirkwood, 
and was mustered into the United States service 
on the 8th and 31st of July ; its last section left 
this county with two companies of the Fourth 
Infantry on the 27th of the month, under Capt. 
Craig. The officers of the battery were. Nel- 
son T. Spoor, Captain, and Charles T. Reed, 
Second Lieutenant, of Council Bluflfs ; Joseph 
R. Reed, of Dallas County, Iowa, and David 
Watling, of Cincinnati, 0., were Senior and 
Junior Lieutenants. This batter}- did good serv- 
ice during the war. Nineteen of these men 
were from Pottawattamie County. The batter}- 
was honorabl}' discharged at Davenport, on 
August 5, 1865. 

D. B. Clark enlisted in Company H, of the 



Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, at Council Bluflis, in 
the fall of 1861. The officers of the company 
were elected in November, and were as follows: 
D. B. Clark, Captain; Stephen W. King, First 
Lieutenant, both of Pottawattamie County; 
and John A. Danielson, Second Lieutenant, of 
Harrison County. Twenty-four of the men 
and non-commissioned officers were enlisted in 
this county. The company suflered severely 
at Shiloh, a large portion of the officers and 
men being wounded or killed. Before the 
close of the battle, owing to the sickness or 
disability of the other officers. Sergeant Ed- 
wards had to assume command, and was soon 
after commissioned Captain. When the time 
of the enlistment expired, the following persons 
of Compan}- H re-enlisted and became vet- 
erans: N. W. Edwai'ds, E. W. Crawley, Joshua 
Gilbert, A. Heaghney, Otto C. Hoffman, Levi 
J. Laflesh, William Moorehead, Benton T. H. 
Marshall, Frank N. Martin, John D. Slocum, 
Amos A. Van Winkle and Joseph Whaloy. 
The records show four killed and thirteen 
wounded of this company. 

In the winter of 1861-62, William S. Burke 
enlisted eighteen men in this county for com- 
pany- H, Seventeenth Iowa Infantry, and he 
was afterwards commissioned First Lieuten- 
ant. 

In the summer of 1862, John C. Lininger, a 
school teacher, enlisted twentj'-five men, all of 
this county, for Company E, Twenty-third 
Regiment. Mr. Liniger was chosen Captain. 
William H. Kinsman, of Council Bluffs, was 
made Lieutenant Colonel of this regiment, on 
August 2, 1862, and Colonel on Septem- 
ber 19, 1862, and remained at the head 
of his men until he was stricken down at the 
battle of Black River Bridge. The Colonel 
died from his wounds, on the 23d daj- of May, 
1863, after having made a fine record for him- 
self 

We are told that Company E, of the Sixth 
Cavalry, was principally recruited by William 



54 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



G. Crawford, but ill health prevented him from 
entering the service. Twenty-five men of this 
compau}' were from Pottawattamie County, 
and Daniel F. Eicher, was chosen Captain, and 
commanded the company during their term of 
service. Joseph C. De Haven was elected First 
Lieutenant, and made an excellent officer. The 
company went into service in January, 1863. 

The Twentj'-ninth Regiment camped at Coun- 
cil Bluffs early in August, 1862, and remained 
in Camp Dodge till December. The officers 
were : Thomas H. Benton, Colonel ; William 
S. Grimes, Surgeon ; William W. Wilson, Quar- 
termaster, and Joseph Lyman, Adjutant ; all 
of this county. The other field and staff offi- 
cers were generally from Western Iowa. Com- 
panj' A, of this regiment, contained 108 men 
and officers, residents of this county. The offi- 
cers of this company were ; John P. Williams, 
Captain ; George A. Haj-nes, K. K. Kirkpat- 
rick. Lieutenants. Capt. Williams was Sheriff, 
and resigned to recruit the compau3- and enter 
the service. His health would not allow him 
to remain with the regiment, and in the sum- 
mer of 1863, C. V. Gardner was chosen Cap- 
tain, and remained in command till the end of 
the war. The regiment was in battles at Ar- 
kansas Post, Helena and Mobile, and performed 
service in Texas, and was discharged in New 
Orleans on August 10, 1865. The records show 
that thirtj- men were killed or died of wounds ; 
253 died of disease, and 134 were discharged 
for disabilitj'. 

On the 5th of November, 1864, 109 men were 
drafted, and this was the only draft ever made 
in Pottawattamie County. 

It is recorded that Caleb Baldwin, a promi- 
nent lawyer of Council Bluffs, acted as aide to 
Gov. Kirkwood in the early part of the war, 
and was succeeded b}- Henr}' C. Nutt, who re- 
mained in the field to the close of the war, act- 
ing as aide to Gov. Kirkwood and Gov. Stone. 
H. H. Field was Provost Marshal and Deputy 
United States Marshal for Pottaw^attamie County 



The Board of Supervisors and citizens of the 
county contributed liberally for the support of 
the families of the soldiers who had enlisted. 
Early in 1861, the ladies of Council Bluffs and 
the count}' formed aid societies, and raised 
considerable funds for the relief of soldiers' 
families. The record of this county during the 
war was a most glorious and brilliant one, and 
will remain green in the memory of those who 
may come after the present generation. We 
must add here, the press of the county did 
much to aid those engaged in recruiting. 

POOR FARM, CENSUS, ETC. 

During the early part of 1857, Judge D. S 
Nye purchased a tract of land for a Poor Farm, 
and the price paid for it was supposed to be 
exhorbitant, and his act was considered illegal ; 
but the Legistature was in session at the time, 
and an act was immediately passed by that 
body confirming the action of the Judge in the 
purchase. Public sentiment in the couuty was 
strongly against this act, and some of the 
Judge's sureties withdrew from his official 
bond, and in May, 1858, he resigned, and the 
duties of the office fell upon J. H. Sherman, 
County Prosecuting Attorney. The latter, 
soon after taking the office, issued an order 
directing the Drainage Commissioner to drain 
the swamp and overflowed the lands of the 
countj^ A large sum of money was spent in 
this work during this and the following 
year. 

The Poor Farm has grown into quite an i m- 
portant institution, and it no doubt saves much 
to the count}' in the way of supporting the un- 
fortunate class who have to be sustained by 
the public. It would now 3-ield a good profit 
over the price paid when it was considered so 
extremely high as to call down vengeance upon 
the head of the County Judge because of the 
purchase. 

The State census, taken in 1869, showed the 
total population of Pottawattamie Count}' to 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



55 



be 10,977, divided among the different town- 
ships as follows : Boomer, 394 ; Center, 410 ; 
Crescent, 918 ; Rockford, 596 ; Grove, 292 ; 
James, 286 ; Knox, 560; Macedonia, 223 ; Sil- 
ver Creek, 144 ; Walnut Creek, 252 ; York, 
148 ; Kane (outside of Council Bluffs), 1,038 ; 
Council Bluffs, First Ward, 908 ; Second Ward, 
1,605 ; Third Ward, 927 ; Fourth Ward, 1,804 ; 



Fifth Ward, 547 ; total number in the city, 
5,793. The number of dwelling houses in the 
county, was 2,083 — 1.153 were within the lim- 
its of Council Bluffs. The amount of grain 
produced this year was, corn, 345,081 bushels ; 
wheat, 35,967 ; oats, 48,702, and potatoes, 42,- 
854. This year the farmers made 12,065 gal- 
lons of sorghum. 



CHAPTER VII.* 



IOWA: ORIGIN OF THE NAME — HER FUTURE — LAND SPECULATORS AND THEIR PECULIAR 
METHODS OF "DOING" PURCHASERS — EARLY EVENTS — FINANCIAL MATTERS- 
AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION— DEAF AND DUMB ASYLUM— SEVERE 
WINTER— EARLY SETTLERS— AN EXCITING ELECTION, ETC. 



IOWA is interpreted to mean, " this is the 
place," so stated in the Annals of Iowa, in a 
story of an " Indian tribe who came from the 
West and crossed the Missouri into this State, 
because of an unfavorable season for game, 
trapping and hunting, and after several days 
of weary, tired trampiug, hungry and heart- 
sick, its members came unexpectedly, at night- 
fall, to the shore of a beautiful lake. Groves 
of shade surrounded it, plums, wild apples and 
berries were found upon ever}' hand, on ovcr- 
ladened trees and vines; fowls swam upon and 
flew over the lake in great swarms, and fishes 
glided and swam in the beautiful waters. Tlie 
tired ponies drank from the cool fountain, and 
the squaws plucked the fruit with avidity and 
began to prepare for the evening meal. The 
chief who had taken in at a glance the whole 
prospect, wiselj- said, " Iowa! " (this is the 
place). 

Hundreds and thousands, like the Indian 
chief, think Iowa is " the place," and they find 
here the best of lands and comfortable houses. 
Within a few ^-ears more, every acre of land 
will be in the possession of actual settlers, 
when this State will loom up with greater 

•By W. T. Giles. 



rapidity and more prosperity than was ever 
achieved by any State before. The eyes of men 
of wealth are already- turned in this direction, 
and here they find profitable investments, and 
in many cases make excellent improvements 
upon their purchases for their sons and sons- 
in-law. But in the years to come, the progress 
will go forward with much greater speed, and 
all Iowa will be made to bloom. This will be 
particularly true of this section, where so many 
natural and improved advantages abound. 
The county of Pottawattamie is certainly 
blessed with a fine location, beauty and variety 
of soil, and the best of markets, and of course, 
those seeking good homes cannot fail to dis- 
cover these facts, and seeing them they will 
act upon them. While Iowa must very soon 
become one of the most populous States in 
the Union, this county will become one of 
the most populous in the State. In the past 
ten j'ears the increase in population in Iowa 
has been extensive, but in the ten years to 
come the increase will double the past ten 
years. Larger rewards will be paid to those 
who may hold to their little homes, and those 
who have scarcely been living will be among 
those who are independent. These are the pre- 



56 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



dictions for the future Iowa and Pottawattamie 
Countj- as viewed from the past. What has 
been will return again, and as the advantages 
have improved so will the future growth be- 
come that much more speedy. In the twenty 
past years our march has seemed slow, and in 
a manner it was, for we had not the facilities 
for filling up the country and improving it that 
we now have. Railroads were not dotted all 
over the State, lumber and building materials 
were scarce and hard to get, but now railroads 
abound in everj' direction, and building mate- 
rials can be secured without much delaj' and 
with but little trouble. The story seems al- 
most like a romance, and yet it is as true as 
the needle to the pole, and even without ex- 
aggeration in any particular. In the earl}- days 
of this county, men and women toiled unceas- 
ingly, and only lived, and no wonder man}' be- 
came discontented and left it, but to-day the 
story is reversed, and all who have homes live 
independently and enjoy bountifully of God's 
good things, and seem to be lords of the land. 
All these changes have come over this land 
within a few years, and they cheer the young 
and rising generation on to making new homes 
in the new Territories, where wealth will pile up 
in much less time than it was produced here, 
simply because of the railroads and additional 
advantages. 

LAND SPECULATORS. 

In giving a history of this count}-, it may be 
interesting to many who may hereafter read 
it to know of some of the early speculations — 
how the}- were made, etc. It will not do to 
set all the early settlers of any coimtry down 
as men of genuine labor, or men without any 
speculative ideas, for in all ages and commimi- 
ties you will find the energetic and speculative 
genius, who is ready to sell or be sold, but gen- 
erally does the selling. It was so here in the 
early days of Pottawattamie County, it is so 
now in Dakota and all new counties. We have 
briefly herein given some of the ways prac- 



ticed by the early settlers upon his newly 
arrived friend. No section of country was 
without the class below described in this short 
sketch of the early settlers in this and other 
counties. 

It was peculiar how many land speculators were 
found in every section of the country. E\ery 
man you would meet claimed to own or have 
the agency of every foot of land within miles 
of the land office, and frequently combinations 
existed, and if you would talk to one of the 
combination, and he could not make a sale, you 
were turned over to the other, and such instruc- 
tions given as to price, etc., as would be likely 
to take you in. These parties would not own a 
foot of the land, but they kept themselves 
posted as to the entries, and whenever they 
could get enough above the entry or a price 
above the owner's selling price, they would go 
to the land office or to the owner of the prop- 
erty and make their acts known, and the entry 
or deed was given just as if these outsiders 
had had nothing to do with the sale, but slill 
they drew their per ceutage all the same. We 
remember buying some lots in 1854, from one 
of these sharpers. He claimed to own certain 
lots; we looked at them, bargained for them, 
and when the deed was made he did not sign it, 
and we asked, how is this — you do not give the 
deed? '• Oh, said he, I am agent for this gentle- 
man, and the deed is all right." We found the 
title all right, but we had to pay quite a sum 
to the agent that we could have saved by buy- 
ing directly from the owner. The same game 
was played in relation to Government land 
often, unless those who were seeking to enter 
land were posted and would refuse to pay 
these officious, self-constituted agents. The 
early settlers were as wide awake as the men 
of to-day, and they made money in many and 
peculiar ways. While we consider the people 
of the present time sharp, the early settlers, in 
many cases, were far in advance of them, and 
could drive more cunning bargains than are 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



57 



now dreamed of. Even to-day it does not paj' 
to tackle the frontiersman witli tlie idea of 
getting the advantage of him in a trade. The 
only mistake he is likel} to make is that he 
will sell too soon, when he should hold his 
land and lots for a time. Years ago at every 
land office, you could find surveyors or men 
who would show you lands for a consideration, 
and many of these persons were sharp, and if 
you bought your plats — took these agents out 
and paid them for showing you land, if after 
passing over it, thej- found it to be more valu- 
able than they had suspected, they would go to 
the land speculators and report to them the 
facts, and when you would come to enter your 
selections they would be gone — entered by 
this paid agent's instructions, and often he 
would come and ofl'er to sell you the land you 
had paid him to first show you. This way of 
doing business was very common on the part 
of a certain class. In one or two cases we paid 
an agent who sold us out, and then had the 
impudence to come and ofler to sell us the land 
we had paid him to show us. We often met 
men who had been sold in Iowa in the fall 
of 1854. It was very common for men who 
did not own a lot or an acre of land, to show 
buyers hundreds of lots or acres of land, and 
would offer the one or the other at prices that 
would pa}- them a large percentage, and if the 
purchasers would agree to take the lot or land, 
tiie deed was given by the owner. 

EARLY EVENTS. 

The records inform us that at the first gen- 
eral election after the organization of the 
county, Henry Miller, one of the saints (Mor- 
mons), was elected to the State Legislature of 
the State of Iowa. He attended the session of 
that honorable body, and discharged his duties 
like the other honorable members, and returned 
to his home with all the honors attached to the 
office. 

In 1852, another election came, and it was 



again made the duty of the people to choose a 
Representative. At this election Judge A. S. 
Brj-ant was the gentleman selected to crown 
with the honor, probably because of his Mor- 
mon affinities, for he informs us that the Mor- 
mans elected him on this occasion. He went 
to Iowa City and drew his pay as any other 
honorable member of the Legislature should do, 
and he tells us now that nothing of importance 
transpired during all the session of that term 
of this honorable body. While this illustrates 
the early daj-s and legislation of Iowa, the 
same can be said of other new States and Leg- 
islatures. Judge Brj'ant, in sa3ing nothing of 
importance transpired, is only honest enough 
to admit what our present legislators will not 
do, that much of the legislation is to establish 
political capital. Judge Bryant is still living, 
and is in his eightj'-first year, and goes forward 
with energy to accumulate a fortune, as he did 
in early times. Mr. and Mrs. Bryant have 
lived to see more j'ears together than were re- 
quired for the golden wedding, and they will 
leave this world crowned with an abundance of 
means, but without a direct descendent. All 
will say they were good citizens and saved 
their accumulations. 

In 1859, the official conduct of John H. 
Sherman, County Judge, excited discussion by 
the people and through the press. On Febru- 
ary 18th of this 3'ear, the Grand Jury presented 
Judge Sherman to the District Court, charged 
gross mismanagement of the fiscal affairs of 
the county; with illegally issuing county orders, 
and with issuing orders payable to himself, 
and that they found the books and papers of 
the office in a very deranged and disorderly 
condition, and asked that he should be sus- 
pended from office until a full and impartial 
investigation could be made. A summons 
was issued by the court, but Sherman refused 
to answer at this term, as he was entitled to 
ten days notice before the commencement of 
the term. The case went over to the August 



58 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



term. The people were dissatisfied witLi the 
delay, and called a meeting in Council Blufls, 
on February 26, at which a variety of reports 
were made, and resolutions adopted looking to 
an investigation of the County Judge's office. 
An investigation was made by a committee ap- 
.pointed bj- the people, and the report showed 
clearly that the charges against Mr. Sherman 
were sustained bj- his own books and papers, 
and in fact, most of the charges were admitted 
to be true ]>y himself During the brief period 
of nine months he had issued bonds for over 
833,000. The swamp land and school funds 
were found to be in a bad condition. In Au- 
gust, Judge Shermon was tried in the District 
Court, and found guilty of the charges pre- 
sented against him, and was removed from 
office. Upon the removal of Shei'man, the du- 
ties of the office fell upon C. P. Kellogg, Clerk 
of the District Court, who performed the duties 
until October, when Hon. J. P. Casady was 
elected to fill the vacanc3'. During Sherman's 
official actions countj- orders were sold as low 
as 35, 30 and even 25 cents on the dollar. The 
interest on the school and swamp land fund was 
not paid, and man3- of the securities for these 
loans were found to be worthless. Judge Cas- 
ady upon assuming the duties of the office, 
endeavored to introduce a more economical 
system in the management of the affairs of the 
county, but it was some years before things 
were righted and the count}- was restored to 
good credit. Mr. Casady discharged the duties 
of the office to the fullest satisfaction of the 
people. 

In the summer of 1S57, the following bank- 
ing firms existed in Council Bluffs: Messrs. 
Officer & Pusey; Messrs. Green, Weare & 
Benton; Messrs. Baldwin & Dodge; Messrs. S. 
H. Riddel & Co.; Messrs. J. JI. Palmer & Co. 
All of these banks, except the first named firm, 
dealt more or less extensively in Nebraska 
currenc}-, of which large quantities were in cir- 
culation in this communit}'. Col. Benton was 



President of the American Exchange Bank, of 
Omaha, and also of a similar institution in 
Bellevue, Nebraska. The failure of these 
banks, earl}' in the autumn, led to the closing of 
Mr. Benton's banking house in Council Bhiffs, 
on the 25th day of September, 1857, inflicting 
heavy losses upon a number of depositors. It 
is stated that Col. Benton made earnest and 
persistent efforts to meet Ids obligations, but 
many of his banking loans were nearly or 
quite worthless, and after surrendering all tliese 
to meet his liabilities, together with his home- 
stead, a large amount remained unpaid. His 
failure was the beginning of a financial distress 
along the whole Missouri slope. 

From this forward, mone}' became scarce in 
Nebraska and Western Iowa for some time. 
The Nebraska banks, one after another, went 
by the board, and their bills became worthless, 
and speculation was severely crippled. Town 
lots rapidly depreciated in value, and real estate 
dealers grew blue over their depressed busi- 
ness. Lots that sold in Council Bluffs in 1856 
and 1857 for from $3,000 to $4,000, at the end 
of four years, could scarcely' be sold for one- 
fourth these sums. Resident property in the 
financial crash of 1857, never depreciated as 
did the business portion, probably because of 
the scarcity of homes. 

The first exhibition of the Pottawattamie 
County Agricultural Society was held at Coun- 
cil Bluffs on October 13 and 14, 1858. The 
number of entries was large, and the display 
of stock and agricultural productions quite 
encouraging. Caleb Baldwin was chosen Pres- 
ident, and W. H. Kinsman, Seeretarj' of the so- 
ciety. Among the largest exhibitors and most 
active in promotmg its object were, L. W. 
Babbitt, D. B. Clark, William Garner, H. A. 
Terr}', J. E. Johnson, M. Turley and others^ 
Col. Babbitt's famous horse, Cherokee, received 
the first premium, which was $8. The ladies' 
tournament on the second day created a gi'eat 
deal of interest, and on this occasion two fine 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



59 



saddles were awarded to the best riders. The 
persons contesting for the saddles were: Mrs. 
Gough, Miss Josephine Biggs, Mrs. Wright, 
Miss Amy White, Mrs. Milton, Mrs. Robinson, 
and Miss Delia Jackson. It is stated that on 
all such occasions a dance followed, and on the 
evening of the second day a dance was held, 
and it was largely attended by the citizens. 
The enjoyment was complete, and the refresh- 
ments were discussed for da3"s after, as exceed- 
ing anything ever before presented at a public 
ball in the city of Council Bluffs. On October 
27, 1864, a county fair was held in the midst 
of a severe snow storm. The frost came earl^- 
this fall, and injured the crops extensivel3', and 
at the end of the year corn sold at $1 per 
bushel, oats SO cents, and wheat $1. Butter 
sold at 40 cents a pound, while hard wood went 
up to $10 a cord. At this time the poor peo- 
ple had great ditticultj' to provide for their fam- 
ilies, for wages did not advance proportionately 
with other things. 

In 1SG9, the farmers were generally well re- 
warded with excellent crops. Heav}- rains fell 
in the early part of the season, and ceased 
about the time for harvesting and securing the 
crops. The yield this season was perfectly 
astonishing, in fact, so much so as to cause 
many of the farmers to measure their grounds 
and then the productions, to get the average 
per acre. We here give the result of several 
farmers, in different localities, as follows: J. 
W. Anderson, of Silver Creek Township, re- 
ceived 1,500 bushels of wheat from sevent^'- 
five acres; R. H. Woodmancy. of Macedonia 
Township, 480 bushels on twenty acres; J. S. 
Goss, of Rockford Township, 450 bushels on 
thirty acres; Josiah True, of Knox Township, 
raised 6,500 bushels of corn on 130 acres; J. 
W. Story, of Center Township, grew 2,035 
bushels of corn on forty-five acres; and Jlr. 
Woodmancy, grew 1,052 bushels of corn on 
fifteen and one-half acres. The oats crop was 
placed on an average at about fifty bushels to 



the acre. The prices paid this year in Council 
Blufl's were, for wheat, from fifty to sixty cents; 
corn, fifty cents, and oats thirtj- cents, per 
bushel. 

In 1866, the Legislature of the State of Iowa 
decided upon the removal of the Deaf and 
Dumb Asj'lum from Iowa City, and a com- 
mittee was appointed by that bodj' to select a 
site for the new building. The committee 
visited various portions of the State to select 
the spot for the institution, and when the gen- 
tlemen composing the committee arrived in 
Council Blufl's, the citizens interested them- 
selves iu the matter, and showed the officials 
around, pointing out several locations, and of- 
fered the grounds to the State in the event that 
the buildings should be located in this county 
at a point that would be satisfactory to the cit- 
izens of this cit}'. The selection was made, 
and the people of Council Blufl's paid for the 
grounds. The Commissioners who were ap- 
pointed to decide upon the plan of the build- 
ing did so in the fall of 1868, and let the con- 
tract for erecting the structure to William R. 
Craig, of Nebraska City, for $121,500. The 
first Commissioners were Caleb Baldwin, 
Thomas Officer and E. Honn. Dr. Honn died 
in 1869, when G. M. Dodge was appointed to 
fill the vacancy in the Board of Commissioners. 
The plan decided upon was authorized by the 
Legislature, when the work on the main build- 
ing and one wing was begun. The foundation 
stones were laid in the fall of 1868, under the 
supervision of William Ward, who was the 
architect and Superintendent. In 1869, the 
building reached the second story. The con- 
tractor made his brick upon the ground pur- 
chased b}' our citizens for the building. The 
asylum is finely located on the edge of the 
Missouri Valle}', and about a quarter of a mile 
from the Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. A 
projecting blufl' hides a part of this city, and 
still the site commands an extensive view over 
the surrounding country. Musquito Creek 



60 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



crosses the north corner of the ninety acres 
upon which the asylum is located, and fur- 
nishes an abundant quantitj' of water. 

The main building is 200x65 feet, five stories 
high, with two wings. In Februarj-, 1877, the 
east wing was destroj-ed by fire, without injury 
to the inmates. Immediatel}' after the fire, the 
construction of the west wing was entered upon 
and soon completed. In August of this year, 
a severe wind storm unroofed and blew down 
the upper story of the west wing. This build- 
ing seemed fated, but the ruin was repaired as 
rapidly as possible, and by January, 1878, this 
wing was again ready for occupancy. The 
building is heated by steam, and liglited by 
gas manufactured in the institution. Hot and 
cold water baths are furnished to the pupils 
when required. The asylum grows most of the 
vegetables used by the inmates. The officers 
of the institution utilize the land and have a 
large garden eiiUivated. Following is a list of 
the officers of the institution : 

Super in tenden t — A . Rogers. 

Educational DejMrtmenf. — J. A. Kennedy, B. 
D., teacher; C. S. Zorbaugh, teacher; Edwin 
Southwick, teacher; F. W. Booth, B. S., teacher; 
C. Sprint, teacher; Miss Helen E. White, teacher; 
Miss Cora Van Dorin. teacher; Miss Virginia 
Cowden, teacher; Miss Jennie C.Cramer, teacher; 
Miss Alice Christie, teacher; Miss Mary Gallup, 
teacher; Miss Jean Van Tassell, articulation 
teacher; Miss Florence Clement, art teacher. 

Instructors in Industries. — Moses Folsom, 
printing; W. W. Winter, carpentering; George 
W. Kamsey, shoe - making ; D. Rickabaugh, 
broom-making. 

Dvmcstic Department. — Mrs. Retta Harle, ma- 
tron; Mrs. M. J. Erwin, girls' supervisor; Mrs. 
Rosetta Fuller, boj's' supervisor. 

C. A. Weinstrand, clerk; Peter West, steward; 
W. S. Wilkins, engineer. 

The grasshoppers first made their appearance 
in vast numbers in 1867, and did a very con- 
siderable damage to gardens, and in many in- 



stances ruined fields of grain. They caused 
considerable alarm among the people of the 
Missouri slope. Frequently these insects would 
collect in heaps like bees in a hive, and it was 
feared they would continue with us and destro}' 
the crops of the country, but such was not the 
case. They left for a few years and then re- 
turned to do more damage than on their first 
visit, and again departed, since which time this 
country has been free from all their ravages. 
No fears of grasshoppers have crossed the 
minds of this people for several years, and the 
crops have grown without interference from in- 
sects. To see the grasshoppers go through a 
field of grain and lay it low was cause for the 
people to become alarmed. 

It is stated in the Annals of Iowa that, in the 
earlj' part of Januar}-, 1872, the first public 
meeting to promote the division of the county' 
of Pottawattamie was held at Bird's school- 
house, in James Township. J. A. T. Bates 
was Chairman, and J.B. Harrod and David Hunt, 
Secretaries. Addresses were delivered by A. M. 
Battelle, J. C. Layton, C. V. Gardner, J. L. Pet- 
ler and Josiah True. Strong resolutions were 
passed in favor of the division, and a memorial 
was sent to the Legislature in favor of the meas- 
ure. It was proposed that the new count}' 
should comprise a strip of land eighteen miles 
in width, from east to west, taken from the 
eastern part of Pottawattamie County, and to 
contain in length, from north to south, twelve 
government townships, or twenty-four miles. 
A bill for the erection of the new county, to be 
called Belknap, was introduced in the General 
Assembly of Iowa in 1872, but it was defeated. 
In 1874, a bill was enacted by the Legislature 
to submit the question of division to the whole 
of the county at an election to be held for the 
purpose in October of the same year. The vote 
was taken, and the measure defeated. But even 
now many persons in the eastern portion of the 
county, with a few interested parties in the 
county seat, are anxious to have the division 



HISTORY 0¥ POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



61 



take place, and they will continue to labor to 
this end, with a hope that, at no distant daj% the 
work will result in the establishment of a new 
count}-, with Avoea as the couutj- seat. 

We frequently forget the severity of early 
seasons when in the midst of a terrific storm, 
but those who lived in Iowa in the winter of 
1856-57 cannot forget what had to be endured 
then. Mails were shut out, stage drivers lost 
their way, and in several cases were frozen to 
death or lost some limbs. One driver between 
Council Bluffs and Boone got caught in a snow 
storm, and became so be wildered that he drove 
around in a small circle all night; and when 
found in the morning and taken to a house he 
was so frozen as to make it necessary to ampu- 
tate one or both feet. He said he was confident 
of getting into the road every moment, and 
never dreamed of going over the same ground 
the entire night. Snow in manj^ places was 
drifted higher than the stage coach, and the 
mails had to be transferred in many cases from 
the coach to horseback, and in some cases were 
delivered on foot by strong men. The severity 
of the wind storms during this season was ex- 
treme, and caused more damage to farmers and 
stock-growers than can be told at the present 
time. In fact, the severity of this season drove 
many people from Iowa, and a few of these 
never returned. But after all, Iowa was not 
the only section visited by these storms in this 
winter, for the whole northern country suffered 
more or less from heavy snow and wind storms. 
We only mention these circumstances at this 
time to remove all idea that the storms of to- 
day are so much severer than in past times. 

In 1854, the whole number of votes cast in 
the county of Pottawattamie for Governor was 
422, Curtis Bates, Democrat, receiving 215, and 
James S. Grimes, Whig, 207 votes. The vote 
for Congress stood : Hall, Democrat, 268, and 
Clark, Whig, 140. At this election, James I). 
Test was elected to the State Senate and John 
T. Baldwin and Daniel S. Jackson to the House 



of Representatives of the State of Iowa. Test 
and Jackson, long since dead, were at one time 
very active, energetic men of this count}', and 
did much to aid in the earl}- prosperity of it. 

The following persons were elected this 
year as county officers : W. D. Turner, Treas- 
urer and Recorder; Edward Cutler, Sheriff; 
Thomas Tostevin, County Surveyor, and S. M. 
Smith, School Fund Commissioner. 

We are informed that Samuel Wood, of Union- 
burg, Harrison County, was one of the first set- 
tlers in Pottawattamie Count}-, and assisted in 
erecting the first block house in Council Bluffs 
for a fort. Mr. Wood married here, and has 
quite a family, some of the daughters being 
married, and also have families, who are still 
living in this county. This gentleman has ac- 
cumulated considerable property, and we un- 
derstand is a prosperous farmer in Harrison 
County, and also owns land in this county. He 
has seen many changes in this section since his 
location here. Mr. Wood is satisfied with the 
country, and, it is presumable, would not con- 
sent to exchange for an}- other section. 

In 1847, Dustin Amy and his wife, Leo- 
nora Amy, arrived here from Orange County, 
Vermont. Their daughter, Mrs. Haynes, was 
the first white child born in this section. She 
was born at Florence, Nebraska, on August 24, 
1847. She is now living with her husband, 
George A. Haynes, a prominent citizen of 
Maysville, Colorado. Dustin Amy identified 
himself with the Mormons, and followed them 
to Salt Lake, but in after years returned to his 
home and died here, having abandoned the 
Mormon faith, finding that this religion was 
not all that fancy painted it. During liis ab- 
sence, Mrs. Amy and family were left to battle 
life as best they could. She is now well advanced 
in years, but still retains a wonderfully clear 
mind, and relates early incidents with accuracj', 

Marshall Turley, who came to this county in 
1853, began soon after his arrival to predict 
many sublime things for this section of Iowa, 



63 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



and he has lived to see man}- of his supposed 
fancy ideas now a realitj-. The raih-oad bridge 
spans the Missouri, and is a great continental 
hifhwaj' from the extreme East to the far West. 
Pottawattamie Count}- has improved even be- 
j-ond the old philosopher's predictions, and 
abounds in more wealth than even his extrava- 
gant notions could foretell. Mr. Turley was a 
great advocate of free schools and education, 
though limited in education himself He was 
also an inventor of some note, as the Washing- 
ton City patent office records will show. 

Judge S. R. Clinton, who was one of the ablest 
lawyers in Iowa, has long been a worthy and 
respected citizen of Council Blufls, Pottawat- 
tamie County. He has done much to advance 
the interest of both the city and county, and 
we are sorry to learn that his health has so far 
failed him as to compel him to retire from his 
chosen profession. But few lawyers vrere bet- 
ter appreciated than Mr. Clinton. He was hon- 
orable, and would never advise a person to go 
to law unless he believed the case was a just 
one, and litigation was absolutely' necessar}-. 
To-day he has the respect of every citizen who 
knows him. Mr. Clinton is one of the oldest 
citizens, who merits the respect of old and new 
settlers, for he worked alike for all. 

Hon. J. P. Casady has been in the State Sen- 
ate from Pottawattamie and Mills Counties ; 
has filled manj- important positions in the first- 
named county, and alwaj'S served the people 
with honor to himself and credit to them. His 
record will bear the severest criticism or the 
strictest investigation. 

Judge W. C. James has filled the positions 
of County Judge, Mayor of Council Bluffs and 
other important offices with a greal deal of credit 
to himself and those who put him there. 

Bon. D. C. Bloomer has been Receiver of the 
United States Land Oflflee, Maj-or of Council 
Bluffs, Chairman of the School Board, etc., and 
he is accredited with having filled every posi- 
tion to the satisfaction of the people, an honor 



that is highly complimentary to this gentle- 
man. 

R. L. Douglass was chosen County Judge, 
and served with distinguished ability. He also 
filled several other important positions with 
honor. 

A. V. Larimer was elected Representative in 
1856; had filled the office of County Judge, 
and served in other offices of public trust with 
abilit}-, and discharged every position held by 
him with credit to himself 

L. W. Babbitt was elected to the Legislature 
from this county in 1867; was in the United 
States Laud Office and filled many important 
places of public trust, and in every position he 
discharged his duties well and honorabl}-. 

C. E. Stone has filled the office of Mayor of 
Council Blufls, Justice of the Peace, Assessor, 
etc., and in each position he discharged his du- 
ties satisfactorily and honorably. 

Messrs. Officer & Pusey, the oldest and^ most 
prominent bankers in Council Bluffs, have been 
in public positions, aud on all occasions dis- 
charged their duties with fidelity to the people 
and credit to themselves. Thej- have the ut- 
most confidence of the public at the present 
time, and are looked upon as fair dealers and 
verv competent bankers. Thej- have alwajs con- 
trolled a very large share of the public busi- 
ness of this section of Iowa, as well as some of 
the banking interests of eastern Nebraska. 
These gentlemen located in this county at an 
early day, and became identified with all the 
interests of Council Blufls and this country, of 
which they are respected citizens. 

Gen. G. M. Dodge, was at an early day con- 
nected with a railroad survej- from the eastern 
boundary of Iowa to the Missouri River on the 
west. In after years, he became the Republi- 
can nominee for Congress, and was elected. He 
was on all occasions a great friend of the Union 
Pacific Compan\-, and did much work for it. 

Col. W. F. Sapp, a lawyer of ability, and 
resident of this countv, was the nominee of 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



65 



the Kepublican party for Congress in the Fifth 
Iowa district, and was elected. He constantly 
advocated every measure calculated to do any 
good for Council Bluffs and Western Iowa. 
This gentleman is now at the iiead of one of 
the leading law firms in the Bluffs, and stands 
high in the legal profession. He has been a 
member of the bar in this county for many 
j'ears. 

Judge C. Baldwin, now deceased, was a verj' 
prominent lawyer of Pottawattamie County in 
earl}' times, and made a fine record as a Judge. 
He held many honorable public positions, and 
discharged his duties faithfully and well, and 
has left a record of which his farailj- and rela- 
tives can be proud. Judge Baldwin was a ris- 
ing politician, and no doubt, had he lived, he 
would have Ijeen a leading man in the Kepubli- 
can party of this State. Even tlie opponents 
of this gentleman had great respect for him as 
a gentleman and a person of more than ordi- 
nary ability. He was a gentleman of strong 
attachments for his personal friends, and won 
a like feeling from his associates. 

John Dohany, one of the earlj- settlers in 
this county, and for many years in the livery 
business, has always been enterprising. Years 
ago he ei'ected an opera house over his livery, 
that for the time was quite creditable, but its 
day having passed, he is now engaged in build- 
ing a large opera house on Broadway. This 
building will cost §65,000 or §75,000, and will 
contain all of the late improvements and con- 
veniences, showing that Mr. Dohanj' retains 
much of his earlier spirit and energ}-. Such 
men are the life of every new country, and 
soon cause it to bloom. 

In 1856, D. W. Price, of this county, was 
elected to the Constitutional Convention over 
D. E. Brainard, of Harrison County-. Mr. 
Price made a vei'y efficient member of the con- 
vention, and did credit to this section of the 
State. 

F. L. Palmer has filled the office of JIavor 



of the city and several other public offices, 
and it is said of him, he discharged his duties 
faithfully, and is entitled to the respect of those 
he served so well. 

In 1873, Col. D. B. Dailj- was appointed, 
and ably discharged the duties of Prosecuting 
Attornej-. In this year. Judge Douglass retired 
from the bench. 

F. A. Burke has filled many of the city and 
township offices with the strictest fidelity to 
the people, and he is at present City Recorder 
and Police Magistrate. Mr. Burke is also one 
of the early settlers in this count}-. 

In all new countries, the changes that take 
place in twentj' or thirty years are numerous, 
and as varied as numerous, but in this latter 
particular Pottawattamie Count\-, Iowa, has 
been a remarkable country. First inhabited 
by Indians; then came the French and Indian 
mixed, the American Fur Companj-, soldiei's 
and missionaries, and again we find the Mor- 
mons, and soon after them arrive all manner 
of speculators — gamblers and men of every 
calling and persuasiou. This city and county 
being on the great highway to the gold mines 
of California, Colorado and Montana, and the 
city a central starting point, accounts for the 
admixture to be found here in early times. 
Considering all the circumstances connected 
with the settlement of this section of the coun- 
try, Pottawattamie County has made wonderful 
progress, and ranks high as a county of beauty, 
good soil, fine improvements, culture and good 
schools. It is doubtful if any other countj- in 
ten States has passed through as many changes 
as has this, and it still stands upon the road to 
a greater and grander future. We do not won- 
der that the people here take pride in being 
numbered among the early settlers. They recite 
their interesting stories with as much earnest- 
ness as the historian ever recorded any event. 
JMany of these recitations are full of humor and 
peculiar events. In earl}' times the ring poli- 
tician reigned as he does now; the trickster had 



66 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



I 



his place, the good and bad were found scat- 
tered around promiscuouslj', and it was very 
hard to tell who had most faith in his calling, 
for every one pursued his avocation with an 
earnestness and energy that led the lookers on 
to suppose that the performer was honest in his 
convictions, or else whj- should he endeavor to 
accomplish his work with such effort ? But it 
is said " the devil is never idle," and it appeared 
as if the men who were making their living by 
fraud were ever on the alert. As an evidence 
of this fact, we will recite a case. It is said 
that a notorious character, named Philip Mc- 
Guire, who had been doing all manner of evil 
things, was found suspended from a tree on 
cemetery hill dead, and a card was attached to 
the bodj', on which were inscribed these words: 
"Hung for all kinds of rascality." 

Lj'uch law in the earlj' days on the slope, 
when prisons were worthless, seemed to be a 
necessity, for the villains were constantly at 
work and had to be checked. No other law was 
feared by desperate characters. 

As late as 1860, three colored people, one a 
a woman, were kidnaped in the southwestern 
part of Pottawattamie County, and rushed into 
Missouri. As soon as this kidnaping was 
heard of, Sheriff Craig and City Marshal Smith 
followed the villains who were engaged in the 
crime, and recovered John Williams and brought 
him home. Not long after the return of Will- 
iams the other two were found in Missouri, and 
also returned home. It was ascertained that 
these persons were stolen by three desperadoes, 
who were captured, but broke jail and made 
their escape. At an earlier period a different 
result would have followed, for as soon as an 
arrest for such a crime had taken place, hang- 
ing would have followed, and no escape could 
set the villains free. 

Coming down along the line of events from 
the early days of Iowa, we arrive up to the 
present time, 1882, and on the 27th day of 
June, this year, we find the people wonderfully 



excited at an election. Even the womeu have 
determined to make a bold stand, and in Coun- 
cil Bluffs and at other polls in the county, 
some of them stand at the places of voting and 
pass tickets to the men, asking them in the 
" names of their families, their homes and 
their God," to place them in the ballot boxes. 
The election was called to take a ballot of the 
legal voters of Iowa, to decide upon an amend- 
ment to be placed in the constitution of Iowa, 
" to prohibit the manufacture and sale of all 
liquors, wine and beer in said State." This 
question has always been one that was preg- 
nant with strong friends and bitter enemies, 
and as the day for the contest drew near the 
bitterness increased. The beer and liquor men 
arrayed themselves on one side and the prohi- 
bitionists on the other side, and at an early 
hour bands were sent out upon the streets of 
Council Bluffs, in wagons, playing fine music. 
These bands were employed by the liquor men, 
and on the sides of the wagons, painted on can- 
vas, were these mottos : " Down fanaticism ; 
Give us liberty ;" " Let every man drink what 
he pleases ;" " Vote against prohibition ;" 
" Vote against the destruction of $3,000,000 of 
property," etc. On one carriage was a sign 
which read : " Vote for prohibition. Vote to 
protect your homes and your families. Vote 
for God and j'our countrj-." 

This was an uuusuallj- heated contest 
throughout the State of Iowa, and a large 
amount of money was expended to defeat the 
proposition, but all opposition was in vain, and 
the amendment to the constitution was carried 
by a large majoritj-. During the time the re- 
turns were arriving in Des Moines, an exciting 
temperance meeting was held, the temperance 
committee sent word out over the country that 
the majority for the amendment would be from 
fort}' to sixty thousand ; but in this they were 
mistaken, for the majority is 29,757. In this 
count}' the majority against the amendment 
was 892. In most of the large towns and cities 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



67 



the vote was largely against the amendment, 
but the vote in the rural districts was verj' 
strong in behalf of prohibition, and now the 
amendment becomes a part of the constitution 
of Iowa. 

It is frequenth" predicted b}' the one side, 
that this amendment will be destructive of the 
best interests of the State ; that it will drive 
out capital ; that it will ruin many well-to-do 
citizens ; that it will not stop the sale and use 
of liquor, and some even contend that the sale 
and use of liquor will be increased. 

But we now turn to the advocates of the 
amendment, and they urge, "It will destroj- 
drunkenness; it will restore peace, happiness 
and health to families; it will enrich the State; 
it will prevent the manufacture, sale and use of 
liquors, wine and beer; it will spread knowl- 
edge and prosperitj- all over Iowa." It is very 
doubtful if either side will see the extremes 
predicted in consequence of the adoption of 
this amendment. Time and a trial of the law 
must determine what will be its fruits. Those 
who maj' live in the future will be eij^bled to 
tell of the results of the amendment, be they 
good or evil. 

The evidence is rapidlv increasing to con- 
vince the world of the exceeding rich rewards 
that are in store for Council Bluffs and Potta- 
wattamie County. Go where j'ou will, in city 
or country, and 3-ou will find on every hand 
sings of progress and prosperity. In the city 
you will see massive brick buildings rising, four 
or five stories high; the water- works are being 
completed; extensive elevators are going up, 
while packing-houses are being erected, mills 
improved, and all manner of manufacturing 
and business of ever\' description are increas- 
ing. Then go with us to the country, and you 
will behold improvements that would do credit 
to the oldest settlement in the east — farmers are 
growing finer stock, planting orchards, and 
their new houses and barns will compare 
favorably with those in the city. 



la passing over the county we find some of 
the verj' nicest railroad stations, where mer- 
chants buy vast amounts of grain and large 
numbers of cattle, hogs and sheep for the 
Eastern markets. It is difficult to tell whether 
the country or citj' is making the greater prog- 
ress, but one thing is certain, both bespeak a 
great and wonderful future for this section. 
There can be no mistaking the facts, and these 
go far to stimulate all on to action and to pros- 
perity. 

The old settlers begin to look about, and ex- 
press surprise at what they behold, while a few 
of this class begin to show signs of discontent 
at the crowded condition of things. One 
farmer and stock-grower expressed himself as 
very much dissatisfied at the numerous settlers 
in his section. Said he, " I only have 320 
acres of land, and before the speculators sold, 
I had thousands of acres, and I wish I had not 
a neighbor within five or ten miles, so I could 
have plent}' of range for my stock." Such men 
never do much for any country, and are really 
no benefit to any community, and when death 
overtakes them it is a general blessing to all. 
Too many worship money not for what it will 
get, but for the sake of having it. If God ever 
intended this portion of creation for anj- good 
purpose it is doubtful, for they would not do 
anything to improve a country or invite a 
settler. The day for such is rapidly passing 
away, and he who would prosper and become 
respected, must be up and doing — -must be- 
come civilized, and not act the part of the 
Indian. 

This country will sustain a large population, 
and it will be thickly inhabited, and he who 
docs not want neighbors must remove to some 
other frontier countr3'. This section, with its 
richness and beaut}', was created for the use of 
men, and nothing will stop its settlement. The 
human family will search out and locate upon 
productive lands where they can live well and 
grow rich, and this they can do here, so the 



68 



HISTORY or POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



droue who only lives to count over his dollars 
must seek some new spot upon the face of the 
earth if he would have anj- peace. This county 
has liad man}' drones — men who onlj- made 
monej- for the sake of having it, but time and 
enterprising people are rapidlj- pushing these 
people to the wall, and like the Indian, they 
will be without a home. 

The people of this country need have no fears 
in relation to the growth and advance to be 
made here, but at the same time they can do 
much to hasten the work of placing this city 
and count}' in the verv foremost rank, not only 
in Iowa, but in the nation. It is not necessary 
to here go into anj- extended argument, or to 
refer to the numerous advantages enjoyed by 
this section, to prove that our statements are 
true, for the facts must be apparent to everj' 
reflecting, intelligent mind. With a navigable 
river, innumerable railroads, and more making, 
a soil that is unsurpassed, no one can tell what 
wealth, growth aud prosperity await Pottawat- 
tamie County and the people who settle here 
in the nest ten years. It is almost idle to even 
hope to approximate what may reasonabl}' 
be looked for in the period mentioned, for, in 
the writer's opinion, much greater advance will 
be made than is anticipated b}' the most ex- 
travagant well-wisher or proguosticator. Time 
alone can tell what the future of this coun'ry 
will be. But the promise is plain, if location, 
good soil and facilities can produce a rich har- 
vest and great results, no speculation need to 
be entered into, but the people should go right 
forward in good earnest, and, as certainly as 
time will elapse, the fruit will ripen and the re- 
ward become perfectly satisfactory. Tliis is no 
speculation, but a reality that a few years will 
prove, and then those who shall have remained 



steadfast will rejoice in their gains, while those 
who may be looking for more speedy fortunes 
may regret their changes. If the young men 
who read this history will ponder over these 
facts, he will be posted as to the best course to 
pursue in the future. It is useless to go about 
guessing and speculating upon results, for what 
has been in the past will occur in the future. 
Select a central location in any new country 
aud remain on it for a few years, and the return 
will be ample and satisfactor}'. In looking 
over the histories of the past we cannot find an 
exception to the rule here given. It is as true 
as stated, " history repeats itself," and as cer- 
tainly as fine locations in the East became for- 
tunes to the early settlers, so will the locations 
in this western country become fortunes to the 
early settlers who hold them for a few 3 ears. 
The advantages here are far superior to those 
possessed by many of the eastern settlements, 
and the gains must be proportionately that 
much better. If the young men will read what 
is here stated to any purpose they can and will 
avoid many of the difficulties of those who 
have gone before them, and reap the rewards 
of those who have been successful. It is only 
by looking at the past that we can tell how to 
act in the future, and prepare ourselves for the 
ups and downs of life. In the language of the 
poet, we can sing : 

" Pleiades of nation's liberty and men, 

What a bright and glorious heritage is yours; 
What matchless symmetry. Here stalwart men 
May feed and fatten, still the soil endm'es. 

"Your mighty waters, mellow, sweet and pure, 
From veins and arteries profuseh' pour'd 
Throughout the laud, unconscious shall allure 
A multitude immense to come and hoard 
The wealth exhaustless iu thv bosom stored." 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



69 



CHAPTER VITI.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— ITS FIRST ERA— THE SITE FIFTY YEARS AGO— AMERICAN FUR COMPANY AND 
TRAPPERS— LA SALLE'S EXPLORATION— SACS AND FOXES AND SIOUX BANDS— SALE 
OF LOUISIANA— TREATY OF ST. ILDEFONSO— LEWIS AND CLARK'S EX- 
PLORATIONS—DISCOVERY OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER. 



''T^HE origin and growth of any important 
^ town, city or center of industry, or in- 
fluence, is always of intense interest, not only 
to those who have participated in the devel- 
opment, but to those who may come after, to 
share in the work of their predecessors. 
This is particularly the case with reference to 
Council Bluffs. In this utilitarian age, when 
romance has been eliminated, to a great ex- 
tent, fron social and industrial life, cities 
are founded for commercial reasons, and 
their location fixed upon through that influ- 
ence alone. That is not the case, however, 
to the fullest extent, with reference to Coun- 
cil Bluffs. Its develoj^ment in its later 
history, of course, is owing to commercial in- 
terests, but its foundation is as much of an 
epic as that of ancient Rome, though not in- 
volved in the same obscurity or dependent 
upon mere myths for the source of its annals. 
No fair comprehension can be had of the 
city in its present condition, and its existing 
stage of gro'wth, without a broad view of 
what has preceded the present, and even of 
the situation before a single white inhabitant 
set foot upon the soil now devoted to civiliz- 
ing pui-poses. Fifty years ago. the site was 
unoccupied for any j)iu-pose, and far off to 
the Pacific Ocean was an expanse of plain, a 
barrier of mountain and a wilderness of tim- 
ber. Eastward almost to the Mississippi, 

*ny Col. John H. Keatley. 



there was a stretch of rolling prairie, broken 
here and there by patches of timber, and 
traversed by streams, but no inhabitants, ex- 
cept nomads, and no trails but those of Indian 
hunting parties, or of the trappers and trad- 
ers of the American Fur Company. An old 
French map before the wi-iter at this moment, 
giving the outline of the territory traversed 
by Marquette, Hennepin and LaSalle, in 
1680, gives some idea of how the country 
bordering on the Missoui'i River appeared, in 
outline, to those explorers. 

LaSalle graphically describes a winter on 
the great river which now flows on the bor- 
ders of Council Bluffs. What he and his 
companions endured to reach this point is a 
dark and wierd romance, and more thrillino' 
than any imagined drama. It was a gloomy 
and lonely scene; the river gliding dark and 
cold between its banks of clay, rushes and 
overhanging cotton woods; the empty and 
abandoned Indian lodges, covered with crusted 
snow; the vast white meadows on either side; 
the cliffs and bluffs, beai-ded with shining 
icicles, or rolling in gray masses for hun- 
dreds of miles northward and southward tree- 
less and abrupt. Yet there was some life 
even in this savage landscape. They saw 
buffalo wading in the snow; they discovered 
tracks of moccasins, denoting human existence 
not far away. True to that social impulse 
which seeks even savage society, they cut 



70 



HISTOKY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



rushes and ridges, piled tbom on the bluffs 
and fired them, in the hope of attracting the 
attention of Indians, hostile or friendly, they 
cared not which^ Not only in winter did 
these French explorers, thousands of miles 
from civilization, experience the vastness and 
the grandeur of the solitude which they trav- 
ersed, but they witnessed the glories even of 
it-i matchless summer time. There is a vast 
lapse between when they first looked upon 
the turgid waters of the Missouri rolling 
away in solitude to the ocean, and the next 
advent of the white man. 

It is difficult to determine, in the absence 
of anything but tradition, the boundary lines 
of the claims of the various Indian tribes 
who exercised savage jurisdiction over the 
soil of Iowa, and especially over the western 
portion of the State. The Sacs and Foxes, a 
confederate tribe, occupied and assumed to 
control both banks of the Mississippi Eiver, 
in that part of Iowa which constitutes the 
eastern boundary. The Sioux, or Dakotas, 
roamed as far east as that river, raided the 
territory bordering the Missoui'i in Iowa, 
and claimed to be lawful masters of the 
country surrounding Council Bhififs. Their 
title to the country on both sides of the river 
was disputed by force by the Grand Pawnees, 
the Pawnee Loups, the Eepublican Pawnees, 
the Otoes and the Omahas, These bands 
were confederated, and, about 1836, had for 
their principal chief Addurrison, a descend- 
ant of the ancient Mohawks, of New York. 

The connecting link between these tribes 
and bands and civilization in the States, was 
the American Fur Company, whose agents 
roamed to the head- waters of the Missouri in 
search of pelts, carrying with them for barter 
such stores and supplies as were suitable 
alone to Indian traffic. 

At the close of the last century the soil of 
Council Bluffs was Spanish territory, and em- 



braced within Louisiana Province. In 1797, 
Miranda, a Spanish American adventurer, in 
conjunction with Lucre, Salas and Duperon, 
concocted a plan or convention, in Paris, for 
the purpose of freeing the Spanish American 
colonies and creating from them independent 
republics, by securing the aid of an English 
fleet, and military forces from the United 
States, the latter to be indemnified by the 
possession of Florida and Louisiana. This 
plot was shared by Aaron Barr and the ill- 
fated Gen, Wilkinson, both distinguished 
offi'iers of the Revolutionary army, but, by 
due vigilance of the United States, the scheme 
was rendered abortive. Thomas Jefferson 
was justly credited as the leader of that great 
mass of the people who regarded the powers 
of the Federal Government as limited by the 
express terms of the constitution, but when 
he became President, through the election of 
1800, he at once recognized the overshadow- 
ing necessity of acquiring that vast area of 
territory which extended from the Gulf of 
Mexico to the British Possessions, and which 
controlled the mouths of the Mississippi River. 
A glance at the situation will enable one to 
comprehend the importance of the acqui- 
sition. By a private article in the treaty of 
St. Ildefonso, dated the 18th of October, 
1800, Spain receded to France the territory 
of Louisiana. This embraced the regfion 
north of Florida, west of the Mississippi and 
east of the Rocky Mountains, and a line 
drawn through the Sabine, the Red and the 
Arkansas Rivers. Napoleon Bonaparte was 
then first Consul of France. Jefferson was 
President and Edward Livingston the Ameri- 
can Minister to the French Republic. The 
latter was at peace with England, but Bona- 
parte apprehended a rupture that soon came. 
He felt confident that England's supremacy 
at sea would endanger the colonial posses- 
sions of France, and immediately proposed 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



71 



to sell all this vast territory to the United 
States for 100,000,0U0 of francs or about 
$20,000,000. The proposal was astounding, 
not so much on account of the price, as from 
the fact that France should be willing to part 
with such a vast empire in the new world, 
on any terms, short of having it wrested fiom 
her, by conquest. Marbois, the French ne- 
gotiator, was instructed to take 50,000,000 
francs, if he could get no more. Livingston 
held to his instriictions and refused to yield, 
and the bargaining ended by France accept- 
ing 50,000,000 francs, and an agreement on 
the part of the United States to pay a fur- 
ther indemnity to her, not to exceed 20,000,- 
000, for the spoliation of French commerce, 
by American vessels, during a quasi state of 
war between the two countries a few years 
before. As this indemnity has never yet 
been paid by the United States, the vast area 
of country, including that occupied by Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was acquired at a cost of §10,000,- 
000 only, afew million dollars over and above 
the present assessed value of the real estate 
in that city alone, eighty-two years after the 
negotiation for its transfer ended. Jefferson 
himself conceded that there was no express 
warrant in the constitution for this purchase, 
but, like many other events in our history, 
facts and development, and bhe necessity of 
development, were more potent than constitu- 
tional limitations. 

Having acquired Louisiana territory in the 
manner just stated, President Jefferson com- 
missioned two oificers of the army, Merri- 
wether Lewis and William Clarke, to make 
an exploration of the Missouri Kiver coun- 
try, and to cross the Rocky Mountain range 
and descend to the Paciiic Ocean. Steam- 
boats had just been invented, but their utili- 
ty was not fully demonstrated, and, in 1804, 
Lewis and Clarke set out to navigate the 
Missoui-i Eiver, for more than 2.G00 miles. 



in canoes. Having accomplished this arduous 
task, when reaching the head-waters of that 
great stream, and having passed through the 
country of tribes who had never seen the face 
of a white Inan before, they abandoned their 
flotilla, and, mounted on Indian ponies, 
which they captured wild, resumed their 
journey, descending the western slope of the 
continent to the Pacific Ocean, to the mouth 
of the Columbia Eiver. This stream had 
been discovered in 1792 by a seaman, Capt. 
Robert Gray, of Salem, Mass., when on a 
whaling voyage. 

The American Fur Company, of which the 
celebrated John Jacob Astor was one of the 
mainstays, soon began to develop on the ter- 
ritory acquired from France. Steamboats 
came into use on the Ohio River in 1812, and 
shortly afterward they were employed in 
navigating the Missouri in the interests of 
the fur company. The origin of this move 
ment is definitely traced to Ramsay Crooks, 
of New York, and Russell Farnum, of Mas- 
sachusetts, who had Leen in the employment 
of John Jacob Astor, in the foundation of 
Astoria, in the then inchoate territorj' of 
Oregon, and who, in the winter of 1820-21, 
sought the action of Congress for an authori- 
zation to occupy the coiintry for fur trade 
purposes. In Thomas H. Benton they 
found an able advocate in the Senate, from 
Missouri, just made one of the States of the 
Union. The proposition passed into legisla- 
tion, in the shape of a law to regulate inter- 
course with the Indian tribes of the country 
on the Missouri River and beyond that. This 
gave to the American Fur Company a status, 
and they proceeded at once on a large scale 
to develop their great interests. 

St Louis was then a mere French village. 
All beyond that, to the head-waters of the 
Yellowstone, was a dismal, desolate waste. 
The fur company found the French voyageur 



72 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



the most useful agent in the Indian country, 
and the men who undertook their most diffi- 
cult enterprises were the descendants of the 
early French pioneers of the Mississippi Val- 
ley. Many who started from S^ Louis to 
traffic with the Indian tribes within the boun- 
daries of Western Iowa and Nebraska are 



lost to sight, but a few are still left to look 
with admiration upon the wonderful changes 
worked in the new country in the past fifty 
years. Clermont Lambert. Benjamin Potra, 
Leonard Benoit, Francois La Talipe, Francis 
Badeau and Augusta Janisse have not been 
entirely forgotten. 



CHAPTER IX. 



COUNCIL BLUFFS — TKE MISSOURI VALLEY— FRANK GUITTAR — THE PAWNEES, OTOES AND 
OMAHAS — WILLIAM MENARY, THE CANADIAN— THE POTTAW.ATTAMIE — IOWA IN- 
DIAN RAIDS-FIGHT .\T OTTER RIVER— COL. HARDIN AS INDIAN AGENT. 



TT^ROM one who still survives the events of 
-L those days, the writer has caught an idea 
of the appearance then of the site of Council 
Bluffs. Placing one's self on one of the loft- 
iest of its bare peaks, and looking westward, 
one's eye catches one of the grandest sights 
ever beheld by man. In a clear day, the 
vision was not limited for thirty miles to the 
north, nor for the same distance to the south. 
Everywhere it rested on the flanks of undu- 
lating lines of bluffs, almost bare of all else 
than grass. Here and there, patches of tim- 
ber, in green bunches, ran from the valley 
upward to the crest, marking the outlines of 
lateral gorges and canons, and out in front 
lay a plain in places twelve or fifteen miles 
wide, as level as a floor, covered with green, 
luximous grass, dotted with sparkling lakes 
and traversed by the great Missouri, whose 
meandering was in huge, bright coils to the 
south. Beyond this were the blue hills of 
Nebraska which came timber-covered in many 
places to the liver bank. All was as solitary 
and still as death, and one turned nervously 
at the crackling of a twig under the feet, so 

DO ' 

desolate and so silent was everything. Not 
even the friendly smoke of an Indian wig- 

*B.v Col. Jcbn H. Keatley. 



warn was in sight when Frank Guittar, a 
French voyageur, first set foot on the soil of 
Council Bluffs, and gazed for the first time, in 
1826, over the broad expanse of the valley at 
this point and at his feet. 

At the period of this writing, Mr. Guittar 
is still living, at the age of seventy-two, a 
bale, hearty, prosperous citizen of Council 
Bluffs. In years to come, the inquirer may 
desire to know the appearance of the man 
who has thus survived all the ordinary, and 
a good many of the extraordinary, incidents 
of life. Even with all the vicissitudes of his 
early career of hardship on the frontier, he 
is still a man of great physical endurance. 
He is also an interesting study. He is of 
medium height and of a fleshy, full-rounded 
frame. His complexion is swarthy, and his 
hair, notwithstanding his age, coal black. 
His movements are still quick and nervous, 
and his accent strongly French. From the 
very beginning of his career araong the In- 
dians of the Missouri Valley, and as far west 
as the Rocky Mountains, he acquired their 
utmost confidence and respect. When he 
left St. Louis, in 1826, to make this, a lone- 
ly frontier, his home, not a white man had a 
cabin on the river between St. Louis and 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUKTY. 



73 



Council Bluffs except Eoberdeau, another 
Frenchman who had a trading-post on the 
river where St. Joseph, Mo., now is. Mr. 
Guittar did not come into the country for the 
purposes of settlement, but to engage in the 
fm* trade for his employers. This occupa- 
tion made him a nomad in fact, and for many 
years he dealt with the Pawnees, Omahas 
and Otoes, moving about and living with 
them in their wanderings over the great jalains 
as far west as the Rocky Mountains. In all 
their conflicts with the Sioux, he was their 
counselor and adviser. He espoused their 
cause, and in their battles on the plains was 
a trusted military leader. 

In one instance, when with the Pawnees, 
westward at O'Fallon's bluff, the latter were 
attacked by the Sioux in large numbers. A 
blinding snowstorm set in. The prairie was 
a bleak expanse, when the Sioux came down 
upon their hereditary enemies, mounted on 
ponies, and armed with rifles and bows and 
aiTowB, and yelling like demons. The snow 
came down in blinding flakes, but the Sioux 
were determined to destroy their antagonists, 
and forever settle a contest which had been 
waged for centuries. All day long they 
fought with desperation. The two bands 
were about equally matched in numbers. 
The Pawnees were as strong and as brave 
and as resolute as their adversaries. Form- 
ing a circle around their women, children and 
old men, they struggled desperately to guard 
and protect everything that was dear to sav- 
age life. Here and there one of their braves 
went down in the full flush of the ftght, biit 
they were not to be vanquished. When the 
sim set behind a cold, gray cloud, and the 
day ended on that lonely, snow-covered plain, 
far away from the borders of civilization, the 
Sioux rode away with their dead and wound- 
ed, and the only white man on that battle- 
field nnchronicled by the civilized annalist, 



was the French voyageiu' and trader — Frank 
Guittar, who lay upon the ground pierced 
with two bullets and punctured with Siuux 
arrows. That he survived is a miracle in 
itself. From that day to this the affection 
for him by the remnant of the Pawnees is 
that of sons for a father. Wherever there is 
a relic of the Omahas, the Otoes, or the Paw- 
nees, to be found, his name is cherished as a 
tradition, and will always be so long as there 
is one of them to recoimt the heroic and mem- 
orable deeds of their race. In all the subse- 
quent intercourse of the whites with the In- 
dians in this quarter, Mr, Guittar has taken 
an important part. Upon the dissolution of 
the fur company, and their abandonment of 
this territory, by the encroachment of perma- 
nent settlers. Mr. Guittar settled down to or- 
dinary business pursuits and took part in 
the building up of Council Bluffs. He also 
married and has reai'ed a family, among whom 
are Theodore Guittar, who, with credit, served 
throughout the civil war, in the Second Iowa 
Battery, and now (1882) is the Sheriff of Pot- 
tawattamie County, 

Among the other old settlers of the neigh- 
borhood who came into the country shortly 
after Mr. Giiittar, also in the service of the 
fur company, was William Menary, a Cana- 
dian by birth, and French by extraction. 
His death, two years ago, marked the disap- 
pearance of another of the landmarks and 
traces of the earliest attempts to civilize the 
borders of the Missouri Eiver, His relations 
with the Indians, in their tribal intercourse, 
was not as intimate as that of Mr. Guittar, 
but his knowledge of Indian character was 
quite as complete, and to the day of his death 
he retained the confidence of the remnants of 
the tribes who came here, at intervals, to 
look at the rapid transformation of their for- 
mer hunting-grounds. Mr. Menary lived to 
assist in changing the very ground upon 



14 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



which the buflfalo fed when he came to this 
point, into orchards and farms, and, in re- 
spect to results, had the pleasure of demon- 
strating that bountiful crops of luscious fruit 
were the reward of his own perseverance. 
He has left behind him a family to cherish 
his name as that of one of the pioneers of 
the county. 

It was not in the nature of things that this 
fertile country should remain undeveloped, 
that the American Fur Comi^any should alone, 
share its great wealth with the Indian nomad. 
Illinois had become a State, and history was 
only repeating itself in the annals of the In- 
dian tribes. Chicago was only a village, on 
Lake Michigan, but the Pottawattamies, whose 
home, ever since the days of Marquette and 
LaSalle, had been on the borders of that 
lake, and whose trading canoes had b^en to 
Montreal, in the years when Count Fronte- 
nac was the inspiration of French Canadian 
colonization, were troublesome neighbors, in 
the opinion of the whites. The country be- 
yond the Missouri, even on the Iowa side, 
between the Des Moines Eiver and the Mis- 
souri, was inaccurately described and laid 
down by the geographer so late as 1846, as 
the Great American Desert; and there are 
men now in the prime of life who took their 
knowledge of the country from that soiu'ce, 
and who shuddered in conning their lessons 
at the idea of the Sahara desolateness resting 
in the very heart of our ovsm continent. 

To appease the demands of those who 
sought the removal of the Pottawattamies 
from Northern Illinois, the Federal Govern- 
ment gave it sanction, and proceeded to carry 
it out by the selection of a new reservation 
for that tribe on the site of the present city 
of Council Bluffs. The Territory of Iowa 
had been organized by a separation from 
Wisconsin. The Black Hawk war of 1833 was 
over, and the Indian title of the Sacs and 



Foxes extinguished to the Iowa River. It is 
no part of my duty in this connection to de- 
tail the events of that war They are famil- 
iar to every student of the ordinary history of 
the border, having been recounted at the fire- 
sides of the frontier settlements during the 
last fifty years, and the men are living yet in 
this city who were active participants in that 
noted conflict. White control, however, of 
all the country between the Mississippi and 
the Missouri Rivers, was not fully obtained 
even after the subjugation of Black Hawk, in 
1833, and the submission of Keokuk and 
Wapello. The Sioux still kept up their ma- 
rauding habits, and it is recorded of them 
that on the 19th of November, 1836, they 
passed the present site of Council Bluifs in a 
large war party, made a raid eastward to 
the lower Iowa River, and there surprised 
five lodges of Foxes, at a point where the line 
of the Black Hawk Pui-chase crossed the river, 
and killed twenty of their number. Only 
one of the Foxes, a young brave, made his 
escape, though wounded in the neck, and 
carried the news to Poweskeik's village. 

When the United States acquired the title 
to the lands of the Sacs and Foxes, lands that 
were claimed by them to extend to the Mis- 
soui'i River, and with them the soil of Council 
Bluffs, they promised and obligated them- 
selves to 2'rotect the Sacs and Foxes from 
their bloodthirsty enemies, the Sioux. How 
well that stipulation was observed may be 
gathered from a single event. The Sacs and 
Foxes were threatened with a raid, during 
the spring and summer of 1837. Wacosh- 
aushee, the principal chief, went to St. Louis 
to see what could be done for him in the way 
of protection. When he got back, he found 
his people starving in the village. He divid- 
ed the provisions he received from the trader 
to the tribe, and, distributing the powder and 
lead, separated his band into two parties for 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



the purpose of hunting game for siisteuance, 
until the corn should grow and ripen. One 
party proceeded up the country, between the 
Cedar and the Iowa Eivers, and the other 
followed the east bank of the Cedar. The 
chief himself was at the head of the latter 
band, consisting of 170 people, forty of whom 
were men, the rest being women and chil- 
dren. They found no game for many days, 
aud subsisted on the fish caught iu the Cedar 
Kiver. He expected to find abundance of 
game in a belt of wooded country on the 
"Wapsie, in the vicinity of what is now Ana- 
mosa, in Jones County, and when he sent for- 
ward some young men to reconnoiter, they 
were informed that the Winnebagoes were 
hunting there. They then started for the 
mouth of Otter River, and when they got near 
that point, the chief found that the Sioux 
from the Missouri Eiver were in the vicinity. 
He found, also, that it was impossible to re- 
treat, without discovery, and resolved to leave 
the women aud children in camp and go on 
the trail and fight the Sioux. About mid- 
night, of the 2d of August, 1837, the forty 
braves set out on the war-path westward, 
crossing the Otter and out into the open 
prairie. They discovered some sandhills be- 
fore morning, which they supposed were 
lodges, and, making a,charge, with a desper- 
ate war-whoop, they rushed on what were 
regarded as enemies, and were discovered by 
the Sioux, who were encamped in a ravine 
near by. The Foxes retreated to a line of 
hills and opened fire, and kept it up until 
their powder and lead were exhausted, and 
then their foe came down on them with a yell, 
and drove them from the field, inflicting a loss 
of eleven killed and thirteen wounded. That 
afi"air was substantially the last square Indian 
fight between two tribes on the soil of Iowa. 
Col. Hardin, of Kentucky, during the 
administration of President Washington, 



through various services rendered the Gov- 
ernment, in dealing with the Indian tribes in 
Ohio, had acquired the confidence of the ofl5- 
cials at Philadelj'hia, and was intrusted with 
a delicate mission to the Shawnees. 

He was required to go to his destination 
alone and on horseback, and, while en route, 
was waylaid and murdered by Indians. He 
left behind him, in Kentucky, a widow and 
several sons. One of the latter, David Har- 
din, grew to manhood, and was selected by 
the^ Federal Government to can-y into effect 
the plan of removing the Pottawatomie In- 
dians from Northern Illinois to the banks of 
the Missouri Kiver in 1839. The reservation 
which has given the name and location to a 
very large and populous county of Iowa, had 
been marked out, and, after gathering to- 
gether the scattered remnants of that once 
powerful tribe, the exodus began, under the 
escort of two comjianies of the First United 
States Dragoons. There were about three 
thousand men, women and childi'en in the 
party, when they reached the j)Osition of 
Council Bluffs. Mr. Hardin brought with 
him his wife and childi'en, and steps were at 
once taken to carry out the intentions of the 
Government in the establishment and equip- 
ment of a permanent reservation. A stock- 
ade was built in the timber, in the bottom 
lands, about three miles south of the present 
limits of the city. A Government mill was 
put in operation on Mosquito Creek, two 
miles east of the city, at what is now known 
as Parks' Mill. A Catholic mission accom 
panied the Indians, and a mission house was 
built near what is now known as the Bryant 
Spring, on Upper Broadway. The military 
post, from sanitary considerations, was trans- 
ferred to the same point, or near that, in a 
short time, and the stockade for that purpose 
erected on the hill, now graded down some- 
what, and occupied by the brick residence of 



76 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



John Clausen. The mission burial-gi'ound 
was establishad a few hundred yards south of 
the fort, across what is kno^vn as Pierce 
street. A street running north and south 



through this burialTplace has been excavated, 
and, from time to time, the remains of those 
biu-ied in the locality have been exhumed and 
exposed by the beating rains. 



CHAPTER X.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— OREGON ROUTE— JOHN CHARLES FREMONT— KIT C.\RSON— SURVEY OF 1843 
—RICHARD AND M. D. HARDIN— MA.JOR ENGLISH. 



TT7"HALING vessels and merchantmen by 



vv 



the way of Cape Horn to the coast of 



California and Oregon, for hides, occasionally 
brought home intelligence of the salubrious 
character of the climate, and of the fertility of 
the soil of the Pacific coast, and ' emigration 
soon began to set in to a limited extent from 
the States. California was then an outlying 
dependency of the Mexican Eejjublic, almost 
neglected, except for tribute. Oregon was in 
the joint occujjation of the United States- and 
Great Britain, with pending dispute as to iil- 
timate boundary and ownership. Pioneer 
energy was already invading the rich valleys 
of both Oregon and California, and the site 
of Council Bluffs was on the feeble trail 
which led through the Indian country to the 
foot of the Rocky Mountains. Thomas H. 
Benton, with a wise forecast of the future, 
and a dream, now realized, that the great 
pathway between Eastern Asia and Japan 
would eventually be across our continent, 
sought the efforts of the Government in a 
survey and exploration, on a scientific basis, 
to lead, in the end, to the connecting of our 
Pacific possessions with our great central 
territory. Manifest destiny Heemed to him 
to point definitely to our acquisition of Cali- 
fornia. A large part of Oregon was assured 
to us, under treaty with Great Britain, and 

*By Col John H. Keiuley. 



there were statesmen in the Cabinet and in 
Congress who were ready to dispute with 
it, even to a resort to arms, for the posses- 
sion of the whole of what was then called 
Oregon Territory. The result may be finally 
stated, as an ultimate settlement, by which 
we acquired, indisputably, -ill of what now 
constitutes the State of Oregon, and Wash- 
ington Territory to the British line, thai, por- 
tion north of the latter remaining under the 
control of Great Britain by indefeasible title. 
John Charles Fremont, of French parent- 
age, a graduate of West Point, a young and en- 
terprising officer of the topographical engi- 
neers of the United States army, and, more 
than all, the son-in-law of Senator Benton, of 
Missouri, by marriage with his daughter, Jes- 
sie, was selected by the War Department to 
carry into execution the famous Senator's 
design of a scientific exploration of the wide 
expanse of country between the Missouri 
River and the Pacific Ocean. The wilds of 
Central Africa, bsfore the advent of Livings- 
ton, of Sir Samuel Baker, of CajDt. Speke, 
and of Stanley, were scarcely more unknown 
than the interior of our own continent, when 
Lieut. Fremont and his party of twenty-four 
men, with Kit Carson as guide, set out in 
June, 1842, from Cyprian Chonteau's trading 
house, on the Kansas River, twelve miles 
above its mouth, to find the route of an 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY 



eventual Pacific railroad, the constant, day 
dream of Senator Benton, and the one real- 
ized to its fullest extent before his son-in-law. 
the young Path-Finder, was sixty yeare of 
age. 

The publication of the report of that year's 
operations led to a material modification of 
the opinion of the character of the country 
bordering the Missouri River and tributary 
to it. The survey made by him in 18-t3, 
and in continuation of which he found him- 
self, after great suffering and privation to 
his party in crossing the Rockj' Mountains, 
in the rich valleys of the Sacramento, and 
the American Fork in California, led to a 
more general and more favorable aj)pre- 
ciation of our trans- Missoiu-i possessions. 
It required no great foresight to determine 
that the location of an Indian reservation 
on or near the most direct route to the 
Pacific coast would be impracticable, and 
with that in view, a treaty was signed 
with the Pottawatomies in 1846, extinguish- 
ing their title to the reservation at Council 
Bluffs, and they were removed, in due time, 
to a new reservation, thirty miles square, on 
the Kansas River, within the present limits 



of the State of Kansas, where they now num- 
ber 4,000 prosperous people. 

The Hardin family, who Ciune to this coun- 
try with that tribe, remained here and made 
permanent settlements. Richard Harbin 
lived on a farm in what became afterward 
Hardin Township, twelve miles east of Coun- 
cil Bluffs, until about 1874, when he removed 
to Missouri. M. D. Hardin became the own- 
er of a tract of land which included the or- 
iginal military post south of the city, and is 
still a resident of Council Blulfs, and the 
head of a family constituting the third gen- 
eration of the name as occupants of its soil. 
William English, a Philadelphian, as a mem- 
ber of the First Dragoons, came with the Pot- 
tawatomies to this point, and, at the end of 
his enlistment, settled in civil life, marrying 
a daughter of David Hardin, the agent who 
conducted the tribe here. When the civil 
war broke out, in 1851, Mr. English volun- 
teered as a soldier, and was made Major of 
the Fourth Iowa Infantry, whose first Colo- 
nel was Greenville M. Dodge, who also rose 
to the rank of Major General of Vohuiteers, 
and was the commander of the Sixteenth 
Corps in Gen. Sherman's army. 



CHAPTER Xl.^ 



COUNCIL BLUFF.S— ITS SECOND ERA — THE MORMON MOVEMENT— rROPHET JOSEPH SMITH- 
BISHOP PR.\TT— SIDNEY RIGDON— BRIGHAM YOUNG— DRIVEN FROM MISSOURI— ESTAB- 
LISHMENT OF NAUVOO— THE LEGION— DEATH OF THE PROPHET— EXODUS TO SALT 
LAKE VALLEY—STOP AT COUNCIL BLUFFS— THE MORMON BATTALION. 



'T^HE foundation of the city, its inception as 
-*- a commercial center, a railroad focus, was 
not due to any well-defined commercial fore- 
sight, but to a religious exodus, and in that 
respect, its origin, and the history of its origin, 

•By Col. John H. Keatlcy. 



are attended with more than ordinary interest. 
In September, 1819, Joseph Smith, Sr. , the 
father of Joseph Smith, Jr., the celebrated 
Mormon prophet, in digging a well near Pal- 
mjrra, N. Y., found a cui'iously shaped stone. 
Joseph Smith, Jr. , who came into possession 



78 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



of it, soon made the claim that, by meang of 
it, he could see wonderful things. From 
1S20 to 1827, he practiced a sort of clairvoy- 
ance, and, from time to time, gained many 
adherents and believers in his miraculous 
powers. From this he advanced to the claim 
of prophecy, after the manner of the dispen- 
sations of the Hebrew Scriptures, and divined 
the location of certain plates containing mys- 
terious characters and profound hieroglyph- 
ics, that none could decipher except him- 
self, under the influence of inspiration. 
With these plates, the claim was also made 
that a huge pair of spectacles, the Urim and 
Thummim of the new dispensation, had been 
found, through the aid of which the transla- 
tion was made possible. 

Of the thirty-five converts to the new doc- 
trine at the outset, none acquired any promi- 
nence, or exerted any marked influence uj^on 
its destiny, except the members of the Smith 
family themselves. These converts were dis- 
ciples, but not apostles. Those who took 
upon themselves that function came after- 
ward, and some of them became residents of 
Council Bluffs, and bore their share in its 
early development. Parley P. Pratt, who was 
afterward one of the most noted Bishops of 
the Church of Latter-Day Saints, belonged to 
Lorain County, Ohio, and, when passing 
through Palmyra, halted and became a convert 
to Smith's teaching. Sidney Rigdon, who 
was the minister of an association of anti-sec- 
tarians, mostly dissenters from different re- 
ligious denominations, at Mentor, Ohio, 
joined Smith's chui'ch, and moved, shortly 
afterward, with the " Saints," to Kirtland, in 
the same State, where they sought to found a 
society and a community exclusively of their 
own members, in their own belief and in their 
own interest. Joseph Smith, Sr., the father 
of the Prophet, was duly installed as Patriarch 
and President of the Church of the Latter-Day 



Saints, and a regular hierarchy was ordained. 
Kirtland became the headquarters of rhe 
church in 1830. Missions were established 
and many converts made. Circumstances 
surrounding them at Kirtland induced them 
to emigrate to the frontier, and in 1834 they 
had formed settlements at Lidependence, 
Mo. Brigham Young, wlio was born in Ver- 
mont, joined the church at Kirtland in 1832, 
and, taking a leading part in its mission, 
was ordained one of the twelve apostles, and, 
in 1836, was elected President of that body, 
and became a recognized leader. W. W. 
Phelps started a religious newspaper at In- 
dependence, called the Evening and Morning 
Star. Pratt and Young had remained at 
Kirtland, and Smith, after seeing that his 
followers in Jackson County, Mo., were prop- 
erly located, also resumed his residence at 
Kirtland. Young and Smith went to Mis- 
souri in 1835, making that their permanent 
residence. They were forced to fly also from 
Missouri under the pressure of a mob, which 
impelled them to a hasty exodus. A public 
meeting was held of the inhabitants of the 
towns surrounding Independence, and it was 
resolved that the Mormons should be expelled 
from the State. The printing office of Phelps 
was destroyed, some of the Mormons were 
tarred and feathered, and others killed or 
wounded while defending their rights. A con- 
ference was held between the belligerents and 
the Mormons, as they were called, from their 
Scriptures, the Book of Mormon, and they 
agreed to leave Jackson County if molested 
no farther. This agreement was put in writ- 
ing and signed by the leaders of both j^arties. 
Time until the following spring was given to 
make the removal, and in the meantime, suits 
were brought in the courts against some of the 
ringleaders of the mob seeking their expul- 
sion, and this caused the latter to break all 
bounds, to disregai-d the truce and to renew 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



79 



hostilities, in which two Missouriaiis were 
killed; but the Saints were forced to disperse, 
many of them taking refuge in Clay County. 
Gen. Clark, in 1838, headed the militia force, 
a condition of civil war existed, and Gov. 
Boggs gave an order for their absolute expul- 
sion from Missouri. The Legislature made 
an appropriation to assist them in removing, 
and in paying their debts, and before the 
close of 1839, they had entirely abandoned 
their homes in that State. They sought ref- 
uge on the east bank of the Mississippi in 
1840, in Hancock County, 111., and, founding 
a new city, gave it the name of Xauvoo. 

Brigham Young and Parley P. Pratt at 
once started to England on a mission, and, 
in the spring of 1841, Young shipped from 
Liverpool 769 converts, to become settlers at 
the new religious capital. Converts also 
flocked from all parts of the United States. 
A special charter for the city of Nauvoo was 
granted by the Illinois Legislature, almost 
making the municipality independent of State 
authority, and under that charter a military 
body, called the Nauvoo Legion, was organ- 
ized, which assumed powers wholly inconsist- 
ent with those of the commonwealth. 

Exasperations and incitements, such as had 
characterized the Mormon residence in West- 
ern Missouri, began, in a short time, to awak- 
en a like hostility on the part of their neigh- 
bors in Illinois, and that led to another ex- 
pulsion. The military force of the Mormons 
consisted of 4,000 well armed men, with Jo- 
seph Smith at their head, and his brother, 
Hyrum, as coadjutor. The church organiza- 
tion was a complicated and intricate hier- 
archy, with a military adjunct, wholly incon- 
sistent with the principles of the Government 
in whose hands alone the whole military 
power of the people could be safely lodged, 
and under no circumstances, and for no pur- 
pose, could or ought to be delegated to any 



religious organization of any kind. In 1843, 
Joseph Smith was both Mayor of the city and 
military commandant. Affairs were about to 
culminate in another outbreak. It is claimed 
that a revelation was given him on the 12th 
of July in that year, by which polygamy re- 
ceived spiritual and religious sanction. In 
the schism which afterward occurred, this 
transaction was denied, and the doctrine dis- 
carded by one branch, who still adhere to 
him as the founder of the church. Be this 
as it may, it was currently believed by a very 
large portion of the people of Western Illinois 
th at polygamy was not only openly practi ced by 
the Mormon secretaries, but regarded by them 
as a divine institution, revealed under claims 
of inspiration. 

Criminal prosecutions were commenced 
against Smith and others, charged with adul- 
terous practices under this claim of sanctity, 
and a. -rests were resisted, with the aid of the 
military power which had grown up under 
the shadow of the peculiar charter of the city. 
The charge of treason in levying war against 
the State of Illinois was preferred against 
Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. The 
Nauvoo Legion menaced all who attempted 
to arrest its leaders, and, to enforce public 
authority in the exciting exigency, Gov. 
Ford called out the militia. To avoid blood- 
shed, which seemed imminent, the Governor 
induced Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Elder 
Taylor and Dr. Eichards, to surrender them- 
selves, to be protected by the authorities in 
the Carthage jail. The Governor placed his 
militia in charge of the prison, and, after the 
Smiths had remained there for several days, 
many of the guard deserted, leaving but a 
few men to keep back the mob, eager for their 
blood. On the afternoon of June 27, 1844, 
about two hundred citizens, disguised and 
armed, overpowered the guard at the jail, 
broke open the doors, rushed in and shot 



80 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



down Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and wounded 
Elder Taylor. Dr. Richards made his escape 
iminjured, and wrote a narrative of the event. 
Public excitement was allayed. The public 
arms in the possession of the Nauvoo Legion 
had been surrendered to the Governor when 
the Smiths gave themselves up. In the fall 
of 1844, a few months after the Prophet's 
death, the gi-eat temple at Nauvoo, of white 
limestone, 128 feet long, eighty -eight feet wide 
and sixty feet high, was finished. 

A disf)ute began for the presidency of the 
church. Sidney Rigdon, the trusted and 
early friend of Joseph Smith, confidently ex- 
pected to succeed him in the hierarchy. The 
warfare grew so bitter during the winter that 
Rigdon was expelled from the organization, 
and, as a sequence, Brigham Young, his com- 
petitor, was unanimously chosen as its civil 
and religious head. It soon became manifest 
that the quiet which they were enjoying ex- 
ternally was only a truce, as public senti- 
ment was only crystalizing into a resolve to 
drive them from the State. Brigham Young 
and his Council accejated this manifestation, 
and began preparations for the eventuality. 
They agreed upor a proclamation, or an an- 
nouncement to their people, in which they 
stated that they intended " to send out into 
the Western country from this place (Nau- 
voo), in the early part of the month of March, 
a company of pioneers, consisting mostly of 
young, hardy men, with families. They are 
destined to be furnished with an ample out- 
fit, taking with them a printing press, farm- 
ing utensils of all kinds, with mill-irons and 
bolting-cloths, seeds of all kinds and grain." 
The object of this advance company " is to 
put in a spring crop, to build houses, and to 
prepare for the reception of families who 
will start as soon as the grass shall be suffi- 
ciently grown to sustain teams and stock." 
The piioneers " are instructed to proceed west 



until they find some good place to make a 
crop, in some good valley in the neigh- 
borhood of tb(5 Rocky Mountains, where they 
will infringe upon no one, and be not likely 
to be infringed upon." " Here," the Coun- 
cil say, " we will make a resting-place, until 
we can determine upon a place for a perma- 
nent location. " They also state, in the same 
connection, " We agreed to leave the coun- 
try, for the sake of peace, upon the condition 
that no more vexatious prosecutions by insti- 
tuted against us. In good faith, we have la- 
bored to fulfill that engagement. Gov. Fcrd 
has also done his duty to further our wishes 
in that reapect. But there are some imwill- 
ing that we should have any existence any- 
where. " 

Laying aside any views that one may have, 
in conflict with those entertained by this 
sect, thus already driven about, there is a 
pathos in that announcement that is touch- 
ing to one who reflects ujson the necessary 
exodus of a whole people across a givat wil- 
derness of more than two thousand miles, 
homeless, and, in a certain sense, aimless, 
and nearly destitute. In that tersely, simply 
worded proclamation is foreshadowed Council 
Bluifs. The prejjarations were rapidly com- 
pleted, and, in February, 1846, the first com- 
pany of sixteen hundred set out on their 
cheerless joui'ney, crossing the frozen Missis- 
sippi River, and beginning their long, weary 
march across the uninhabited prairies of 
Iowa, to make a new beginning in a new 
home. It is difficult to comprehend the feel- 
ings of that pioneer band. The writer of 
these pages has conversed, on more than one 
occasion, with men and women also who set 
forth on that wintry morning, with no hope 
of rest for months, and then only in the un- 
settled wilds, and no shelter except their 
wagons, and no courage but that of stout 
hearts. The ultimate piu'pose of the leaders 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



83 



of the church was to find some suitable val- 
ley in Eastern California, which then be- 
longed to Mexico, hoping, by getting beyond 
the limit of the Lnited States, and away 
from civilization, that they might prosper in 
their own way, unmolested. The Pottawato- 
mie Indians had just departed for their new 
reservation in Kansas. There was less dan- 
ger of molestation in passing through Iowa 
than through Missouri in reaching the Mis- 
souri River, and for that reason the pioneer 
band took the trail toward Council Bluffs. 
Other companies followed, and, in the early 
roonths of the year, their numbers began to 
greatly accumulate in the bluffs and on the 
river bottoms here, this point having been 
selected by the pioneers on account of the un- 
rivaled fertility of the soil, as the halting- 
place, foreshadowed in the proclamation an- 
nouncing the contemplated exodus. Orson 
Hyde, who was the Bishop in charge of the 
pioneers, at once selected that portion of the 
bluffs embraced by Madison, or First street, as 
the location of such permanent buildings as 
were needed in carryingout their far-reach- 
ing plan of emigration, and proselyting. 
Brigham Young and the entire hierarchy ar- 
rived soon after the pioneers. 

In the meanwhile, the Mexican war broke 
out. The enterprising and adventuious men 
of Western Missouri, among them Sterling 
Price and Col. Doniphan, acquainted with the 
wouderful possibilities of New Mexico, 
through commercial intercourse by the Santa 
F6 trail from the Missouri River, covered that 
wide expanse of country, and conceived the 
idea of its conquest. Ool. Kearney, of the 
army, was ordered to undertake it, and also 
to obtain control of California. On July 14, 
1846, a battery of the Third United States 
Ai-tillery sailed from New York by the way 
of Cape Horn, and in September, Col. Stev- 



enson's regiment of New York volunteers pro- 
ceeded by the same route, to the same desti- 
nation — the Pacific coast. 

The explorations of Fremont had revealed 
the weakness of the Mexican authority in 
that country, and the fm-ther fact that the 
Ajnericans residing on that portion of Mex- 
ican soil were ripe for a revolt that would 
transfer its possession, by conquest, to the 
United States. Just before hostilities broke 
out, and while the sensibilities of the Mexi- 
can authorities were at their utmost tension, 
Capt. Fremont, of the United States Engi- 
neers set out from the Missouri River on his 
third exploration, with an armed outfit con- 
sisting of sixty men and two hundred horses, 
an expedition designed for peaceful pur- 
poses, but which, before its termination, be- 
came an auxiliary force in the conquest of 
one of the richest jewels in the American 
crown of national glory. 

Shortly after the dejiarture of the troops 
from New York, a regiment of mounted vol- 
unteers, under Sterling Price and Col. Doni- 
phan, rendezvoused at Fort Leavenworth, pre- 
paratory to the arduous, long and perilous 
march to New Mexico, to aid in its conquest, 
and then to march to California. Two com- 
panies of the First Dragoons, under Capts. 
EdwinV. Sumner and Philip St. George Cooke, 
were also ordered to take part in the expedi- 
tion. At the same time, authority was given 
Col. Kearney to make enlistments from the 
Mormon emigrants on their way to the Mis- 
souri River, their services having been tend- 
ered to the Government by Brigham Young 
as soon as he ascertained that war with Mex- 
ico was a fact. Capt. James Allen, of the 
First Dragoons, was the officer sent on that 
duty, and, upon arriving at Council Bluffs, 
and at the cantonment of tents stretched out 
on the bottoms where now is the fairest por- 



84 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



tion of the city, he enrolled a battalion of 
300 men, who were organized by him, as 
Lieutenant Colonel, at Fort Leavenworth. 
Many of the men were heads of fimilies. but, 
responding to what they regarded as a sense 
of duty, they marched away to join in an en- 
terprise which has been described as being 
as marvelous as the famous retreat of the ten 
thousand under Xenophon. They turned 
their backs once more upon all that was left 
of civilization in the tents where still dwelt 
their families. Many lived to return and 
take part in the final exodus which landed 
the Saints in permanent homes in the Great 
Salt Lake Valley. 

It is impossible here to follow in the foot- 
steps of that heroic band. Capts. Sumner 
and Cooke afterward became officers of high 
rank in the Union army, during the civil war, 
and the name and fame of Sterling Price in 
the same conflict, on the other side, is world- 
wide. Capt. Cooke, after having become a 
Major General, and reciirring to the marvel- 
ous exploits of that band of devoted men, 
writes of its results : " The ' Ai-my of the 
West' marched from Bent's Fort with only 
rations calculated to last, by uninterrupted 
and most rajsid marches, until it should ar 
rive at Santa F4 Is this war? Tested by 
the rules of the science, this expedition is 
anomalous, not to say Quixotic. A Colonel's 
command, called an army, marches 800 miles 
beyond its base, its communication liable to 
be cut off by the slightest effoi't of the enemy 
— mostly through a desert — the whole dis- 
tance almost totally destitute of resom'ces, to 
conquer a territory of two hundred and fifty 
thousand square miles; without a military 
chest; this people are declared citizens of 
the United States, and the invaders are de- 
barred the rights of war to seize needful sup- 
plies; they airive without food before the 



capital, a city 240 years old, habitually gar- 
risoned by regular troops! I much doubt if 

' any officer of rank but Stephen W. Kearney 
would have undertaken the enterprise; or, if 
induced to do so, would have accomplished it 
successfully." 

j In this connection, the writer of these 
pages begs leave to use the name of William 
Garner, an honored citizen of Council Bluffs, 
and one of the cherished survivors of that 
memorable campaign, an integer of the Mor- 
mon Battalion, so graphically outlined by the 
pen of Gen. St. George Cooke. The story is 
not all told, when the results of the campaign 
are stated, for, when the men returned to their 
families, after an absence of two years, they 
were met by a denial of their pay for their 

' services, and to this day the Government 
stands indebted to them for the pittance 

! stipulated for in their contracts of enlistment. 
It is charged upon Brigham Young, by high 
authority in the church, that the money ap- 

I propriated to pay these men for their serv- 
ices, passed into his hands for disburse- 
ment, and was by him withheld and never paid 

! over. 

! The first winter spent on the frontier by 
these hardy emigrants was in huts erected at 

1 what is known as " Winter Quarters," on the 

' Nebraska side of the Missouri, at Florence, a 
few miles above the present city of Omaha. 
Soon after the departure of the Mormon Bat- 
talion for Fort Leavenworth, Brigham Young 
and a few hardy followers started westward 
across the plains in search of a permanent 
settlement. They reached Salt Lake Valley, 
and, being captivated by its location and its 
isolation, decided to build there their new 
city. A portion of those who accompanied 
Young to Salt Lake, retm-ned to Council 

I Bluffs to take direction of the emigration, 
and in July 18-47, about foiu- thousand en- 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



85 



tered tlie valley which was to constitute their 
future home. Mauy returned to the Iowa 
side of the river fi-om " Winter Quarters " 
and made permanent settlements in view of 



establishing a necessary station and resting- 
place for the emigrations which, through the 
policy of the hierarchy, should come after 
them. 



CHAPTER XII.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— ITS THIRD JUiA— MOVEMENT FROil IOWA CITY— TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS EN 

ROUTE— KANESVILLE^ SKETCH OF COL. KANE-FIRST APPEARANCE OF COUNCIL 

BLUFFS— FIRST STOKE— THE FIRST GENTILE INHABITANT— FIRST 

VOTING — DANITE BAND — FIRST PROHIBITION. 



~^T0 emigration of any kind has ever taken 
-L^ place in modern times that could compare 
with that which involved the first settlement 
of Council Blufts. The privations incident 
to the movement did not end with the arrival 
here of all those who formed the original 
population of Nauvoo. The same hardships, 
or a like kind, were the lot of those who sub- 
sequently followed in the wake of the Nauvoo 
exodus. Iowa City became a convenient ren- 
dezvous for converts and others, both from 
the States and from Eurof)e, and at that 
point a great deal of the subsequent suffer- 
ing began. A correct picture of their camps 
at Iowa City preparatory to starting West 
cannot be drawn. It can only be presented 
in outline, as a mere study, to be iilled in by 
the imagination. Ignorant as many of them 
were of the manners and customs of our 
people, and of the language of the country, 
hundreds of foreign emigrants were subjected 
to the grossest tyranny throiigh an arbitrary 
and exacting leadership. 

It was impossible, situated as the latter 
were, to furnish wagon transportation to con- 
vey the people's meagtr luggage and sup- 
plies, and frequently, on the trail from Iowa 
City to Council Bluffs, and from Council 
Bluffs to Salt Lake City, miles and miles of 

♦By Col. .Juhn H. Kcatley. 



hand carts were wearily pushed before them 
by the trudging, heart-sick and footsore emi- 
grants, in the hope of finding at last a haven 
of rest. Scanty supplies of provisions were, 
in nearly every instance, doled out, and men, 
women and children toiling over the treeless 
prairie, fi'om dawn ui-til dark, in rain or in 
shine, in cold or in heat, frequently suffered 
the most poignant pangs of hunger and dis- 
tress. Ten ounces of flour for one adult, 
and half that amount for children, under the 
age of eight years, constituted a day's sup- 
ply. At rare intervals, a little rice, coffee or 
sugar was sparingly measured out to them. 
Hundreds were shoeless, and clothing in al- 
most every instance was scant. The sick, 
under such circumstances, wei"e still more 
destitute and forlorn, and many a little hil- 
lock along. the trail and by the wayside attest- 
ed the final anguish of those whose last 
journey was at an end. For years. Council 
Bluffs witnessed the arrival of hordes who 
crossed the State on their weary journev to 
Salt Lake, reduced to the utmost extremity 
by unfold and indescribable miseries. Now 
and then courage failed the emigrant, when 
he or she reached this point. Endui'ance 
with them had reached its limit, and they 
halted to make this their permanent homes, 
in defiance of ecclesiastical threats and pend- 



86 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



ing censures. These recalcitrant ones in 
numerous instances left a salutary impress 
upon the growth of the new town. 

When it was once determined that this 
ehouli be a permanent post or stage on the 
route to Salt Lake, it was given a name, and 
called Kanesville. The selection of this title 
was intended by the Mormon authorities as a 
compliment to a Gentile who had rendered 
theiQ an appreciable service while they were 
yet at Nauvoo. Thomas L. Kane, of Phila- 
delphia, and a brother of Dr. Elisha Kent 
Kane, the famous Ai-ctic navigator, was a 
spectator of some of the concluding eveats 
which terminated the Mormon career at Nau- 
voo. Exercising the functions of correspond- 
ent to Eastern newspapers, he impartially 
narrated some of the scenes of violence which 
characterized the period, and fairness on his 
part was recognized in the naming of the 
village after him. 

When the conflict arose between Brigham 
Young and the Federal authorities in 1857, 
and Col. Albert Sidney Johnson was en- 
camped in the valleys of the Rocky range, 
in winter quarters, preparatory to invading 
Utah, to inforce the mandates of President 
Buchanan and the laws of the United States, 
Kane was selected by the President to act as 
a negotiator between the belligerents. 

When the civil war broke out, in 1861, he 
became Lieutenant Colonel of the First Penn- 
sylvania Rifles (the famous Bucktail Regi- 
ment), was wounded and captured near Har- 
risonburg, in the Shenandoah Valley, in 
1862, while serving under Gen. Fremont, 
against Gen. Stonewall Jackson, and, upon 
being released, was made a Brigadier Gen- 
eral, and fought with great gallantry to the 
termination of the war in the Twelfth Ai-my 
Corps. He is now a wealthy private citizen, 
his present home being at Kane, Penn. 

A stranger coming to Council Bluffs is 



struck with the singularity of some of its 
maps, especially that of the original town. 
There is a strong resemblance between the 
outlines of a diagram of that part of the city 
and a shattered square of glass. The irregu- 
larities in the one will compare favorably 
with those of the other. When the Utah 
emigrants reached this point, and found the 
Indian lands abandoned, they also ascertained 
that no sm'vey had yet been made of them by 
the Government, and simply settled on them 
as " squatters. " There was no exact rule by 
which they staked off their claims, and hence, 
theiri rregularity in areas and out) ine. There 
were no courts in which to adjudicate con- 
flicting rights. Few disijutes arose, however, 
and these were settled by arbitrary decisions 
of the church authorities, who claimed to 
have the welfare of the community in their 
keeping. 

The tacit observance of possessory rights 
caused the claims to ripen into transferable 
interests, and when a claim owner found it 
either his interest or his duty to move on, 
his right in the permanent improvements ac- 
quired an ascertainable value in either money 
or personal projierty, and barter of that kind 
was of frequent occurrence. 

It is still not difficult to recall the general 
appearance of Council Bluffs during the tirst 
year of its settlement. A gorge partly 
clothed with timber, widened out from the 
east toward the river. This afterward be- 
came the Bi'oadway of the city. Crossing it, 
at almost a right angle, was a street, north 
and south, or nearly so, which lay in another 
ravine, and this took the name of Hyde street, 
after the Mormon Bishop of that name. This 
street, now improved and altered in every 
respect, is known as Madison or First street. 
A few log cabins dotted the slopes of the 
bluffs on either side of the valley of Indian 
Creek, through which Broadway extends. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



87 



The greater number of the log houses and 
tents constituting the town were on Madison 
street, and until only a few years ago, the log 
houses kept their places in the march of sur- 
rounding improvement. Indian Creek, no 
more then than now a creek, but only a brook, 
swelled into a torrent by summer rains or 
winter snows, coiled sluggishly in a narrow 
channel around the base of the northern 
slope. Such, then, is an outline of the nu- 
cleus of the present city. 

The Mormon emigration to Salt Lake was 
not without its attractions to Gentiles, a 
name applied to those not of the sect who 
desired to take advantage of it for the pur- 
poses of traffic. A gentleman by the name 
of Donnell opened a store at Winter Quar- 
ters, on the west side of the river, at the end 
of the year 1847, and Jonathan B. Stutsman, 
now a merchant at Harlan, Iowa, came in 
February, 1848, to take charge of the busi- 
ness He arrived from St. Joseph, Mo., and 
in his journey found but a single house on 
his way up from the southern line of the 
State. The store was removed from Winter 
Quarters to the east side of the river, to 
Kanesville, in June, 1848, and thus Mi\ 
Stutsman became the first Gentile inhabitant 
of Council Bluffs. The business was opened 
under the name of Donnell & Stutsman, and 
was thus conducted for a number of years, 
on what is now Madison street. Mr. Stuts- 
man married, and built the first fi-ame dwell- 
ing-house and the first fi-ame store building 
ever erected in the place. Cornelius Voor- 
his. whose name is associated with one of 
the additions to the city, came from St. Louis, 
arriving on the 17th of August, 1848, and as 
a partner in the fii-m of Eddy, Jamison & 
Co.. began the sale of goods, near where the 
First Methodist Episcopal Chm-ch now stands. 
He was accompanied by his wife, but the 
winter following his settlement was lonely 



and di'eary in the extreme. The long, cold 
winter months were enlivened by the settlers, 
to some extent, with dances and parties of 
one kind and another, but otherwise society 
was far fi-om being cheerful. Their inner 
life was mainly one of toil and anxious con- 
templation of the almost frightful joui-ney 
across the plains 

In the fall of 1848, when the Presidential 
election occui-red, political agents visited the 
settlement, organized an election precinct 
and collected the voles. Five hundi-ed and 
twenty-seven were cast for Taylor and Fil- 
more, the Whig candidates for President and 
Vice President, and forty-two for Gen. Cass 
and William O. Butler, the Democratic can- 
didates for the Presidency and Vice Presi- 
dency. The vote, however, was finally not 
taken into consideration. The affair was 
managed by Bishop Hyde and A. W. Babbitt, 
who were eventually called to account at 
Salt Lake for their conduct. Bishop Hyde 
made his submission, received the censm-e of 
the chm-ch, and was re-instated in its favor 
and good opinion; but Mi-. Babbitt refused 
submission, was cut off from communion, and 
subsequently lost his life, report says, by the 
Indians, but general belief fixed the avengers 
as the famous Danite Band, organized in the 
hierarchy, to deal summarily with Apostles. 

William Powers, who died in the winter of 
1882, was among the fii-st to build a house 
near where the First Methodist Episcopal 
Chiu-ch stands. His wife was a member of 
tho Mormon society, but she and her hus- 
band chose to remain at Council Bluffs 
through all the vicissitudes of the migration, 
and spent their long lives upon the soil se- 
lected in 1847 as their home. Dui-ing the 
years 1847 and 1848, no intoxicating liquors 
were sold in and about the settlement, the 
rules and discipline of the church rigidly in- 
forced wholly prohibiting. Quite a village 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



also sprang up at the same time along Mos- 
quito Creek, near the Nick's Indian Mill, 
about six miles east of the Kanesville settle- 
ment, the settlers devoting themselves to 
agricultural pursuits. William Garner, whose 
name has already been mentioned, Ezra Scho- 



tield, Alexander Pollett and oth?rs, preferred 
to remaiu on that spot, after the main body 
moved forward to Salt Lake City, and when 
the emigrants were leaving for the West, 
their claims were pl^^chased by these per- 
sons who were content to stav. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



COUNCIL BLUFF8— FIRST PROBATE CASK— GOLD IN CALIFORNIA— CHARACTER OF THE EMIGRANTS 
-JOSEPH TOOTLE AND JAMES A. JACKSON— GAMBLING HELLS— DRS. SHELLY, WILL- 
IAMS AND McMAHON — COUNTY ADMINISTRATION — FRAUDULENT PRAC- 
TICES— STUTSMAN AND POWERS' LOUP FORK FERRY. 



IT appears that the county organization 
was perfected in 1849. On the ]7th day 
of May of that year, an application was made 
to Isaac Clark, County Judge acting in pro- 
bate, for the appointment of a guardian for 
the minor heirs of Charles English, deceased. 
Nathan A. West was appointed such guard- 
ian. That appears to be the first record of 
the act of any county official, and as the 
County Judge, under the law in force then, 
was the Representative of the county, that 
may be taken as the first official act of the 
new county. 

The discovery of gold, by a mere accident, 
at Suter's mill, in California, the unexampled 
excitenijent in consequence which it created 
in the Eastern States, the wonderful tide of 
emigration to the Pacific coast which it 
prompted, by both sea and land, wrought a 
complete revolution in the condition of this 
frontier settlement. There was no danger 
that the gold- seeker would not spurn, there 
■was no hazard that he would not take, and no 
hardship that he would not endure. In the 
spring of 1849. as soon as the grass started 
sufficient for stock, long lines of emigrant 
trains wended their way across the prairies 
of Iowa on the old Mormon trail, but they 

*Ily Col. John H. Keatley. 



were a class of men wholly different from 
and bent on an errand wholly exceptional to 
those who had gone before. They were men 
of the stamp and intellect of Gov. John Big- 
ler, Gov. Weller, David C. Broderick, Gov. 
Geary, of Pennsylvania, Senator Baker, of 
Oregon, and MoDougal, of California, and 
others of a like character, able, resolute 
and entei-jwising. Along with them came 
lawyers who had thrown away their briefs in 
disgust, when the marvelous and fascinating 
tales of untold wealth, just for the taking, 
were rung into their willing ears; gamblers 
and blacklegs, who were cloyed in the dull 
precincts of an older and less rude civiliza- 
tion, farmers and mechanics, whose moderate 
gains stood abashed at the Alladin tales of 
wealth which swept on every breeze across 
the prairie from the Pacific. Men like these 
came pouring into Kanesville. A new life 
was injected into its career. It became 
wholly transformed. Wives, mothers and 
sisters were left behind. The rough garb of 
the frontiersman reduced all to a common 
level and a common object, and common dan- 
gers made mates and equals of all. Even 
individual names were sunk in the general 
mass, and men proud of blood, race and lin- 
eage at home, joyed even in the fragment of 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COU^'TY. 



a cognomen of any kind where a democratic 
equality rested in discovered and discoverable 
chai-acter. The restraints of female society 
and influence were removed. 

In the first years of the California emigra- 
tion, few women had the hardihood to cross 
the plains, and they even were of that class 
whose life is adventure and whose virtues do 
not include the inimitable charm of purity 
and chastity. 

With the emigrant came also the trader 
whose business it was to make proiit in sell- 
ing supplies at the last possible point for 
supplies, before the long, toilsome journey 
bejjan. When 1850 arrived, the tide was in 
full swell. Joseph Tootle was the first to 
come, leaving St. Joseph with a large stock 
of outfitting goods. James A. Jackson came 
also in 1851, and joined Tootle — fu'st, as a 
clerk, and then as a partner, under the name 
of Tootle & Jackson, and far and wide they 
were known, from plain to mountain, and 
from the mountain to the sea. W. D. Tur- 
ner, who remained many years, Samuel H. 
Riddle who died only a few years ago, and 
Joseph L. Foreman, forming a business trio, 
also moved up from St. Joseph in 1850, and 
entered into the business of selling goods to 
the California emigrants. There was no 
regular or adequate ferry across the Mis- 
souri, and the multitude going west justified 
the owners of several steamboats to come up 
the river and make the experiment of engag- 
ing in the ferry business, earning immense 
profits by a monopoly that was unavoidable. 
The business of selling liquors was one of the 
most lucrative. Saloons, drinking-plaees and 
gambling hells were established and con- 
dueled wherever a shelter could be obtained, 
either uuder roof or under canvas. Even 
this, in all cases, was not necessary, for dur- 
ing the day eveu the winding paths, the only 
sidewalks in front of the log storehouses, and 



the canvas booths, were appropriated by the 
owners of gambling devices, and its wild, 
lawless excitement was stimiilated at every 
turn of the way. Young men and old gam- 
bled. Bearded men and mere striplings 
quarreled with each other over cards, and 
drank deep from the same bottle. There 
was no division of ranks, where all made no 
attempt to conceal their vices. To the credit 
of this mongrel, picturesque fi'ontier society, 
be it said, that stealing was almost unknown, 
and life comparatively and remai'kably se- 
cm-e. Thousands of dollars' worth of goods 
were kept in no greater place of security 
than huge canvas tents, or in straggling, 
sprawling log booths and cabins, with nei- 
ther bolts, bars nor watchmen. Woe to the 
man whose cupiditj", whose passion tempted 
him to invade this security and confidence. 
His life was measured by an ell, and his 
throbbing life-blood calculated in the cold 
formula of ounces. No intricate combiua- 
tion locks guarded the receipts of a day's 
sales, and to hint at the necessity of a burg- 
lar proof safe was to invite a suspicion that 
was of contempt. 

No art will ever reproduce the early scenes 
of the liveliest days of the California migra- 
tion, nor pen bring back in description the 
kaleidoscopic changes of the seething masses 
who made up its w<jnderfiil life. Its like 
can never be reproduced, either by imita- 
tion, by incentive, or in fact. The character 
which formed and impelled it has been 
changed and obliterated in the great mechan- 
ical and industrious revolution which has 
transformed almost the entire face of the 
country in the past thirty years. Imagina- 
tion in its furthest reaches fails to bring 
back the image of that notable past, and 
memory is a banki-upt when it attem2)ts to 
pay to posterity the debt that it owes. 

It is only hei-e and there that we catch a 



90 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



glimpse of men, still remembered, who came 
to stay. Dr. B. Y. Shelly settle.l in the vil 
lage in 1850, and was soon after followed by 
Dr. S. E. Williams and Dr. P. J. McMahon, 
both of whom formed a partnership and es- 
tablished the first drug store ever opened in 
the place. Dr. JIcMahon, after fulfilling an 
honorable professional career, died in this 
city, surrounded by his wife and children, in 
the early spring of 1875, and Dr. Williams, 
having afterward removed to Mills County, 
to a large farm formed by him out of the 
wilderness, about midway of Council Bluffs 
and Glenwood, closed his life in 1880. 

At the date of these transactions, nearly all 
that constituted Pottawattamie County was 
embraced in Kanesville, and a group of farm 
settlements in the immediate vicinity, and, 
though the facts of the organization and de- 
velopment of the county will involve other 
chapters and other heads, it cannot be out of 
place to here note the inception of regular 
government at this point. The territory 
embracing Pottawattamie County np to 1848 
was included in Monroe County. In the 
latter year, Monroe County was divided and 
Pottawattamie set apart. Reference has al- 
ready been made to this matter. At that 
date, there were no County Commissioners or 
Supervisors. The administration of the 
counties of Iowa was intrusted by law to a 
County Judge, elected in each county, who 
had also jurisdiction in all probate matters, 
in addition to his other duties. He was also 
authorized under the law to issue the war- 
rants of the county, and to contract for, with- 
out a vote of the peoi')le, and erect county 
buildings, at a cost not exceeding $5,000. 
He had all the authority now vested in Coun- 
ty Boards of Supervisors, including the lay 
ing out of roads and highways. Extensive 
abuses were made of this almost unlimited 
power, and the history of the State is fraught 



with examjiles of the fraudulent issuing of 
county warrants for no other purpose than 
to enrich rings organized around County 
Judges, to enable him and them to rob and 
plunder with impunity. The records oi the 
courts are j")lastered all over with the history 
of suits brought to recover from these coun- 
ties, on these claims, long after the perpe- 
trators of the villainy had fled to escape pun- 
ishment, and to begin fresh careers to dishon- 
esty in newer localities farther West. This 
method of robbery was reduced to a science, 
and no sharper or shrewder set of scoundrels 
ever made victims of new communities than 
were the sworn officers of the law in many of 
the new counties of Iowa. They scarcely 
made a secret of their operations, and when 
they departed, it was with the leisure of men 
who appeared to be conscious of having only 
performed laudable acts. 

The making of money in those days, and 
under the circumstances of the flood-tide of 
emigration beyond the mountains, was easy to 
the men who were prudent, shrewd and en- 
terprising. In 1852, the crowd moving across 
the plains was immense. No prospective 
hardship could daunt those who were on 
their way to seek gold in the wilds of Cali- 
fornia, or formed part of the great caravan on 
its way to the " City of the Saints." Ferri- 
age across the numerous streams westward 
was a necessaiy part of the great business. 
It had its great hazards and risks, but its 
pecuniary rewards corresponded with the na- 
ture of the enterprise. Four persons, two of 
them J. B. Stutsman and William Powers, 
already named, in 1851, establishel the fer- 
ries over the Elkhorn and the Loup Fork 
Rivers, on the trail to Salt Lake. Their 
earnings for the season were $50,000 in gold, 
which was divided by making four- even piles 
of $20 gold pieces, instead of counting it in 
the usual way. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



91 



Henry Miller, a prominent Mormon, squat- 
ted on a tract of land which included the 
ground now occupied by the Pacific House 
and the park, on Pearl street. As was the 
case with all the other occupants in 1851, it 
was simply a claim, with the title in the 
United States and uusui-veyed by authority. 
Samuel S. Bayliss, a native of Fauquier 
County, Va. , became the second owner of the 
claim and the log house thereon. He also 
became the owner of about 400 acres of claims, 
including the Miller tract. A curious inci- 
dent of his journey to Kanesville is related 
of him by Mr. Bloomer, in his published An- 
nals of Pottawattamie County. Mr. Bayliss 
started from St. Louis on the steamboat Sa- 
luda. 'When the vessel reached Lexington. 
Mo., he became alarmed at its unsafe con- 
dition, and. refusing to proceed farther on 
that craft, went ashore. He had scarcely 
left the boat ten minutes, when she blew up, 
the captain and over one hundred passengers 
losing their lives. Joseph D. Bayliss, the 
brother of Samuel S. Bayliss, came soon 
afterward, and they, with their families, were 
residents oE Council Bluffs for many years. 
Joseph D. Bayliss, however, went to the 
Utah silver mining country in 1873, and 
Samuel S. Bayliss died here in 1874. John 
T Baldwin. William C. James, A. J. Bump, 



Capt. D. B. Clark and Stephen T. Carey 
came to the settlement during the same year. 
All-. Baldwin entered into the mercantile 
business, and, step by step, grew to wealth. 
Among other things in the many years of 
his prosperous and enterprising career, he 
was at the head of the Pacific National Bank, 
was the moving spirit in the establishment of 
the present system of street railways, was 
Mayor of the city in 1877, represented the 
county in the Legislature for one term, gave 
large personal efforts to the attainment of 
this point as a railway center, rebuilt the Og- 
den House when destroyed by fire in the 
fall of 1874, and, amidst all his other .duties 
and responsibilities, exerted a large influence 
as a Republican, both in local. State and na- 
tional affairs. William C. James entered 
upon the career of a lawyer and rapidly ac- 
quired a lucrative business. He subsequent- 
ly became County Judge, Mayor of the city 
for several terms, has all his life been an ac- 
tive Democratic politician, acquired wealth, 
and by his public spirit properly directed, 
has aided in a remai'kable degree in the de- 
velopment of the city. Both he and Mr. 
Baldwin are still in the prime of life, and 
look with wonder and admiration upon a 
city that has grown to such proportions in a 
mere span of human life. 




9i 



HISTORY or POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XIV* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— JUDGE SLOAN— FIRST TERM OF COURT— FIRST BAR— FIRST CASE TRIED— STATE 
AGAINST ROBERT AND MARGARET KEYS— HUMOROUS SCENE IN THE 
TRIAL— UNIQUE CHARGE TO THE JURY. 

TN judicial matters, this county, when organ- 
-*- ized, became a part of the Sixth Judicial 
District. James Sloan was the District 
Judge. He was an Irishman by birth, of 
light build, nervous in temperament, and pos- 
sessed considerable of the humor and wit for 
which his race is famous. His attainments 
in the law were by no means remarkable, and 
in the administration of justice he was not 
hampered by any of the mere technical rules 
which make forensic hair-plitting such a tine 
field for the acute lawyer. 

The first term of that court began on the 
5th day of May, 1851. Alexander Macrae 
was then the Sheriff, and Evan M. Green, 
the Clerk; J. C. Little, J. L. Stiles, William 
M. Lecomi")te, Hadley D. Johnson, A. C. Ford 
and Jonathan M. Bassett were attorneys 
practicing at that term, at that frontier bar, 
and seem to be the only ones then browsing 
among litigants for retainers. The petit 
jurors were Andrew J. Sharp<*, George W. 
Ai'mstrong, Gilman Merrill, James H. Glines, 
Benjamin E. Bullock, Daniel S. Jackson, 
George W. Slade, Zebidee Cotterin, Cyril E. 
Brown, Warren Austin, Orlando H. Godfi-ey, 
Lewis M. Kline and Jude Allen. There was 
no such an office as District Attorney then 
known in the State, and the court appointed 
William M. Lecompte, Prosecuting Attorney. 

The first case on the docket was that of the 
State of Iowa, by Abner Johnson, against Ed 
O. Beebe, an appeal in an assault and battery 
case fi'om the judgment of Jacob DeGraw, a 
Justice of the Peace, and it was dismissed on 
the motion of the Prosecuting Attorney. 



*By Col. John H. Keatley. 



The first civil case was that of Jacob Myers 
against Abner Johnson, in an attachment 
suit, and, on motion, the writ was quashed. 
The first case tried to a jury was that of 
the case of the State of Iowa against Robert 
Keys and Margaret Keys, charged in the in- 
dictment with breaking into the store of C. 
O. Mynster and stealing some boots and 
handkerchiefs. Mr. Little assisted the prose- 
cution, and Mr. Stiles and Mi\ Sharpe con- 
ducted the defense. A perusal of the record 
of that case at this late day, and when nearly 
all the actors in the affair are in their graves, 
leaves the impression that they were building 
a forensic monument of some kind. The de- 
bates of counsel, the rulings of the court, the 
charge to the jury, and the exact testimony of 
each witness, are recorded as an essential part 
of the history of the case, giving a faint out- 
line and a faded impression of what must 
have been the ludicrous character of some of 
the incidents of the trial. A. Hogai'th alone 
would be competent to give the real coloring 
to what evidently bordered on the burlesque. 
The prosecution wanted to try Robert Keys 
first, the defense having severed in their 
trials. Little urged that Mrs. Keys should 
be first put in jeopardy, and said that the 
State of Iowa did not present this bill for 
the sake of prosecution, but "to seethe laws 
of the State of Iowa magnified. " Mr. Sharpe, 
who was with Mr. Stiles in the defense at 
this stage, wanted to deliver himself of a 
speech, but the court objected to hearing him, 
and the record says: " The Judge held his 
position." John M. Bell was the first wit- 
ness. He was an olficer intrusted with a 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



93 



searcli warrant to examine the premises of 
the Keys family, in order to tind the stolen 
goods. When he and Mr. Mynster got there, 
they met Keys, and the latter toldthe witness 
that his wife had been insulted by Mynster. 
He said: " Keys went into the honse and 
took his sword that was hanging on a nail, 
and told his wife to go back into the out- 
building, and the first man that insulted her 
he would take his d — d head off. " He then 
went to the out-building, sword in hand, 
stood guard over it and said he would defend 
the rights of his wife. The witness says he 
then took Keys into custody, and found un- 
matched boots under the building, which 
they upset with Mrs. Keys inside of it. The 
Judge took Mr. Mynster in hand, and asked 
him some questions: 

" Do yon know if Robert Keys stole any- 
thing from you ? " 

" I cannot swear to it. " 

" Did you ever know Rol^ert Keys to have 
these boots in his possession? " 

"I do not." 

" Did yon speak of irons that you lost ?" 

" I did. We lost Hat-irons." 

"Did you find them?" 

" Yes; in my own back building." 

Upon cross-examination, Mrs. Maria Myn- 
ster answered some questions: 

"' Do you know of Mr. Keys stealing those 
boots?" 

"Yes, sir; I never saw him; his own con- 
science condemns him. " 

George Doughty, many years afterward 
Sheriff of the county, was ne!i.t on the witness 
stand, and said that " Keys came into Jack- 
son's store and stated that Mynster's store 
had been robbed, and that Mynster was get- 
ting out a search-warrant for all Kanesville. " 
Ann Cowen thought she could distinguish 
the spots on the yellow handkerchiefs. Sev- 
eral speeches were made at this stage of the 



case on a motion to quash the indictment, 
when the court broke in by saying that " he 
had given much indulgence to the bar on 
both sides, and he wished no more litigation 
on that point," and overruled the motion. 
Mrs. Keys said her husband was in bed at 
10 o'clock the night of the crime, f=nd did 
not leave home until next morning. She 
said that she was in the back building, and 
got mad when she heard Mynster coming. 

The charge of the court to the jury is a 
specimen and an exemplar. It is here re- 
produced entire, as follows; 

Ge><tlemen op the Jdrt; 

I wish to address 3'ou. I am weak. I cannot be 
expected to speak long. I do not wish to. You have 
taken upon you to try this ease, and a true verdict 
give. It has been told you that a part of you 
should come out of the jury room and a part re- 
main, and the jury be discharged. This is to be the 
last resort. The laws of Iowa have been so framed 
as to prevent evasion. It is provided, that if you 
do not find the charge in the bill sufficiently proved 
in testimony, but lind a lower degree of the same 
nature of crime, it is then for you to act thereon. 
You will not take into consideration to act on any 
evidence that is not founded on fact, and is not 
satisfactory, and you will be aware that much ex- 
traneous matter has been introduced, the more 
solid, as well by the prosecution as by the de- 
fense. The manner in whicli this case came up, 
I was satisfied what course would be taken. First, 
the defense tried to get the other bill dropped and 
to have this one tried, and when they did not suc- 
ceed they took up the other and agreed to separate 
trials, and when the prosecution came to prosecute 
the bill they again arose, demanding that this case 
should be tried, and the prosecuting attorney with- 
drew the other bill and consented to try this, or I 
should have held them to the other. 

The record says that the court referred the 
jury to such " sections of the law as he 
thought would be necessary for them to ex- 
amine." After this lucid instruction, the 
jury brought in a verdict of "Not Guilty," 
and the case against Mrs. Keys was dismissed. 
How near the session of the court was held to 
the nearest saloon, the record does not disclose. 



94 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, 



CHAPTER XV.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS -PAWNEE AND OMAHA INDIANS— TRAIL TO FORT DES MOINES— A TEN DAYS' 
JOURNEY- POST OFFICE ESTABLISHED— JUDGE JAMES AND CONTEMPT OF COURT— OCEAN 
WAVE SALOON— FIRST LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE— FIRST NEWSPAPER- 
THOMAS H. BENTON, Jr.— FIRST GENTILE PREACHER, MOSES F. SHINN. 

"A /FIXED with the white population of the 
-'-'-'- village were the Indians of the Pawnee 
and the Omaha tribes. For months at a time 
they were encamped on the outskirts of the 
village, and lounged about the streets in 
filthy and curious idleness. They were mere 
scavengers; in fact, the only ones in the 
place, and learned little from the whites ex- 
cept their vices, and, in the indulgence of the 
latter, were, in numerous instances, the sole 
means of administerincr to them. 

The trail toward Fort Des Moines during 
this year became pretty well defined. A 
small hack was the only apology for a public 
conveyance diu'ing the entire distance, and 
about ten days were employed in making the 
round trip. The post office had been estab- 
lished in 1848, but no mail route was ordered 
or authorized by a stage line until 1833, the 
mails in the meantime coming by the river. 
Hyde's new hall, on Madison street, was pur- 
chased by the County Judge for $200, in 
1852, for court house purposes, and used for 
quite a number of years. Near it was built 
a jail of Cottonwood logs, that became his- 
toric in its way, and especially in one nota- 
ble instance, when Judge S. H. Riddle sent 
Judge James, his boon companion, to prison 
for a contempt of court. At the junction of 
Madison street and Broadway, where the 
First Methodist Church now stands, was the 
famous Ocean Wave, a saloon and gambling 



*D.v Col. John H. Keatley. 



house, notorious as far as the obscurest min- 
ing camp on the Sacramento River. For 
that day, it was a magnificent structure. It 
was in the very heart of the business portion 
of the town. It had all the appointments 
and attractions of a place of that kind. At 
any hour in the night, in the glare of lamps, 
fed with whale oil, the dulcet notes of the 
fiddle, quivering out afar over the soft air of 
summer, invited the homeless voyager to its 
selfish hospitality. Crowds of eager men — 
young, old and in middle life, thronged its 
doors, precincts and tables, booted, belted, 
spurred and armed and equipped for any 
emergency of frontier life. Men of nerve 
were then admired, whether they exhibited 
it in a hazardous stake at the cards, by drink- 
ing deeper than their comrades, or in resent- 
ing an injury, fancied or real. 

Henry Miller, who sold his claim to Bay- 
liss, and who afterward moved to Salt Lake 
City, was the first Representative of the 
county in the Legislature, and was elected 
in 1851. In this connection it may also be 
stated that Archibald S. Bryant, who removed 
to Kanesville from Putnam County, Mo., in 
1852, became the second member of the 
House in the General Assembly from the 
county. Upon his settling here, ho jiurchased 
a large number of Mormon claims of tovra 
lots, and when an opportunity was given to 
perfect the title from the United States, he 
availed himself of the right, became the real 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



95 



owner, and living at this date, to an age of 
fully eighty years, is still the proprietor cf 
some of the most valuable of the lots thus 
secured by him. 

G. A. Robinson and William A. Robins'jn 
came here in 1851. Both of them are still 
residents. With them came a brother ^lartin, 
who afterward moved farther West. G. A. 
Robinson built a hotel of logs, a little farther 
west on Broadway than the Ocean Wave, and 
christened it the Robinson Kouse, and for 
quite a number of years it was one of the 
most popular and most prosperous hostleries 
on the frontier. G. A. Robinson was after- 
ward elected Prosecuting Attorney, conduct- 
ing his business as an attorney in connection 
with that of hotel keeping. 

Two weekly newspapers were published at 
that date — the Frontier Guardian, estab- 
lished by Orson Hyde in 1848. and the Bugle, 
by A. W. Babbitt, in 1850. The office of the 
latter stood then on the north side of Broad- 
way, and about four rods from the street, 
near Indian Creek. It afterward passed into 
the hands of Joseph E. Johnson, and was 
published until 1879, after having passed 
through a varied ownership, including L. W. 
Babbitt and the writer of these annals. 
While the Bugle was owned by Johnson, it 
was under Mormon influence, and had a 
Democratic leaning, in all cases, however, 
making political considerations subservient 
to the interests of the church. Orson Hyde 
removed to Salt Lake in 1852, and took with 
him a portion of the printing material used 
in the publication of the Guardian, the re- 
mainder passing into the office of the Bugle, 
and the Guardian as a Kanesville paper was 
suspended. 

In 1851, the county cast a vote of 397 in 
favor of Woodward, the Whig candidate for 
State Superintendent of Public Instruction, 
as against 51 for Thomas H. Benton, Jr., the 



Democratic caadidate, and who was a nephew 
of the gi-eat Missouri Senator, "Old Bullion," 
as he was called by his admirers. Thomas 
H. Benton, Jr., when the civil war broke out, 
became the Colonel of the Twenty-ninth Iowa 
Infantry, and subsequently, a Brigadier Gen- 
eral of volimteers, serving to the close of the 
war. In 1857, he was engaged in banking 
in Council Blufi's. His death occurred in 
1879, at St. Louis, and his remains were tak- 
en to Marshalltown, la. , and placed by the 
side of those of his wife, who died at the 
latter place in 1869. His only surviving 
child is a married daughter, living in St. 
Louis. 

The vote of Pottawattamie County, in 1852, 
for President, stood 111 for Gen. Winfield 
Scott, the Whig candidate, and 182 for Gen. 
Franklin Pierce, the Democratic candidate. 
This, however, is no criterion of the popula- 
tion of Kanesville at that date. It only in- 
dicates, in a degree, those who had taken up 
their permanent residence in the county, and 
especially in Kanesville. There was a float- 
ing population that varied according to the 
exigencies of emigration, aggregating, at 
times, thousands of people who had no other 
shelter than tents and wagons, and ofteu, 
simply tree tops. 

Up to 1852, no other religious or sectarian 
influj^ce sought a permanent foothold at 
Kanesville than the Church of the Latter- 
Day Saints. Now and then, some lonely and 
adventurous missionary, on his way to Cali- 
fornia, during the halt here, attempted to ex- 
hort some of the hundreds of sinners of all 
kinds to repentance; but it was seldom that 
he could induce men to jJ'iuse long enough 
in their eagerness, to obtain hearerb or make 
an impression. In many respects, the mot- 
ley crowd were simply American Arabs. 

As far as it can be ascertained, the first 
sermon ever preached here was by the Rev. 



\ I 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



William Eector,of Fremont County, in 1848; 
he afterward died in the military service 
during the civil war. William Simpson, a 
pioneer preacher of the Iowa Conference of 
the Methodist Episcopal Chiu'ch, came from 
the eastern part of the State, in 1850, in 
search of some horses stolen by emigrants. 
He found the community sadly in need of 
some religious and moral influence. Ee- 
tiu'ning home, he reported to the church au- 
thorities the exact condition of the people 
here and its necessities. He was sent, there- 
fore, by the Bishop to begin missionary work 
and establish a society. Coming back the 
same year, he entered upon his arduous task 
with all the energy, zeal and self-sacrifice 
which characterized the pioneers in Method- 
ism, and continued to do itinerant work un- 
til 1852, when he was appointed Presiding 
Elder, and was succeeded by the Rev. Moses 
F. Shiun. Mi\ Simpson died many years 
afterward, in Hem-y County, continuing in 
the active ministry to the day of his death. 
The fii-st church edifice of this society was 
built on what is now known as Pierce street, 
almost directly in the rear of the Ogden 
House. From time to time, under the rules 
of the church, the pastorate of the society 
was changed, until 1865, when the Eev. E. 
L. Flemming and the Eev. Joseph Knotts were 
sent here by Bishop Simpson to use their en- 
deavors to secure the erection of a church 
edifice that would comport with the growth 
and importance of the society and the city. 
The Eev. Moses T. Shinn was still here. He 
and C. E. Stone, a Virginian by birth, a law- 
yer by profession and a participant in the 
Black Hawk war of 1833, were zealous with 
INIi-. Flemming, JIi-. Knotts and the Eev. J. S. 
Eand in the erection of thejjresent handsome 
and substantial brick edifice occupying the 
site of the famous Ocean Wave. Mr Shinn 
is a resident of Omaha, has reached a vip& 



old age, and witnessed the expansion of the 
village of Kauesville to two cities, one on 
each side of the Missouri Eiver, with an ag- 
gregate population of more than 60,000 per- 
sons. 

Not only did the Methodist Episcopal 
Church undertake to establish a congi-egation 
here, but, on the 15th of November, 1851, 
the Eev. G. G. Eice, who is still a resident 
of Council Bluffs, began his labors under the 
most discovu'aging circumstances, as a Con- 
gregational minister. He states the popula- 
tion then at from two to three thousand, vary- 
ing, of course, according to the tide of emi- 
gration, four-fifths of them Mormons, and 
very few of them here with an idea of re- 
maining, and nearly all of them occupying 
temporary and rnde shelter. The Gentiles 
in the village were mostly impatiently wait- 
ing for the spring trade. The first services 
held by him were in the log court house on 
Madison street. Quite a number of the Lat- 
ter-Day Saints, includingsome of their Bish- 
ops and their families, listened to his preach- 
ing. He and the few acting with him, then 
rented a log house on the north side of 
Broadway, between Bryant and Market 
streets, on the ground occupied by the pres- 
ent Bryant House. 

There was preaching every Sunday; a Sun- 
day school was organized and a Wednesday 
evening prayer-meeting established. There 
were in the town at that time only two fami- 
lies of orthodox Christians. One of these 
was that of a merchant belonging to the 
Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, and the 
other that of the Methodist Episcopal minis- 
ter, Mr. Simjjson, already mentioned. The 
latter and Mi\ Eice, alternately, preached to 
a congregation of from fifteen to twenty per- 
sons, and the Sunday school had from twenty 
to thirty children. In the spi'ing of 1852, a 
large house was purchased, on the north side 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



97 



of Middle Broadway. Emigration mainly 
ceased by the middle of July, the trains hav- 
ing gone forward over the " plains, " and the 
population of the town was thereby reduced to 
about 500. The cholera broke out among those 
who remained, and many persons died from it. 
When emigration was resumed iu the 
spring of 1853, a congregation was formed, 
on the 12th day of June, and a church society 
organized with eight members. Five of 
these were Congregationalists, two of them 
Presbyterians and one of them a Free- Will 
Baptist. In the autumn of the same year, 
the house which they owned jointly with the 
Methodist Episcopal society, was sold, and, 
until 1855, the services were held at the resi- 
dence of IVIr. Rice. In the latter year, they 



erected a plain, substantial brick edifice, on 
the east side of Peai'l street, opposite the 
Park, on the lot of ground just north of J. J. 
Brown's three-story brick store-room, now oc- 
cupied by Smith & Crittenden for wholesale 
purposes. The struetui'e was destroyed by 
fire in 1872. In 1869, the society began the 
erection of a handsome frame chiu'ch at the 
southwest corner of Sixth street and Seventh 
avenue. The building was already inclosed, 
and possessed an elegant tower, in April, 1870, 
when a tornado swept over the city and re- 
duced the church, all but the brick basement, 
to fragments. It was rebuilt in a short time, 
and now constitutes the place of worship of one 
of the most floui'ishing religious societies in 
the city. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— FIRST SCHOOL— FR.\NCIS A. BROWN FIRST TE.\CHER— JAMES B. RUE— FIRST 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS— ORIGIN OF NAME OF COUNCIL BLUFFS — THE CITY INCORPORATED— 

CITY GOVERNMENT SUSPENDED — BAYLISS PARK LITIGATION— FIRST BRICK 

HOUSE— THE SAMUELS MURDER— LYNCH LAW— FRED LORD MURDER. 



'■y^HE educational interests of Council Bluffs 
^ were not neglected from the very first. 
The first school — a private one — of which there 
is any memorandum or recollection, was by a 
Gentile teacher, whose name is forgotten, in 
a building directly east of the Broadway 
Methodist Church, and in the rear of whnt 
was then the Ocean Wave saloon. The next 
school remembered was by a Mormon teach- 
er, named Francis A. Brown, in 1853, in the 
old log court house, on Madison street. In 
the same year, James B. Rue opened a pri- 
vate school in a small wooden building, on 
the south side of Washington avenue, on the 
second lot west of the junction of North Main 
street with that avenue, in Mj-nster's Ad- 

•By Col.J.ihn IT. Kfntlcy. 



dition. Mr. Rue and his wife came from 
Kentucky. He was a ripe scholar, a grad- 
uate of a Kentucky College, and an experi- 
enced and successful educator. He remained 
here many years, reared a large family, and 

engaged in the sale of furniture and in trad- 
er o 

ing, a portion of the time being Principal 
of the public high school after it was organ- 
ized. He also took part in the organization, 
and, during his residence, was a member of 
the Presbyterian Chm'ch. He and his family 
removed permanently to Santa Rosa, Cal. , in 
1877. 

The public schools were first opened, in 
1854, in the old Methodist Church, on Pierce 
street, in the rear of the present Ogden 
House. The historv of the growth and de 



98 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



velopment of these will receive the proper 
attention in detail more appropriately in 
another place. During 1853 and 1854, two 
ladies by the name of Rockwell conducted a 
private school, one of them now being Mrs. 
S. N. Porterfield, of Atlantic, and for many 
years of her married life a resident of Coun- 
cil Bluffs. 

The post office was changed in name from 
Kanesville to Council Bluffs, in the begin- 
ning of the year 1853, and to conform to 
that change, the name of the village was also 
altered during the same period. It was un- 
derstood by some tradition preserved by the 
Indians, and also by the employes of the fur 
company, that Lewis and Clarke, in 1804, 
when passing up the river, had met some of 
the Indians near this spot, in council, and to 
materialize that tradition, the new town 
eventually received the name which it now 
bears. It was given its new name on the 
19th day of January, 1853. At that date, 
there were no restrictions upon the Legisla- 
tiu-e, in the matter of granting sjjecial char- 
ters to cities, and accordingly, at the session 
of that year, and on the 24th of February, 
the act passed creating Council Bluffs an in- 
corporated city. Hadley D. Johnson was 
in the Senate from this district, and Archi- 
bald S. Bryant represented the county 
in the House gi'anting these municipal fran- 
chises. The first election of city officers 
took place on the first Monday in April of 
that year, when the following officers and 
Council were elected: Cornelius Voorhis, as 
Mayor; W. H. Robinson, City Recorder and 
Clerk to the Council; M. W. Robinson, City 
Marshal; S. S. Bayliss, Rev. G. G. Rice, 
Stephen T. Carrey, L. O. Littletield, L. M. 
Klein, Joseph E. Johnson, J. K. Cook and 
J. B. Stutsman, Councilmen. There was a 
quorum present at the first meeting of the 
Council, but J. K. Cook and J. B. Stutsman 



absented themselves, and were fined $5 each 
for the neglect of duty. The Council ap- 
pointed A. D. Jones City Surveyor; G. P. 
Stiles, City Attorney; Isaac Beebe, Street Su- 
pervisor, and G. A. Robinson, Chief of the 
Fire Company. The public lands were not 
then in market. They had been siu-veycd 
under the direction of the Washington Land 
Department, in 1851 and 1852, in the county, 
but at the date of the organization of the 
city under the new charter, each occupant 
was either a mere squatter, or the holder of a 
claim through some prior squatter, and no tax 
on lands and lots could be levied. It is a 
fact that it became a serious question, whether 
a city government under such circumstances 
could exist, and, as there was no revenue to 
maintain it, except about S2S0 assessed as 
licenses upon saloons and gambling houses, 
for the first six months of munipcial existence, 
the Mayor, Mr. Voorhis, resigned, and the 
government ceased to exist for almost two 
years, and until the title to the lots and lands 
became vested in the citizens. 

During this abeyance of titles in the lands, 
Mr. Bayliss decided to lay out the claim ac- 
quired by him from Henry Miller, into town 
lots, and his first plat for Bayliss' First Ad- 
dition was filed on the 15th of June, 1853. 
This includes the ground occupied by the 
Pacific House, and all the lots on the west side 
of Main street, southward from Broadway, and 
OTi both sides of Pearl street, embracing what 
is now known as Baylis.s' Park, on the west 
side of Pearl street and one square south of 
Broadway. The Park grounds were donated 
by him to the county, as he claimed, for a 
site upon which to erect a county court house. 
When the county authorities came to locate 
the present court house, they disregarded Mr. 
Bayliss' alleged gift, and purchased lots in 
the square immediately south of the present 
park, and declined to use the latter for court 




J ■-JA^ 





HISTORY or POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



101 



house purposes. About ten years after the 
original donation, and after the dedication 
of the adjoining streets to public use, by Mr. 
Bayliss. the city began to exercise control 
over the park, without any objection on his 
part, so far as ever known, and planted trees 

and eventually inclosed the same, and exer- 
cised some care over it. 

About twenty years after the original do- 
nation by him to the county, he brought suit 
against tho county, in the State courts, to 
set aside the original gift and to resume it. 
During the pendency of the action, he died 
here, and his widow, in whose name the suit 
was afterward prosecuted, as administratrix, 
removed to Nebraska City. Being thus a 
citizen of another State, she obtained a trans- 
fer of the case fi'om the State courts to the 
United States Circuit Coiu't for Iowa, and 
when it came on for heai'ing in the latter. 
Judge Dillon, of that coiu't. decided against 
the plaintiff and in favor of the city, on the 
following grounds: It seems that two sepa- 
rate plats of that particular forty acres were 
recorded by IMi'. Bayliss. The park tract 
was designated by him as "P. S.," meaning 
public square. Judge Dillon held that as be- 
tween the estate of Mr. Bayliss and the city 
of Council Bluffs, this constituted a complete 
dedication to the public. In deciding this 
point, he said: "The city was incorporated 
before either of the plats was recorded. The 
statute declares that the acknowledgment and 
the recording of such a plat is equivalent to 
a deed in fee simple of such portion of the 
land as is herein set apart for the i^ublic use. 
* * The city is the representative of the 
public rights in the square. It was called by 
him a public square in his dedication." The 
Buit was brought by Air. Bayliss against the 
county, but the city, to protect its rights in 
the controversy, intervened. The case was 
decided in 1S78, the United States Circuit 



Court then being constituted by Judges John 
F. Dillon and James M. Love. No appeal 
was taken to the United States Sujsreme 
Court, and there the matter has rested ever 
since, with the title to the park quieted in 
the city of Council Bluffs, and has now be- 
come one of its brightest ornaments and most 

o 

delightful resorts. 

The ±ii-st brick house ever built in the 
city was erected in the year 1853 by William 
C. James, on the south side of Broadway, in 
Bayliss' First Addition, on the third lot west 
of Center, or First, street, as it is now desig- 
nated. It was a one-story residence, and is 
still standing, the projaerty and home of Ja- 
cob H. Rogers. The second was a one-story 
brick, still standing on the west side of Main 
street, on the second lot south of Willow 
street, or First avenue. The third was by 
P. J. McMahon and Dr. S. E. Williams, a 
double brick residence, on the west side of 
Bancroft street, about 850 feet south of its 
junction with Broadway. That building was 
removed to give place to others of a different 
character, in 1878. About the same time. 
Stephen T. Carey erected a one-story brick 
dwelling, at the southwest corner of Main 
street and First avenue, which was subse- 
quently occupied and owned by Dr. P. J. Mc- 
Mahon, and removed, in 1882, to give place 
to the brick block erected by E. L. Shugart 
for the use, in part, of the Citizens' Bank, 
organized during the latter year. Adjoining 
the lot occupied formerly by the brick dwell- 
ing erected by Drs. McMahon and S. E. 
Williams, is a frame dwelling, which has an 
historic value in this, that it was the home of 
Gen. Grenville M. Dodge at the breaking- 
out of tile civil war, aud continued to be liis 
home during that conflict, and afterward 
while he served in Congress for a dis- 
trict which extended from the Des Moines 
River to the Missouri, and included 



102 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



nearly all of Western and Southwestern 
Iowa. 

It is singular, vet nevertheless true, that 
notable crimes, committed in the early his- 
tory of a settlement, are remembered with 
more vividness, and acquire through tradition 
a more fascinating character, than those of a 
recent date, although the latter may be at- 
tended with circumstances of a greater sin- 
gularity. Two mui'ders are remembered with 
great distinctness by the older citizens, the 
first of the kind ever committed, either in the 
town or in the vicinity. It is an indistinct 
recollection, that the otber^ were perpetrated 
about the same time, and the bodies of the 
victims buried on the slope of the hill, on the 
west side of Madison street. It is alleged 
that these were cases of blood- atonement by 
the Danites. The two crimes to which refer- 
ence is now specifically made, were not of 
that character. 

On the 13th of May, 1853, what is now 
known as Glendale, occupied by Market 
street and Glen avenue, on the south side of 
Broadway, was simply an encampment of 
California emigrants. Among the number 
was a man nair.ed Samuels, from Columbus, 
Ohio, and another giving his name as Muir. 
Samuels was found the next morning in his 
wagon, brutally murdered, and his money 
gone. Muir was also missed by those who 
had seen them together the evening before. 
As soon as the crime was known, search be- 
gan for him, and he was caught on a trail 
which led out toward the Mosquito Creek, 
through the woods, in the direction of D. B. 
Clark's, and brought back. He was placed 
in the hands of the Sheriff, to undergo a 
regular trial, the county then having been 
organized, but the crowd of California emi- 
grants was impatient of such a slow process 
of justice, and demanded a more speedy 
method of punishment. Judge Lynch' s Court 



was at once opened, and a jury constituted 
from the settlers and others, and a trial had. 
A. C. Ford was selected to defend the accused, 
and made the best possible effort he could 
under the circumstances, but the evidence 
was so overwhelming against Muir that the 
jiu-y had no difficulty in reaching a verdict 
of guilty. He was tendered spiritual conso- 
lation by the Rev. Moses Shinn, but prompt- 
ly and savagely declined it. An immense 
crowd assembled to witness the execution 
that evening. The culprit was taken to a 
tree, about twenty-five rods from the murdered 
man's wagon, just at sunset. A rope was 
put about his neck and thrown over the limb 
of a tree, and the end of the same attached 
to a mule's neck, and in that way the iniu'- 
derer was swung into eternity. Glen avenue, 
for many years, from that incident, was 
known as " Hangman's Hollow, " and the tree 
upon which Muir expiated his crime, stood 
by the wayside and the street side for a long 
time, shuddered at by old and young in the 
gloaming, and shunned by a superstitious fear. 
When Muir was arrested, no money that 
could be fairly considered as belonging to 
Samtiels, was found on his person, but when 
he found that no mercy was to be granted 
him by the crowd which surrounded the place 
of his execution, he made a statement that he 
had buried the money taken from the wagon 
at the root of a tree, but refused to designate 
the spot. In 1875, while the city authorities 
were opening a street and improving it, on 
the old trail to D. B. Clark's, and on the 
route taken by Muir at the time of his arrest, 
an old stump was dug up by the laborers, and 
from a " pocket " at the decayed roots of it, 
about 8350 in gold and silver, having the 
appearance of being in the ground many 
years, and coin of dates prior to the hanging 
of Muir, rolled out. Circumstances indicated 
that this was about the amount that Samuels 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



103 



had when he reached Council Bluffs, and the 
conclusion was that they had found the cache 
that Muir, even in his dying moments, refused 
to reveal. The money was divided among 
the tive laborers there at work. 

The second murder of which there is still 
some distinct trace, in the circumstances of 
it, was that of Fred Lord, by a man named 
Jim Golden. Both were rude, rough charac- 
ters of the frontier. Lord was a powerfully 
built man, and as strong as a lion. Golden 
was of medium height, and stoutly framed, 
and had a sinister look. They were en 
gaged, dm'ing the summer of 1853, in quar- 
rying stone at Trading Point, on the river a 
few miles south of the city, and one day had 
some disagreement about their business mat- 
ters. Lord's duty was to haul the rock to 
town with an ox-team. On the day in ques- 
tion. Golden attempted to interfere with 
Lord's plans, and the latter abruptly and 
rather profanely resented it. Golden retort- 
ed angrily and left. A short time afterward, 
he went to a cabin in the timber, some dis- 
tance below the quarry, and borrowed a gun, 
saying that he had seen some wild turkeys in 
the brush that he wanted to shoot. Lord 
started toward the city with a load of rock, 
and, as he was passing up the trail, sitting 
on the wagon, a shot from behind tore a hor- 
rible hole in his body, but the shot failed to 
do more than mortally wound him, and he 
fell back upon the load of rock; his oxen 
came up toward town, and he was met and 
cared for. Martin W. Robinson, one of the 
three Robinson brothers, who came here in 
1S5L assisted in taking care of him. As 
Boon as he rallied, he made a dying state- 



ment, and, in response to a question as to 
whether it was Golden who did the shooting, 
he said that he saw Golden as plainly as 
could be, as he turned to step back into the 
woods after he fired. During one of the 
days that he lingered on, he told Robinson 
that they should watch when he was going to 
die, and then give him morphine, so that he 
might die easy. 

Golden was arrested and taken before 
Stiles, a Justice of the Peace. Stiles had all 
the peculiarities of a backwoods character. 
G. A. Robinson conducted the prosecution, 
and Capt. D. W. Price, who had just come 
into the country and began his long and hon- 
orable career as an Iowa lawyer, took chai'ge 
of the defen.se in the preliminary examina- 
tion. The evidence was all in, substantially 
as stated in this narrative, when Price arose 
and said that he supposed Golden would be 
held to answer to the next grand jury, and 
suggested, that, inasmuch as his client was 
poor and. had no friends who could respond 
in bail in any large amount, he hoped the 
surety would be j)laced low. Robinson re- 
sponded that this was not a bailable offense, 
that the crime, whoever committed it. was 
premeditated, and that Golden, if held, 
could only be sent to prison to await the 
session of the District Coui-t. The eloquence 
of Capt. Price had its desired effect. Gi^es 
fixed the bail at $100, and William Powers, 
who had an intense dislike to Lord, promptly 
went on the bond. Golden remained until 
court, the case died in the grand jury room, 
and he eventually disappeared, and was never 
heard of again. Mrs. Sweener, the mother- 
in-law of Lord, still lives in Council Bluffs. 



104 



HISTORY or POTTAWATTAMIE COFNTY. 



CHAPTER XVII.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— JUDGE S. H. RIDDLE'S ELECTION — NO LAWYER BUT A GOOD JUDGE — LAND 

OFFICE OPENED— STREET AND BALLARD APPOINTED— SKETCH OF BALLARD— NOMINATES 

KIRKWOOD— DR. ENOS LOWE AND L. W. BABBITT— FIRST FIRE IN 18.53— TOM 

NEELEY THE DAVY CROCKETT— OPENING OF THE PACIFIC HOUSE 

— JUDGE DOUGLASS — LIFE AND CHARACTER. ' 



n~^HE regular judicial elections in the State 
-*- were held in the spring of 1853, and Sam- 
uel H. Riddle was voted for and received an 
unquestioned majority of all the votes cast. 
He had never been bred to the law — in fact, 
never claimed to be a lawyer, and the can- 
vassing board, for that reason, refused him 
a certificate of election. His opponent, ac- 
cording to well-settled principles, was also 
denied the certificate, and there being thus a 
vacancy, Gov. Hempstead, regarding the 
plain wish of the citizens, ajipointed Riddle 
to serve until the next election. The choice 
of the people and the discrimination of the 
Governor were justified by results. Judge 
Riddle was a Kentuckian by birth, had come 
to St. Joseph, Mo., and engaged in the mer- 
cantile business, and thence to Council 
Bluffs, and was endowed with a remarkable 
degree of plain, common sense, which he car- 
ried with him to the bench. There was a 
quaintness in some of his decisions that fre- 
quently defied definition, according to tech- 
nical rules, and no Judge in Iowa ever re- 
ceived a more uniform approval, through a 
review of the Supreme Coiu't, than he. 

In 1854, be was regularly chosen for the 
full term, and served with great credit to 
himself and with universal approval. Long 
after he left the bench, his opinions and ad- 
vice were sought, and with as full confidence 
as if he had spent his youth in close applica- 
tion to the stiidy of those principles which 

*By Col. John H. Keatley. 



underlie the great lawyer's career. He was 
one of the most affable of men, but on the 
bench was decided, positive and firm, and 
knew neither friend nor foe, being univer- 
sally just. In social life, he mingled in the 
rough pastimes of the frontier. Lawyers at 
the bar who were his associates, when the 
cares of his position were thrown aside, pre- 
sumed, at their j^eril, incom-t, and frequently 
felt the difference between a man as a Judge 
and the same person as a citizen and a com- 
panion in the ordinary enjoyments and affairs 
of life. 

The Council Bluffs Land Office was first 
opened in the spring of 1853. This invited 
another class of residents, in the persons of 
speculators, eager to absorb the rich lands of 
Western Iowa. Eighty-three thousand land- 
warrants had been issued by the Federal 
Government to the troops that had aided in 
the conquest of New Mexico and California, 
and who were with Taylor and Scott in the 
brilliant and brief campaigns from Palo Alto 
to Buena Vista, and from Vera Cruz to the 
City of Mexico. Thousands of these war- 
rants came into the hands of speculators, and 
were located upon Government land in West- 
ern Iowa, through the Council Bluffs Land 
Office. Joseph H. D. Street was the first 
Register, and Dr. S. W. Ballard, the first 
Receiver. The former was the eldest son of 
Gen. Joseph M. Street, who performed an 
important part in the adjustment of the diffi- 
culties with Black Hawk, in 1882 and 1833, 



HISTORY OF rOTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



105 



aiifl was also the Indian agent at what is now 
Agency City, on the Lower Des Moines 
River. Both of the incumbents of the land 
office were Whigs, and received their ap- 
jjointments from President Filmore just at 
the close of his administration, Dr. Bal- 
lard, at the time of his appointment, was 
publishing a Whig newspaper at Iowa City. 
Among those who were serving an apprentice- 
shij) to the art of printing in his office then, 
was Col. W^illiam P. Hepburn, subsequently a 
distinguished Iowa soldier, part of the time on 
the staff of Gen. Phil Sheridan in the Army 
of the Ciimberland, and who became also a 
member of Congress from this, the Eighth 
District of Iowa, from March, 1881, to 
March, 1883. 

Dr. Ballard settled down to a permanent 
residence in W^estern Iowa, and rapidly ac- 
quired lands, until now he is the largest land 
owner in this section of the State. 

In the political revolution of 1854, when 
the Whig party forever disappeared from 
sight, he united his fortunes with the Re- 
publicans, assisting in the formation of the 
party, and presiding over the first convention 
of that organization ever held in Iowa. His 
home is still in Council Bluffs, although 
much of his time in later years has been 
spent by him on his immense prairie farm in 
Audubon County, a few miles north of At- 
lantic. Dr. Ballard is a man of marked per- 
sonal peculiarities, and a notable man in ap- 
pearance. In his prime, he was much over 
six feet in height and of giant frame. Sev- 
eral serious accidents have impaired his 
health and j)hysique, and the once vigorous 
and robust frame has diminished to almost 
childish helplessness. Through all the vicis- 
situdes of the Republican p)arty, he was a 
zealous advocate of its principles, an untiring 
worker and a shrewd politician. His latest 
exploit, in a Rej)ublican convention, was in 



1875. Gen. James B. Weaver, who has since 
become famous as a Greenback Congressman 
from Iowa, and the candidate of that party 
for President, in 1880, came up to the Re- 
publican convention of 1875 with a majority 
of delegates pledged to his support as the 
candidate for Governor. Samuel J. Kirk- 
wood, of Johnson County, the old War Gov- 
ernor, had not been mentioned during the 
preliminary canvass before the convention 
met. When announcements were being made, 
previous to balloting, the stalwart form of 
Dr. Ballard appeared in the arena, he being 
a delegate from Audubon Coimty, and his 
stentorian voice was heard to utter the name 
of Gov. Kirkwood as a candidate. More than 
a score of delegates were on their feet in a 
moment, demanding by what authority this 
surprising announcement was made, and 
whether Kirkwood would accept. Ballard, 
without taking his seat, responded: " In the 
name of the great Republican party. I make 
this nomination, and in its name and for it I 
promise that the great War Governor will 
accept." The effect was electrical. The 
nomination swept the convention like a storm. 
Kirkwood accepted, was elected, became a 
United States Senator, and. in 1881, a mem- 
ber of the cabinet of President Garfield. 

The career of Dr. Ballard and of Mr. 
Street, in the land office, was a short one. 
The administration of Gen. Pierce succeeded 
that of Millard Filmore, on the 4th of March, 
1853, and, in the following June, Dr. Enos 
Lowe and Lysander W. Babbitt, both Demo- 
crats, came from the eaatern part of the State 
to assume the two offices respectively. Dr. 
Lowe was a resident of Biu'lington at the 
date of his appointment, and Mr. Babbitt's 
home was on the Des Moines River. Dr. 
Lowe eventually became a citizen of Omaha, 
and took an active part in the founding ot 
that city, and died there, several years ago, 



106 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



highly honored by her people. Mr. Babbitt 
continued to reside in Council Bluffs, in 
1868, serving in the Legislature; also several 
terms as Mayor, at various times, and, in 
1881, removed to Beebe, in the State of Ar- 
kansas, which now is his permanent home. 
He was also the editor and publisher of the 
daily and the weekly Bugle, dui'ing a large 
portion of the existence of that paper, and 
during its vicissitudes held it to its duty as 
the standard of the Democratic party. 

It may be of some interest to know that 
the first entry made at the Council Bluffs 
Land Office was by Joseph D. Lane, the sec- 
ond by Jacob Bush and the third by Mrs. 
Maria Mynster. the tract of the latter iuclud- 
ing what is now known as Mynsters Addition 
to the city, on the north side of Indian 
Creek, and extending northward beyond 
Mynster's Springs, where this venerable old 
lady has her beautiful and romantic home. 

Among the necessary improvements made 
in the part of the city embraced in the local- 
ity just referred to, was the erection of a 
water-mill, at a point about one-third of the 
length of Scott street, from Washington ave- 
nue, and where the bluff slopes to the west. 
Indian Creek, though only a crooked, devious, 
shallow brook, was utilized and dammed 
above Market street, the water carried north- 
westward, in a race which crossed what is 
now Washington avenue, where the City 
Mills stand, and to the mill in question. 
Traces of this primitive water-way are still 
visible at several points, though every other 
vestige of the mill has long since disappeared. 
That was the last and only effort made to em- 
ploy this hckle stream for any other piu'pose 
than drainage and sewerage. 

The first tire that is noted in the annals of 
the city occurred on the 11th of November, 
1853. Twenty-five buildings, nearly all of 
them log houses, standing in a grouj) in the 



vicinity of the junction of Madison street and 
Broadwaj', were consumed. Stutsman & 
Donnell, E. B. Pegram and Tootle & Jack- 
son were the pi'incipal sufferers. The Bugle 
office was also seriously damaged. 

An incident characteristic of frontier life 
was attached to this fire. Thomas B. Neeley, 
an eccentric individual of the Davy Crockett 
species, had emigrated from Indiana and set- 
tled in a lonely cabin, on the borders of what 
afterward became Monona, and Harrison 
counties, and lived in that remote spot as a 
bachelor long before he had any neighbors. 
By and by settlers siUTounded him, and. in 
the turn of the political wheel, he was chosen 
to the Legislature in 1853. To make a re- 
sjiectable appearance at the capital of the 
State, he came to Council Bluffs in his fron- 
tier garb and bought a new suit of clothes 
and a satchel. With these he intended to 
surprise his fellow-members from the more 
fortunate districts in the eastern part of the 
new State. The young woman whom he in- 
tended as his wife was living at D. B. Clark's, 
and, going out there that evening to see her, 
he concluded that he would leave his new 
clothes at Tootle & Jackson's store, and wear 
them for the first time at the State Capital. 
That night the store was destroyed by fire, 
and with it his new satchel and its contents. 
Nothing daunted, he went his way, dressed 
as he came, and when he appeiired in his 
seat in the House, his uncouth appearance 
and garb were the wonder of his fellow-mem- 
bers. One of them, with more nerve and as- 
siu-ance than the rest, approached Neeley 
with the inquiry: "Why is it that they don't 
send men here from your jiart of the State 
that seem to know more than you do, IVIr. 
Neelay ? " " I don't know any other reason," 
replied Mr. Neeley, " than that it is because I 
am the only one out there who has clothes 
good enough to come." With all his oddi- 



HISTOEY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



107 



ties, he was a useful member, and at the end 
of his term settled down again to hunting, 
farming, in a way, fishing and telling stories, 
of the latter of which he had an abundanc, 
with much native wit, and, having reared a 
large family in frontier style, much after the 
manner of Rip Van Winkle, and growing 
restless of his surroundings, in 1881, he hied 
away to ^'ashington Territory, with all he 
had, to begin the world over in the virgin 
forest. Like Daniel Boone, when he left 
Kentucky for Missouri, he began to feel that 
he was crowded, and wanting more elbow 
room, sought it on the Pacific coast 

An event notable in that day was the opening 
of the Pacific House, on Christmas, liSoS. The 
extraordinary influx of strangers dui'ing the 
summer, prompted S. S. Bayliss to build a 
new hotel in the addition laid out by him, 
and this resulted in the erection of the Pacific 
House, where it now stands on Broadway, 
opposite the junction of Pearl street with the 
latter. At first, it did not cover the space 
that it now includes. The three-story brick 
" L " on the west side was added in 1869, 
destroyed by tire in the winter of 1871, and 
rebuilt two years later. For many yenrs, 
this constituted the principal hotel in the 
city, and until the erection of the Ogden 
House, in the summer of 1869. 

Council Bluffs, dm'ing the winter of 1853 
and the spring and summer of 1854, received 
many accessions of citizens, who performed 
an important part in its development, and 
who have, under all circumstances, adhered 
to its fortune, good or ill. Among these were 
Addison Cochran, A. V. Larimer and Judge 
R. L. Douglass. Col. Cochran is a native of 
Loudoun County, Va., having been born near 
Hillsboro, a few miles from Harper' .s Ferry. 
Being of an adventurous disposition, as a 
young man, he took part in the war for 
Texan independence, and participated in tpiite 



a number of the actions which formed the 
prominent events of that notable conflict. He 
engaged in the real estate business upon 
coming to Council Bluffs, and pursued that 
for many years. In 1878, he became Mayor 
of Covmcil Bluffs, having served in the Coun- 
cil in 1S5S, 1859, 1800 and 1861. During 
the last three years, he has spent most of his 
time improving and cultivating a large farm 
in the river bottom, in the vicinity of Little 
Sioux, in Harrison County. 

Judge Douglass, who came to Council 
Bluffs in 1851, was born at Hagerstown, Md., 
and removed to Indiana in his youth. In 
the latter State, he studied law, and after 
practicing his profession there for some 
years, came here to resume it. His great 
force of character soon assigned him a leading 
position in local aflairs. His professional suc- 
cess was positive, and all his business enter- 
prises brought him wealth and independence. 
In 1855, he became City Attorney, and held 
that oflice dui-ing that year, when C. E. Stone 
was Mayor, and also during the next year, 
1850, when Capt. D. T\'. Price was Mayor. 
Mr. Douglass became a member of the City 
Council in 1864, and served the term of two 
years, and was again chosen, in 1806, for 
another two years. In 1873, he was again 
chosen for a full term, which he served. 
The Legislature which met in January, 
1868, for the purpose of increasing the facili- 
ties for administering justice in the rapidly 
expanding interests of the State, constituted 
two Circuit Judges and two separate circuits 
in each of the twelve judicial districts into 
which Iowa was then divided. At the No- 
vember election of that year, Mr. Douglass 
was chosen one of those Judges for this, the 
then Third Judicial District, for a term of four 
years, in the circuit embracing Council Bluffs; 
and James W. McDill, at present a United 
States Senator, was chosen the other Circuit 



108 



HISTORY OF pottaavatta:mie COVXTY. 



Judge for theterritoiy embracingbisliome, Af- 
tou, in Uniou County. Judge James Gr. Day. 
of Fremont County, since then and for several 
terms one of the Judges of the State Supreme 
Court, was the Judge of the District Court, 
and the three constituted, under the law, an 
Appellate Court, called the General Term. 
The General Assembly of 1870 abolished the 
appellate jurisdiction, and reduced the num- 
ber of Circuit Judges. Judge Day resigned, 
and Judge McDill succeeded him in the Dis- 
trict bench, and Jud^e Douglass served as 
Circuit Judge until the 1st of January, 1873, 
when he was succeeded by T. R. Stockton, of 
Fremont County. 

Judge Douglass took an active interest al- 
ways in politics and was an enthusiastic Re- 
publican. He was also an early advocate of 
railway improvements and interests, and, at 



an early date took a leading part in the or- 
ganization of the Council Bluffs & St. Joseph 
Railroad, together with Horace Everett, W. 
C. James, L. W. Babbitt and other citizens 
of Council Bluifs, and of which S. F. Nuck- 
olls was the first President. 

Soon after hostilties ceased in the Southern 
States, Judge Douglass was induced to make 
investments in Alabama and Florida, and, 
his health becoming precarious in the years 
1875 and 1876, he spent p^rt of each year in 
Florida, improving and developing an orange 
grove. In 1877, he died on his plantation, in 
that State, and his remains were there biiried. 
His widow, he having left no lineal heirs, 
soon afterward removed from the Council 
Bluffs homestead to Cleveland. Ohio, and 
now makes that her residence. 



CHAPTER XTIII.* 



COUNCIL BLUFF,S— GEN'ER.VL CURTIS, AND .J. D. TEST— SKETCH OF .JUDGE FRWK STaEET— P.A.TRICK 

MURPHY— TEST, .TOHNSON AND OASADY— A. V. LARIMERS SKETCH— FORT CALHOUN 

CLAIM FIGHT— DEATH OF SHERMAN GOSS— H. C. PURl'LE WOUNDED— 

A. J. POPPLETON OF OMAHA— LOST ST. MARY'S. 



"TT is the human interest in the men who 
-*- have b'lilt a city that makes a sketch of its 
growth and progress valuable and entertain- 
ing, even. It is the ordinary and almost uni- 
versal experience of men who have visited 
battle-fields, that those where the conflict was 
in the midst of thrivinsr villages and farms 
and farmhouses, have an attraction, and excites 
emotions that are impossible where the dead- 
ly struggle was unwitnessed, save by the sav- 
age forest or the sterile and treeless plain. 
It is the men who found cities that we want 
just as they were, and hence the annalist is 
most ])rofitably occupied with those facts 

«By Col. Johu H. Keatley. 



which endow the dry narrative with human 
life. ' A sound mind in a sound body " is al- 
most a universal truth. Strong, vigorous men 
are mainly those who pioneer early settle- 
ments. It was peculiarly so in the case of 
Council Bluffs. Judge James. Judge Lari- 
mer. Judge Douglass, John T. Baldwin, 
Judge Caleb Baldwin, Dr. Ballard. Gen. 
Benton, Gen. Curtis, Col. Test, D. C. Bloom- 
er and others, who shared the early fortunes 
of Council Bluffs, were men of powerful 
frame. They were physically constituted to 
do the arduous work of the frontier. It is 
by an insight into their early training that 
we catch a glimpse, also, of the real work 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



109 



that tbey accomplished. Happily, the op- 
pi)rtiinity has not passed when the material of 
such a review are within the reach of the 
careful annalist. 

Amons those who came to Council Bluffs in 
1851, and virtnally lived through what may 
be termed the transition period, assisting in 
stamping his own character upon its institu- 
tions, was Patrick Murphy, who died here on 
the ISth of February, 1877, in the seventy- 
fifth year of his age. Mr. Murphy was born 
at Kilkenny. Ireland, on the 16th of July. 
1802. At an early age, he was sent to France 
to be educated, the a-igidity of English law 
against Catholics operating in his case pre- 
cisely as in the case of the great Daniel 
O'Connell, who was sent for the same pur- 
pose to the College of St. Oiner. Mr. Mur- 
phy thus became a fine classical scholar, and 
cherished to the day of his death, and amid 
his most active pursuits, his early acquired 
literary tastes. His first settlement, after 
arriving in the United States, was at Rich- 
mond. Va. He removed from there to Seda- 
lia, Mo., where he remained until he came to 
Council Bluffs, and made this his life-home. 
At Sedalia, he was married to Miss Mary 
Dolan. One child, Mrs. Austin Darraugh, 
was the result of this marriage, and. in 
1854. Mrs. Mui-phy died in this city. Mr. 
Murphy became one of the most prosperous 
of the early merchants of Council Bluffs, 
and. in 1860, retired from business with 
sufficient to provide for himself and only 
child diu'ing his life. His wealth was in- 
vested mainly in substantial improvements, 
the most prominent one being the Bee-Hive 
brick biiilding, between the Nonpareil 
building, on Scott street, and the location of 
the new opera house at the corner of Broad- 
way and Center street. 

Not only was Judge Street the medium 
through which the lot owners acquired their 



titles from the United States, but during his 
long residence here he filled a large space in 
public estimation, both in city and in county 
affairs. The date of his arrival has already 
been given. 

The Street family, to which he belonged, 
are traced to Salem, Salem Co., N. J. It 
was from that State to Ohio that Judge 
Street's father removed, and then passing 
into Kentucky, he eventually settled at Knox- 
ville, Tenn., where the Judge was born, and 
where his father lived five years afterward, 
and then moved North again. Judge Street 
was of Quaker origin, and had many of the 
characteristics of that widespread people. 
He was born on the 12th of July. 1819. His 
father moved from Salem, Ohio, to Spring- 
field, 111., and from Springfield to Salem, 
Henry County, in this State. Here Judge 
Street remained until the date of his coming 
to Council Bluffs, in the meantime having 
studied law at Mt. Pleasant, and having 
made a trip to California in 1850, and being 
absent two years. He was married in 1842, 
and. at his death, on the 21st of February, 
1877, left several sons and one daughter, one 
of the sons being the Clerk of the District 
and Circuit Courts of this county. He was 
always active and prominent in politics, be- 
ing a thoi'ough earnest Republican, and when 
in his prime was regarded as a pleasing and 
an effective speaker on the stump. He was 
the Republican candidate for State Senator, 
in 1857. against W. H. M. Pusey. when the 
Senatorial district extended along the Mis- 
som'i River from the Minnesota to the Mis- 
souri line, and when a whole day was some- 
times spent in making the journey from one 
cabin to another in the district. The two 
contestants for State Senatorial honors trav- 
ersed the territory separately, with private 
conveyances, occasionally crossing each other's 
paths, and sometimes, as they did it at Sioux 



110 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



City, engaging in an impromptu joint dis- 
cuBsion, when Sioux City was scarcely more 
than a mere village. -Judge Street was de- 
feated by his competitor, and it is a singular 
fact that Mr. Pusey had a majority in every 
voting precinct in the district, and a major- 
ity in every county in the district. Mr. Street, 
however, was elected that year as City Re- 
corder, anil hold the office for two terms. He 
was a delegate to the National Rej)ublican 
Convention at Chicago, in 1860, when Abra- 
ham Lincoln was nominated for the Presi- 
dency, and, in 1861, he was made Register 
of the Council Bluffs Land Office. This po- 
sition he held until 1S69, when Sylvester 
Dodge, the father of Gen. G. M. Dodge, was 
appointed by the administration of Gen. 
Grant, and Judge Street retired to private 
life. He took quite an active part in the po- 
litical campaign of 1868, but his health soon 
after began to fail, and he declined from 
time to time until the date of his death just 
stated. After his vigorous constitution be- 
gan to be sapped, he spent several years in 
Kansas, but always turned to Council Bluffs 
with a longing that was irresistible, and 
yielding at last to it, he came back to spend 
his days, then already numbered. He died 
as he had lived, without incurring the hatred 
of a single mortal. His funeral from the 
Presbyterian Church, of which he became, in 
his closing years, a member, was one of the 
largest Council Bluffs ever witnessed. 

Another former prominent citizen who 
came to Council Bluffs in 1853. was Col. 
James D. Test. The traveler by rail fi'om 
the south, on approaching the city, cannot 
fail to have his attention drawn to a hand- 
some spot in the Vilufts, and a neat, sniig 
brick house on the right of the railway as the 
city limits are reached. This was the home 
of Col. Test in the latter years of his life, and 
here centered all his manly jpride and devotion. 



His father was Judge Charles H. Test, of 
Rush County, Ind., where Col. Test was born, 
in June, 1827. In 1850, he emigrated to 
Burlington, Iowa, arriving without funds, 
and obtaining employment in a wholesale 
drug house. He remained there until 1853, 
when his adventurous spirit brought him to 
Council Bluffs. Judge Jefferson P. Casady 
had just made this his home, and he, Hadley 
D. Johnson and Col, Test entered into a part- 
nership to deal in real estate, their office 
being established at the northeast corner of 
North Main street and Broadway, in a build- 
ing that afterward gave way to the brick 
block now occupied by the First National 
Bank. Mr, Johnson and Judge Casady were 
both members of the bar, and Col, Test, hav- 
ing read law with them dm'ing their part- 
nership, was duly admitted to practice in the 
courts, Mr, Johnson withdrew from the firm 
in 1850, leaving it still to exist as Casady & 
Test, and by this title a business in land, ex- 
change and banking was conducted by them 
until 1862. In 1854, Col. Test was elected 
a member of the State Senate, and, in 18<i0, 
was one of the Breekenridge candidates for 
elector in Iowa, When the gold excitement 
in Colorado broke out and became epidemic, 
he went to Central City, in what was then 
the Territory, and spent several years in 
profitable mining operations. He eventually 
returned to Council Bluffs, and made it his 
home until his death. He was married to a 
daughter of the late Col. A. S. Grovenor, but 
his wife died after a short married life, leav- 
ing one daughter, who. itpon attaining 
womanhood, mai'ried A. T. Elwell, of this 
city. She, too, survived her marriage with 
Mr. Elwell scarcely more than a year. Col. 
Test made a journey on business to Chicago, 
in February, 1869. He was there taken sick 
with congestion of the lungs, and lived only 
a few days. His remains were brought home 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Ill 



for interment, and seldom has there been here 
a more positive demonstration of public grief 
than at his funeral. He was a man of most 
generous impulses, and cordial and winning 
address. He was an eloquent public speaker, 
and possessed a splendid physique. As a 
political writer for the newspapers, to which 
he frequently contributed as an amateur, he 
was sometimes bitter and caustic, being a ^ 
warm and uncompromising partisan, but the 
sauvity of his ordinary intercourse extracted 
the sting from many a pungent paragi'aph 
that was traced to his pen. He was public- 
spirited in a high degree, and this led to the 
forgiveness of all his faults. 

The name of Col. Test could not be men- 
tioned without associating that of Judge J. 
P. (^asady, who stands as a sole representa- 
ti ve of a business still siuwiving after a lapse 
of twenty-nine years. He was born at Con- 
nersville, Ind. , and removed to the city of 
Des Moines in 1852, when that was simi^ly 
on the frontier and still had about it the 
odor of a mere military post. He was admit- 
ted to the bar at Des Moines, and removed to 
Council Bluffs in 1853, where, as already 
stated, he entered into the land business with 
Test and Johnson. He was elected County- 
Judge in 1858, and was made one of the Di- 
rectors of the Council Blviffs & St. Joseph 
Railroad Company in 1861. In 18G7, he 
was elected to the State Senate from the dis- 
trict composed of the counties of Pottawatta- 
mie, Mills, Fremont and Cass, the district 
being largely Republican, but Jiidge Casady's 
high character and general acquaintance gave 
him an almost unprecedented popularity. 
His Republican competitor in that conflict 
was William Hale, of Mills Coiuity, now the 
Territorial Governor of Wyoming. He was 
married to Miss Joiner, but was deprived by 
death of his estimable wife in the sjiring of 
this year. Amidst his other public and pri- 



vate duties, he has been aa active promoter 
of the religious and educational interests of 
the city. He assisted in the organization of 
the Presbyterian Church, and has always 
been regarded as one of its most important 
members. He has also served on the Board 
of Education, and, in 1871, 1872 and 1873, 
was a member of the City Cou.ncil. 

Among those who came here, early in 1854, 
and left their impress upon the city, and still 
survive to witness its growth and prosperity, 
is Hon. A. V. Larimer. His name is connected 
with the most important piece of Congressional 
legislation, and a decision of the courts, that 
ever in any way, effected the interests of Council 
Bluffs. Reference is here made to the juris- 
diction that was given to the United States 
Circuit Court of Iowa, to entertain certain 
mandamus cases, and also to the decision of 
the United States Supreme Court, iu the mat- 
ter of the_eastern terminus of the Union Pa- 
cific Railroad. 

These matters will receive appropriate at- 
tention in the proper places when tiie narrative 
of the events themselves are reached. It is 
only now with the personality of Judge Lari- 
mec, that we have to deal as one of the early 
pioneers of Council Bluffs. 

Judge Larimer was born in Center County, 
Pennsylvania, on the 21st of March, 1829. 
His earl}' education was such as could only be 
obtained in the log schoolhouse of that day in 
the winter months, with arduous toil on the 
farm in the summer time. Ambitious to ac- 
quire something more of an education than 
the meager country schools of that day afforded, 
he procured a scholarship at Allegheny Col- 
lege at 3Ieadville, Penn., through the loan of 
such scholarship by the Hon. John Keatley, 
then Marshal of the Western District of that 
State, and the uncle of the writer of these 
annals. With $10 borrowed from James 
Blair, his former teacher, Judge Larimer as a 
hopeful youth, set out on foot, with a compan- 



112 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



ion, to trudge for more than 150 miles to 
Meadville, to take his place among strangers 
in the contests of life. He remained at college 
for a 3'ear, and his means having given out, he 
abandoned the idea, came home, worked on the 
farm for a time, and then came West, engaging 
in flat boating from Ripley-, 0., to New Orleans. 
In 1848, he returned to college, and after a 
year's study, was suspended for boarding at a 
hotel in violation of the college regulations. 
He was unsettled for some time, but eventually 
commenced the stutl}- of law, with ex-Governor 
Andrew G. Curtin, ia Bellefonte, and also at- 
tended a course of law lectures at the famous 
law school of Judge ^IcCartney, at Easton, 
Penn. 

In March, 1851, he started to Council Blulfs, 
and in the spring of tliat year became one of 
the citizens, a title he has worthilj' borne ever 
since. In the fall of that j'ear he became the 
Democratic candidate for Prosecuting Attorney' 
against L, M. Kline, the Wliig aspirant to that 
office, and was elected. By the resignation of 
Judge Hall a vacancy was created in the office 
of County Judge, and Mr. Larimer was ap- 
pointed to fill it, holding the position until 
1856. He was elected in the latter year to the 
House of Representatives in tlie General As- 
semblj' of the State, his opponent being B. R. 
Pegram, who at that time was engaged in hank- 
ing, Col. Test, at that date, also being the Sena- 
tor from the district, in part composed of Pot- 
tawattamie County. Many of the citizens of 
Council Blufl's at that date took an active in- 
terest in claims in the newlj'-formed Territory 
of Nebraska. Many serious conflicts took place 
between claimants, and some of these appeared 
considerably warlike. On the 27th of August, 
1855, a collision occurred at Fort Calhoun, at 
which were Hadley D. Johnson, Addison Coch- 
ran, A. J. Poppleton, James C. Mitchell, J. P. 
Casady, A. V. Larimor and a number of others 
from Council BluSs. Firearms were freelj' used, 
and Sherman Goss, a settler in Rockford Town- 



ship, was twice shot and almost instantly killed. 
H. C. Purple, who was long identified with 
the city, was also severely and dangerously 
wounded. 

As is common in the early settlement of com- 
munities, friendships are formed that endure for 
a lifetime, and attachments spring up that are 
only severed by the hand of death. Such was 
the case with Col. Test, A. V. Larimer and 
Judge James, forming a trio of friends never 
broken into except in the case of the death of 
Col. Test, already mentioned. Larimer spent 
his first winter in Council Bluffs, in the office 
of Judge James, on Maine street, and after a 
lapse of twentj'-eight years he is still an occu- 
pant under the same roof with him, onlj' a few 
feet from where the}' first met. 

Judge Larimer practiced his profession until 
1875, and then retired, and since then has had 
large interests in the Western cattle business 
in the territories of Wj-omiug and Montana. 
Among the causes cclehres in which he was en- 
gaged during his professional career, was the 
defense of Batcheler for the killing of Pierce, 
and who was acquitted through the industr}', 
zeal and talents of his counsel. Reference has 
also been made to other matters of litigation 
of a local and important character, which will 
come under its appropriate date, when the his- 
tory, and development of the LTnion Pacific 
Railroad are considered. Judge Larimer, dur- 
ing his residence here, has had large real estate 
interests in the city. He was the owner, at one 
time, of the ground upon which the Casady 
building stands, opposite where the court 
house is, and also the ground set apart by 
the Bishop for the erection of a new Catholic 
church, at the northwest corner of Centre 
street and Buckingham street, opposite St. 
Joseph's Academy. He also was the proprie- 
tor of the ground on which was erected St. 
Francis Academy under the auspices of the 
Sisters, and which is now one of the most im- 
portant and most flourishing educational insti- 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



113 



tutioiis in the West. Judge Larimer's life has 
been an active one, in all respects, and his 
character is positive and decisive. He has left, 
in the twent3'-eight j-ears that he has li^•ed 
here, a decided impress upon the city, and has 
a fair share, in the honor of its growth and 
prosper! tj-. 

In connection with the mention of the claim 
fight, at Port Calhoun, Xeb.. was the name of A. 
J. Poppleton. While he has been a citizen of 
Omaha for manj' jears, and particularlj- identi- 
fied with her interests, the incidents of his 
residence in Council Bluffs in 1854, must not 
be forgotten. He came here that year, a young 
lawyer from the State of New York, and opened 
a law office, intending to settle in Council 
Bluffs. Being a boarder at the Pacific House, 
he there formed the acquaintance of Miss 
Sears, and an attachment sprang u]) that ter- 
minated in marriage in 185G. Attracted by 
the prospects of Omaha, he settled there when 
it was a mere straggling village, and grew up 
with it to fame and fortune. When the Union 
Pacific Raih'oad was projected and commenced, 
he was made its resident attorney, and though 
a Democrat, and identified with the interests of 
that party in Nebraska, has kept control of the 
business, and retained the confidence of the 
management of that road, from Council Bluffs 
to Ogden, through all its changes and vicisi- 
tudes. Twenty-five }'ears after the happy 
marriage of himself and wife, thej- celebrated 
the event in ISSl, by collecting around them, at 
their elegant home in Omaha, hundreds of the 
pioneers of the two cities, and among them, a 
score of those who had witnessed the real 
ceremony, when Council Bluffs and Omaha 
were mere frontier villages without a railroad, 
and a dim prospect of their early realization. 

In the northern borders of Mills County, a 
rival town to Council Blufls, called St. Mary's, 
sprang up about 1853 and 1854. on the east 
bank of the Missouri River. Its nucleus was 
a steamboat landing a few miles below Trader's 



Point, in Pottawattamie County. The vicissi- 
tudes of the Missouri River are illustrated in 
the fate of the place. At one time, it contained 
2,000 prosperous people. Some of its business 
houses were of brick, and a large and thriving 
trade was established, not only with the sur- 
rounding territory, but far inland. Year by 
j'ear, the Missouri River encroached upon its 
soft and friable soil, and year by year section 
after section of its town plat was carried away 
by the "June rise." Its inhabitants looked 
upon it as doomed, and by 18(38 not a vestige 
of it remained, everj- foot of ground having 
been swept into the river by the changing cur- 
rent ; and b}' the exigencies of the flood, its 
site was transferred, if such a movement can be 
called a transfer, to the jurisdiction of Nebras- 
ka. Some of the most valuable buildings that 
could be moved, were brought to Council 
Bluffs, when it was once seen that St. Mary's 
was a doomed city. 

In referring to this and prior periods, the 
names of Jones A. Jackson and W. C. James 
have been used as connecting links of the past 
and the present. Both were and are marked 
characters, and exerted their influence in shap- 
ing the city, and both are known almost 
wherever it is known. Jackson was the first to 
come, and the date of his arrival has already 
been given. He came with the spirit and en- 
ergj' of a pioneer. He was born in Ohio on 
the 4th of March, 1829 ; removed to Missouri 
and there lived some j'ears, coming to Council 
Bluffs in 1851. His business connections here 
with Milton Tootle, of St. Joseph, Mo., extended 
to Sioux City, where the^' controlled a large 
business with the great countr3' of the Upper 
Missouri. He and others became the original 
owners of the town site of Omaha, and his ex- 
ertions for the establishment of the territorial 
capital at that point were of the most effectual 
character. The important and valuable addi- 
tion to Council Blufl's, called Jackson's Addi- 
tion, was named after him. l)y the other joint 



114 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUISTTY. 



owners with him, as a compliment, growing 
out of the high regard his business associates 
had for him. 

His influence was felt from the start in any 
new enterprise calculated to further the inter- 
ests of the city, and his name is found enrolled 
as a councilman in 1855 and 1856. When the 
firm of Tootle & Jackson was dissolved, Mr. 
Jackson engaged in the hazardous and danger- 
ous business of freighting to Colorado, over 
nearly a thousand miles of waste and plains. 
No conception can now be formed of the true 
nature of that traffic through a country desti- 
tute of timber and inhabitants, and with no 
highway but the trail made by the pioneer 
wagon, and with a journey of months before 
the hardy men who risked all in the adventure. 
In 1865, Mr. Jackson removed to St. Louis, and 
there established the well-known wholesale gro- 
cery house of James A. Jackson <& Co., and 
continued in that business there until 1876. In 
1877, he transferred his capital to the cattle 
business in Wyoming Territory-, where he and 



his son, Andrew M. Jackson, are the owners of 
of a herd of 6,000 cattle, at their ranch on the 
Sweetwater Kiver. James A. Jackson is also 
the son of Mrs. Racliel Jackson, who died in 
Council Bluffs in the winter of 1881-82, at a 
great age, and who was venerated ,b3" thousands 
of persons who have come here and have been 
born here during the past twenty-five years. 
The}' are of the family of Jacksons, whose high- 
est exemplar was the hero of New Orleans. 
When the latter died, Mrs. Rachel Jackson was 
included in the family invitations to the funeral 
at the Hermitage. 

Mr. Jackson was married, during his early 
settlement in Council Bluflfs, to Miss Henrietta 
St. Albans, a native of New Orleans, and the 
step-daughter of Dr. J. K. Cook, one of the 
early settlers of this city. Mr. and Mrs. Jack- 
son have two children — Andrew M. Jackson, 
who was born here, and who, with his parents, 
have resumed their residence in Council Bluffs, 
and Georgia Jackson, now the wife of Judge 
A. S. Wilson, of Washington, Kan. 



CHAPTER XIX.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS — SKETCfl OF JUDGE JAMES— HIS HANDICRAFT— WINTER OF IS.53-54 — DEATH 

OF JAMES McMillan— TITLE TO LOTS ACQUIRED— JAMES W. GRIMES— CURTIS', 

RAMSAYS AND GRIMES' ADDITIONS — SKETCH OF GEN. SAMUEL 

RYAN CURTIS— HIS DK.4TH AT COUNCIL BLUFFS. 

dent at Oberlin College, working, as was the 
wont in those days by farmers' sons in Ohio, 
upon the farm in summer and pushing their 
education to the best possible advantage in win- 
ter. In due time he studied law with Messrs. 
Wilson and Wade, in Cleveland, and then 
started to Council Bluffs, reaching here in De- 
cember, 1852. When he reached Silver Creek 
Stage Station, east of Council Blufi's, kept by 
Pleasant Taylor, he paid to the latter the last 
quarter of a dollar he had in the world for his 
lodging at night and his breakfast, and entered 



A MORE particular sketch of Judge James 
may be more interesting than that already 
given to those who may come after us, and the 
means of such a characterization may all have 
disappeared. Like manj- more who came here in 
those days, he was penniless, but not despondent. 
He was born at Elmyra, in Lorain County, 
Ohio, on the 1st day of January, 1830. His 
father was George F. James, who received a 
military education at West Point. The son, 
who, at an early age, was ambitious, was a stu- 

•By Col. John H. Keatl<>y. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUKTY. 



115 



the place that daj- with not so much as a sou 
and a frieud upon whom he could call for assist- 
ance. The first money he earned after his ar- 
rival was a dollar for cutting a load of wood 
into stove wood for Pr P. J. McMahon. [n 
the summer of 1853. he turned his hand to 
bricklaying and plastering, and built the brick 
house, on Broadway-, occupied bj' J. H. Kogers, 
of the omnibus line, this Iseing, as before stated, 
the first brick house in the place. From that 
date his energies prospered him, and in 1856 
he erected the three-story block known as the 
James Block, at the southeast corner of Broad- 
way and Main street. He also largely invested 
in lands, and became the owner of the large 
and valuable estate east of Big Grove, and im- 
proved b}' him into a magnificent farm, now 
owned and operated by John T. Baldwin. He 
was also elected County Judge in the fall of 
1856, and served with credit to himself and in 
the true interests of the county. He was also 
a member of the Council in 1856 and 1857, 
again in 1872, 1873, 1874, 1876 and 1879. He 
was also elected Mayor in 1874 and in 1880. 
In 1872, he was nominated bj'the State Demo- 
cratic Convention as a candidate for State 
Treasurer, and by the convention nominated 
for Lieutenant Governor in 1 877. Judge James 
and bis wife have had three children — Kate 
Larimer James, who has alreadj- won a fine 
reputation as a singer in opera; Charles James, 
who died when on the verge of manhood, and 
JIamie James, who, in Januar}-, 1881, was mar- 
ried to W. V. Wood, of Camp Thomas, Arizona. 
The winter of 1853-54 was spent by the in- 
habitants of Council Bluffs much as other win- 
ters had been. Horse racing during the se.ason 
that was fit for such amusements was a favorite 
pastime. Col. Balibitt was a great admirer of 
the horse, and spent a great deal of time and 
money on the turf. He also had a character in 
his employment who looked after the interests 
of liis stock. His name was James McMillan. 
The latter was a wirj-, supple individual, and 



of indomitable pluck. When not readj' for a 
horse race he was on hand for a free fight. In 
those days there was a race track in the south- 
ern part of the city, where the Kansas City 
roundhouse and railroad yards now are. Sat- 
urday was a gala day, and the excitement al- 
ways ran high. Whisky was in free use, and it 
frequently occurred that at the close of the 
race the distance between the race grounds 
and Broadway was a battle-field, groups here 
and there lieing warmly engaged in fisticuffs in 
dispute over turf matters. It was very seldom 
that any more powerful weapon than the fists 
was used. McMillan fell a victim to his own 
pugilistic tendency on the day of the Presi- 
dential election (1872) at Honej^ Creek, on the 
North-Western Railway. He and Alfred Prazer 
on that day became involved in a dispute over 
election matters in Frazer's store. The par- 
ties clinched in some kind of an encounter. 
McJIillan was either thrown or fell to the floor, 
and never breathed again. Mr. Frazer was sub- 
sequently put on his trial for the murder of 
McMillan, but the jurj- properl}- brought in a 
verdict of not guilty. 

On the 6th of April, 1854, Congress passed 
an act to enable the citizens, of Council Bluffs 
to acquire title to their lots. It authorized 
County Judge Frank Street, under rules pre- 
scribed b}- the Legislature of Iowa, to execute 
deeds to bona fide claimants, provided the 
claims for the same were made within twelve 
months from the passage of the act. On the 
10th daj' of May following the approval of the 
act by the President, Judge Street made an 
entry of two forty-acre tracts in Section 30, 
that is, emliracing what is now known as the 
Old Town plat, and also two forties in Section 
31 , in Township 75. Range 43 West. He also en- 
tered for the same use, at the same time, 240 
acres in Section 25, and the same number of 
acres in Section 36. in Township 75, Range 44. 
This substantially included the territory em- 
braced in the Bayliss claim, in the Old Town 



116 



HISTOKY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY 



plat, and in that east of Madison street, so as 
to include the George Kiiline property. There 
were numerous disputes to settle before the titles 
to claimants could, in all cases, be perfected. 
Thomas and David Tostevin. nativesof the Isleof 
Guernsej-, in the British Channel, and residents 
of Brooklyn, N. Y., from childhood to manhood, 
came to Council Bluffs at about the date of the 
arrival of Judge Street, and began the practice 
of their profession, that of land surve}-ors. 
Both of these gentlemen are still residents of 
the place. Thomas Tostevin was employed bj- 
Judge Street to make an accurate survey of 
the lands held in trust by him for the uses of 
the claimants, as just described, and to plat the 
respective lines. This was done, and the map 
so constructed at that time, and now known as 
the Tostevin Map, is taken as accurate in all 
questions where a reference is made to that 
date. 

Thomas Tostevin was afterwards Treasurer 
of the County, and Mayor of the city in 1868. 
Now (1882) he is City Engineer. David Tos- 
tevin also held the office of County Surveyor 
for several terms, and the accuracy of his work 
has always inspired the utmost confidence 
where claims have been in dispute. 

Stutsman's Addition, immediately east of the 
Old Town Plat; Mills' and Myuster's additions, 
on the north side of Indian Creek; Jackson's 
Addition, embracing Bancroft street, south of 
the Old Town plat lines; Hall's, Beer's and 
Grimes' addition, in the western and north- 
western sections of the cit}-, were also platted 
and recorded during that year. James W. 
Grimes, the great Iowa United States Senator, 
became owner of the tract of land which now 
constitutes the addition bearing his name, and 
having the utmost confidence in the future of 
the citj-, he caused it to be laid out into lots. 
Gen. Samuel Ryan Curtis and Dr. Ramsay, of 
Illinois, became the owners of a tract of land 
extending to a point touched by the track of 
the North-Western Railwaj- Company, from 






the Broadwaj- Depot to the Union Pacific De- 
pot, and laid the same out into an addition 
bearing their names, and including a street 
named Curtis street, it being now the third ave- 
nue south of Broadwa}-. Gen. Custis was not 
only thus historically connected with the found- 
ing of the cit3', but his long and memorable ca- 
reer as a citizen and a soldier makes his name 
the common propertj- of the nation, and de- 
serves something more than a mere passing ref- 
erence in these annals. 

When the civil war broke out in 1861, Gen. 
Curtis was a member of Congress from one of 
the two districts into which Iowa was then di- 
vided, his residence being at Keokuk. His birth- 
place was in Ohio, on the 3d of February, 1807, 
and from which State, he was sent to the West 
Point Militarj' Academj', where he graduated 
in the class of 1827. He was appointed a 
Brevet Second Lieutenant in the Seventh In- 
fantry, on the 1st of Julj-, 1831, and after 
about a 3'ear's service in the regular arm}' was 
permitted to resign. He adopted the profes- 
sion of civil engineer, for which he was pecu- 
liarly fitted by his West Point studies, and 
the Federal Government then having entered 
upon a great system of internal improvement 
in the construction of a turnpike, among other 
names called the National lload, from Balti- 
more to Wheeling, Gen. Curtis was emploj-ed 
in that work. He was afterwards assigned to 
duty as chief engineer of the Muskingum 
improvement, and held that position from 1837 
to 1839. Desiring to change his life-work, he 
commencnd the study of law, and was admit- 
ted to the bar at Wooster, Ohio, in 1841. 
There he remained until the event of the Mexi- 
can war again changed the current of his life. 
He was appointed Adjutant General of Ohio 
for the purpose of aiding the Governor in the 
formation of the volunteer forces tendered and 
accepted for service in Mexico. The First and 
the Second Regiments were sent to the field, 
and when the Third was read\' for service. Cur- 




M f 






HISTOEY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



119 



lis was made Colonel, and dispatched to the 
Rio Grande, bej-ond which line Gen. Taylor 
was then operating. Col. Curtis, with his regi- 
ment, was principall}- employed in garrison 
duty, and in keeping open the communications 
between Taj-lor's column, and his base at 
Matamoras. Curtis was made military Gov- 
ernor of the latter place, and of Camargo and 
of Monterej'. respective! j-. 

When Gen. Taylor was in a most critical po- 
sition, and virtuall}- surrounded at Buena Vista 
b}' the overwhelming force of Santa Anna, his 
communications were severed by Gen. Urrea 
with an irregular force of Mexicans, number- 
ing about seven thousand men. Col. Curtis, 
with a small column of about twelve hundred 
men, undertook to re-establish the lines, and 
succeeded in driving Urrea in upon the rear of 
Taylor's forces. When thej' reached the latter, 
Curtis was about to make a charge, but the 
timel3- display of the American colors grate- 
full}' told the mere handful of men in his com- 
mand that Taylor's way was again open. As 
soon as hostilities ceased, and satisfactor}' ne- 
gotiations for peace began, the regiment was 
mustered out and sent home, but by Gen. Tay- 
lor's order Curtis was retained in the service 
to do duty on the staff of Gen. John E. 
Wool. When the army of occupation returned 
to the United States, at the conclusion of peace, 
Col. Curtis returned to civil life and the prac- 
tice of the law. He was, however, soon sent 
to Iowa as Chief Engineer of what is known as 
the Des Moines Rapids Improvement of the 
Mississippi River, an extensive worli for the 
improvement of the navigation of that stream. 
He made his liome at Keokuk. His restless 
and energetic disposition soon also impelled 
him to take part in political affairs in the new 
State. He was elected Mayor of the city in 
1855, and also gave close attention to the de- 
velopment of railroad enterprises, especially in 
a line of railwaj' from the Mississippi River to 
the Missouri, at Council Bluffs. He took part 



in the organization of the Republican partj^ of 
Iowa, and in the fall of 1856 was elected to 
Congress from the First District. He was not 
only a member of the Military Committee of 
the House, but was chairman of that on Pacific 
Railroads. The Republican part}- had made it 
a distinctive feature of its policy to construct 
a railway under national patronage and charter 
to the Pacific coast, and as representing that 
interest. Gen. Curtis introduced a bill for a 
Union Pacific Railwaj' on the Platte Valley 
route, with branches at either end. This was 
the basis of the system eventuallj' formulated 
when the Republican at last obtained control 
of the Federal Government in all its depart- 
ments. 

Gen. Curtis frequently visited Council 
Bluffs, during his residence at Keokuk, and 
during his career in Congress. Settlements in 
a narrow belt had been begun in Nebraska, 
along the Missouri River, and the territory by 
that name had just commenced to take on 
political shape. Omaha was a mere village. 
Florence, a few miles above, was quite a thriv- 
ing town, and had acquired a savory reputa- 
tion by the reason of the flood of " wild cat " 
paper money which it had sent out into the 
west. Now, Omaha is a large, thriving citj', 
and Florence is a mere wreck. Gen. Curtis 
came to Council Bluffs in the summer of 1858, 
and found an incipient Indian war on foot on 
the Elkhorn, a short distance west of the Mis- 
souri River. The Omahas were dissatisfied 
and discontented, and the Governor of the Ter- 
ritory, Samuel Black, had organized the 
militia, under John M. Thayer, afterward a 
distinguished Union General and a United 
States Senator, for the purpose of punishing 
the hostiles. It was just such an opportunit}- 
as Curtis would himself seek, and he was at 
once made an aid-de-camp, on the staff of 
Col. Thayer and went to the front. Gov. 
Samuel Black was from Pennsylvania, and one 
of the finest stump orators in the Democratic 



120 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



party. He had been made Governor of Ne- 
braska as a reward for the services performed 
for the part}' in 1856. He sought an interview 
with the Indian head men, on the Elkhorn, be- 
fore resorting to the dire necessity of blood- 
shed. He and his official retinue left Omaha, 
the capital of the Territor}', in carriages, with a 
liberal supply of whisky for their own use, 
intending to visit the militarj- lines on the Elk- 
horn, and have a council with the Indian chiefs. 
By the time thej- reached the frontier, the 
party were well under the influence of their 
generous supply of liquor. Black, as was his 
habit, more than the rest. The Indians were 
on hand for the " talk," and the interpreter 
ready for business. Black dismounted, and 
straightening himself up to his full height, with 
great dignity asked the interpreter if the ''Big 
Injun" was ready for the talk. The interpre- 
ter replied that he was. "Then," said Black, 
tossing his hat to the back of his head, "ask 
the old son of a sea-cook what he thinks of 
me?" After this preliminary, the council pro- 
ceeded and hostilities were avoided. Black 
eventually returned to Pittsburgh, and at the 
breaking-out of the rebellion, took the Union 
side, was made Colonel of the Sixty-Second 
Pennsylvania Regiment, and was instantly 
killed in action, at the battle of Gaines" Mill, 
under Gen. Fitz John Porter, on the Peninsula 
in June, 18G2. 

In the Elkhorn campaign. Gen. Curtis saw no 
actual service, but gained an extensive knowl- 
edge of one of the richest agricultural terri- 
tories in the world. His duties, nntil the 
breaking-out of the rebellion, were those that 
fell to the ordinary lot of a member of Con- 
gress, during the exciting times which preced- 
ed the great civil conflict. 

Congress had adjourned, and he was at home 
in Keokuk, when he heard the intelligence of 
the fall of Fort Sumter. His soldierly educa- 
tion and his patriotic instincts did not allow 
him to remain idle amid so much public dis- 



tress and alarm, and the road through Balti- 
more being blocked bj- the burning of the rail- 
way bridges, he started at once for Philadel- 
phia, hoping "to reach Washington by that 
route. He proceded to New York and there 
found the famous Seventh Regiment ready to 
start for the seat of war, and, availing himself 
of that opportunity, went with that regiment 
to Annapolis, Md., where Gen. B. F. Butler, 
with the Massachusetts men, was making 
preparations to open that route to Washington. 
In this enterprise, which was of a marl^ed and 
an important character at the time and under 
the circumstances. Gen. Curtis gave impor- 
tant and necessary aid, and when the troops, 
repairing the railroad as they went, entered 
Washington with colors fl3'ing and bands play- 
ing, he was met and warmly greeted by Presi- 
dent Lincoln for the service that he liad thus 
rendered at that critical moment. 

Gen. Curtis, though then holding no mili- 
tary commission, was immediately invited by 
Gen. Scott to assist in the work of organ- 
izing the defense. In a very short time, 
however, he was directed to come back to 
Iowa, to take control of the preparations 
of the First, Second and Third Iowa Regi- 
ments of Volunteers for the service. He was 
made Colonel of the Second Iowa on the 
1st day of June, 1861. J. M. Tuttle, after- 
ward a distinguished Major General of volun- 
teers, was chosen as Lieutenant Colonel of the 
same regiment, and the gallant Marcellus M. 
Crocker, also afterward a general officer of 
volunteers, was selected Major of the regiment 
at its organization. Curtis was ordered, on the 
12th of June, 1861, through a special messen- 
ger from Gen. Lyon, to move from Keokuk to 
St. Louis, and from thatdate that gallant regi- 
ment began to make a historj- which is indeli- 
bly and honorably impressed for all time to 
come. Curtis was soon made a Brigadier and 
then a Major General, and assigned to the com- 
mand of a division in the army in Missouri, 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



121 



under G-ens. Fremont and Hunter. It is as the 
hero of the battle of Pea Eidge in the spring 
of 1862 that he is best known, where, with a 
force far inferior to that of Sterling Price, Earl 
Van Dorn, Albert Pike and Ben McCulloch, he 
defeated them in the mountains of Northern 
Arkansas, and achieved the first decisive vic- 
tory by the Union troops west of the Missis- 
sippi River, and in truth, saved the State of 
Missouri to the cause by breaking the back of 
the most formidable enterprise organized bj' 
the Confederates during tlie war, to obtain its 
control. His remarkable raid through Arkan- 
sas in the summer of 1863, terminating at 
Helena, is another illustration of the military 
vigor of Gen. Samuel Curtis. Gen. G. M. 
Dodge, for j-ears a citizen of Council Bluffs, 
and who still maintains this as his home, was 
a gallant participant in the " famous fight " of 
Pea Ridge, and was at the head of his I'egi- 
ment, the Fourth Iowa Infantry, organized in 
1861, in the camp just south of the city, on the 
ground occupied by Mr. Rice, west of the 
paper mill. 

After a long and honorable career as an offi- 
cer in the Union armj^, and when the work of 
suppressing the insurrection was at an end. 
Gen. Curtis returned to his home in Keokuk to 
resume tiie duties of civil life. His seat in 
Congress had been filled by the Hon. James F. 
Wilson, now United States Senator-elect. The 
Union Pacific Railway had, in the meantime, 
been begun from the west bank of the Missouri 
River, and was being pressed with unexampled 
energy across the great plains to a junction 



with the Central Pacific, which had already 
demonstrated the power to overcome obstacles 
that ordinarj- engineering had deemed insur- 
mountable. Gen. Curtis was appointed by 
President Johnson as one of the commissioners 
on behalf of the United States to examine and 
report upon the condition of the Union Pacific 
as far as then constructed, and in the fall of 
1866 he spent some time along its line for that 
purpose. There was no other means of com- 
munication between Omaha and Council Bluffs 
at that date than the steam ferry and the line 
of coaches of the Western Stage Company. 
While crossing the river in one of the latter, 
on his way East homeward, Gen. Curtis grew 
so ill that he was unable to travel, and, reaching 
the Council Bluffs side, he was taken to the 
residence of his friend, Col. H. C. Nutt, on 
Broadway, and there died on the 26th of De- 
cember, 1 866. His remains were taken to Keo- 
kuk and there interred, a whole State mourn- 
ing with profound sorrow the loss of one of her 
gi-eatest citizens and of Council Bluffs an ar- 
dent friend. The house where he died still 
stands, a long, low, rambling frame edifice on 
the south side of Broadway, and midway of 
Sixth and Seventh streets. Its dilapidated con- 
dition cannot permit it to remain long as a 
landmark. Its site has been viewed as a pos- 
sible location for the new United States Court 
building and post office, and should this be 
done it will be a fitting monument to mark the 
spot where died Iowa's greatest soldier. If 
not, a suitable monument of some kind should 
designate the spot. 




122 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



OHAPTEK XX.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS — INCIPIENT DUEL — MARSHALL TURLEY — AN ECCENTRIC CHARACTER — THE 
UNDERGROUND RAILWAY— GALESBURG ADDITION — PHILADELPHIA, FORT AVAYNE & 
PLATTE VALLEY RAILWAY— THE AIR LINE— JOHN T. BALDWIN'S FORT- 
UNE—ODD FELLOWS ORGANIZED— FIRST BANKING HOUSE 
— THE FERRY COMPANY ORGANIZED. 



AT this period, Council Bluffs narrowly es- 
caped a bloodj' duel, growing out of a po- 
litical co^tro^'ersJ•. One of the parties was a 
Pennsylvanian employed as a clerk in a front- 
ier store on Broadway. The other was a hot- 
headed, proud, irascible Virginian, who came 
here and seemed to have no particular occupa- 
tion or employment of any kind. He was al- 
ways well dressed, and had the air of one of 
the chivalry. Discussions of the slavery ques- 
tion, then coming into painful and disastrous 
prominence, was an every-dat occurrence, at 
firesides and in the stores and shops. The 
young Pennsylvanian, whose name is now sup- 
pressed (he being heartily ashamed of the part 
he took in the affair) and the j'oung Virginian 
met around a glass of grog at the store just 
mentioned, and in a short time a high sound- 
ing debate arose. The Virginian made a state- 
ment which the other regarded at variance 
with the truth, and in polite but emphatic 
terms it was questioned. In a moment, the 
young Southerner manifested his displeasure 
and walked away. In a few hours a friend of 
the Pennsylvanian called him aside, with the 
statement that, unless a prompt apology was 
made, he must be prepared to fight with the 
Virginian according to the code. He replied 
that he had no retraction to make, and that the 
party might take whatever course he saw fit. 
The next morning, sure enough, there was de- 
livered to him a formal written demand to 
either withdraw the offensive language or hold 

*By Col. John U. Ki alley. 



himself in readiness to give such satisfaction 
as. one gentleman had a right to demand of 
another. The reply bj' the Pennsylvanian was, 
that he peremptorily declined to respond to such, 
arbitrary language in any other way than to 
say that if the young Southerner wanted to 
settle the difficulty with revolvers, he would 
have the opportunity- to do so, at an}' time and 
place he might select. The onlj' apparent effect 
of this missive was the sudden disappearance 
of the eager belligerent, and he was never after- 
ward seen in Council Bluffs, nor even heard 
of, evidently regarding discretion, before it was 
too late, the better part of valor. 

Among the most noted arrivals during the 
early part of 185-1: was that of Marshal Turlev. 
who came from Galesburg, 111. He, in con- 
nection with William Gale, Clark E. Carr (for 
twenty-one years Postmaster of Galesburg), and 
others, became interested in a tract of land in 
the northwestern part of the cit}-, and laid out 
the same, calling it Galesburg Addition. Jlr. 
Turlcy came here an uncompromising anti- 
slaverj' man. At all times he was an outspoken 
enemy of the institution of slavery, and when 
John Brown was conducting his underground 
railway movements from Missouri through 
Tabor, in Fremont County, he had the sympa- 
thy at least of ^Ir. Turley, and a number of 
others less prominent here, on the anti-slavery 
movement. Mr. Turley is now a man of patri- 
archal appearance with his white hair and 
snowy beard. He is encroaching rapidly on 
the assigned limit of human life, but is still iu his 



HISTORY OF POTTAAVATTAMIE COUNTY. 



123 



vigor of physical sti'ength. He has always 
been noted for his eccentricities of character. 
He is an orator of no mean power, and, possess- 
ing a remarkable fund of knowledge acquired 
in long years of varied and extensive reading, 
his speeches are not onlj- entertaining by reason 
of their richness in illustrative anecdote, but 
highly instructive in matters of fact. He is 
a curious genius in this, that he has devoted 
the best energies of his life in devising various 
mechanical inventions, experimenting in ever}- 
conceivable direction to devise new means of 
saving labor or extending the scope of human 
effort. It is a profound and undeviating pas- 
sion with him, and perhaps the Patent Office 
at Washington is no more familiar with any 
name in the annals of invention than it is with 
that of Marshall Turley. Council Bluff's never 
saw his like before, and perhaps will never see 
his like again. 

Gen. Curtis in the fall of 1853, conducted 
the preliminary survey for a railroad across 
the State to which was given the name of the 
Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte Valley 
Railroad, or ''Air Line." This road had a gen- 
eral direction eastward from Council Bluffs by 
the way of Winterset, Knoxville and Oska- 
loosa to the ^lississippi, and was intended to 
cover about the same ground in Iowa as is em- 
braced in the projected line of the New York 
& Council Bliifl's Railway Company, organized 
in Council Bluff's, with Isaac M. Hymer, Presi- 
dent, on the 13th day of August, ]882. To 
Gen. Curtis' road, the county, by a vote at a 
special election for that purpose on the 2d of 
January, 1854, made a subscription in stock of 
S100,000, but as nothing further than project 
the road was ever done, the bonds of the 
county were never issued. The State elections 
were then held in August under the old Con- 
stitution, and at the election of 1854, Col. 
Test was elected to the Senate, and John T. 
Baldwin and Daniel S. Jackson to the State 
House of Representatives from this legisla- 



tive district. Luck had begun to turn in Mr. 
Baldwin's* favor. Being a native of Washing- 
ton Count}-, Penn., he started for Iowa in 1846, 
bringing with him a large flock of sheep, which 
he drove overland. His first settlement was 
made in Jeff"erson County, in the vicinity of 
Fairfield. At one time while in business in 
that county, he had his all invested in the flat- 
boat traffic on the Des Moines River. A wreck 
occurred which made complete ruin of his 
financial fortunes, and when he left that sec- 
tion of Iowa to begin over again, he was more 
than $5,000 "in debt over and above every ex- 
isting possibility to pay. When he landed in 
Council Bluff's, all he had in the world was his 
household goods, plenty of pluck, nerve, ener- 
gy and business capacity, and only S2.50 in his 
pocket, with which to begin again. 

It may be interesting to know now that there 
are many flourishing orders in the city; that the 
first to organize were the Odd Fellows. Coun- 
cil Bluff's Lodge, No. 49, was established on the 
25th day of November, 1853, with J. B. Stuts- 
man, B. R. Pegram, J. T. Baldwin, J. P. Casa- 
dy, H. R. Hall, Hadley D. Johnson and Anson 
Belden as charter members. Among the ear- 
liest to join soon after were Moses F. Shinn, 
ex-Sheriff' Doughty, James D. Test, D. C. Bloom- 
er and N. T. Spoor. Mr. Spoor is no longer a 
resident of Council Bluff's, but is engaged in 
railwa}- service in Colorado. He served as 
Postmaster of Couucil Bluff's for a time, but 
upon the breaking-out of the civil war he raised 
a battery of artillery here, which took the des- 
ignation of the Second Iowa Battery, he being 
made Captain of the same, Joseph R. Reed, 
for the last ten years District Judge, First Lieu- 
tenant, and Fred Reed, in the service of the 
postal department at this point. Second Lieu- 
tenant. Spoor resigned after being in the field 
some time, and Judge Reed became the Cap- 
tain of the battery. Of the enlisted men in 
that command were Victor L. Keller, the only 
son of John Keller, and Theodore Guittar, son 



134 



HISTORY OF POTTA\V'ATTAMIE COUNTY. 



of Frauk Guittar, already mentioued. The 
lodge of Odd Fellows thus organized continued 
to floui'ish for some years, but waned in pros- 
perity, as did most of the lodges for a period 
of years throughout the countrj', and was dis- 
continued. It was revived under other and 
more favorable auspices at a later date, and 
when that is reached in the course of these an- 
nals the matter will be again appropriately re- 
ferred to. The first banking house opened was 
that by Green & Weare, in the fall of 1854, 
John Weare being the manager of the estab- 
lishment until the spring of 1855,' when Gen. 
Thomas H. Benton, Jr., became a member of 
the firm. Their place of business was the brick 
building, which has been used as the City Re- 
corder's office, a citj' jail and a council chamber, 
at the southeast corner of Glen avenue and 
Broadway, for manj- j-ears. The crash of 1857 
caused a suspension of the business of this 
banking house. 

As a means of traffic across the Missouri 
River at this point was the organization of the 
Council Blufl's and Nebraska Ferrj' Company 
in 1854. The incorporators were Dr. Enos 
Lowe, Samuel S. Bayliss, James A. Jackson, 
Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, Dr. S. M. Ballard, W. 
W. Brown, Jesse Williams and J. H. D. Street, 
brother of A. W. Street, the present Cashier of 
the Citizen's Bank, which went into operation 
on the 1st of Julj', 1882. Jesse Williams was 
a well-known character in Council Bluffs in his 
day, was a fine portly gentleman, and noted far 
and wide for his enterprize and public spirit. 
He was unfortunate in business during the 
latter years of his life, and died at Sioux City 
about five 3'ears ago, dependent upon the kind- 
ness of friends for pecuniar}- assistance. The 
charter of the Ferr}' Company expired bj' 
limitation of twenty years, in the winter of 
1873 and 1874, and, with some re-organization, 
it was continued under a license from the City 
Council for a year or two longer, and finally 
disappeared from sight in the changes in 



transfer made b}' the Union Pacific Railroad, 
in the adopting of car ferriage over the Mis- 
souri River bridge. One of the boats used by 
the company was christened the 'Lizzie Baj-- 
liss," after the favorite daughter of Samuel S. 
Ba3-liss. 

It is a notable fact that, although situated in 
Iowa, Council Bluffs, for a number of weeks, 
was the actual capital of the Territory of 
Nebraska in the year 1854. T. B. Cuming, 
of Keokuk, was the first Secretarj- of the 
territory. Furguson was Chief Justice, and 
Izard Marshal of the Territory, and remained 
here during the preparation of the necessar}' 
buildings at Omaha, then first laid out as a 
town. Five former citizens of Council Bluffs had 
seats in the Territorial Legislatui-e — Hadley D. 
Johnson, Andrew J. Hanscom, A. D. Jones, J. 
C. Mitchell and H. C. Purple. Jeremiah Folsom, 
still a resident of Council Bluffs, and W. W. 
Maynard, came from Michigan to Council 
Bluffs during that year. Folsom is still living, 
but Maynard, after filling out a useful career as 
an editor, and as Postmaster for two terms, 
from 18G1 to 18G9, died in 1875. He and Fol- 
som brought a large flock of sheep to this 
county, driving them all the way from Michi- 
gan. At the date of his death, Jlr. Maynard 
was editor of the Dailij Nonpareil, though his 
connection with that paper was severed for five 
or six years, and not having been resumed 
again until the fall of 1871. After his removal 
from the post office by the accession of the 
Grant administration he was employed in 
newspaper work at Leavenworth on the Bullc- 
tin, published by W. S. Burke, who at one 
time was associated with him in the publica- 
tion of the Noiqiarcil of Council Bluffs. 

No election was held in 1854 for citj- officers, 
but on the 5th of Februarj-, 1855, such an elec- 
tion was held, at which C. E. Stone was chosen 
as JIayor. It was charged that the success of 
the ticket elected at that date was due to the 
influence which the native American party. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



135 



otherwise and popularly known as •■ Know- 
Nothings," was exerting here as well as else- 
where throughout the countrj". In passing, it 
is deserving to saj^, as a part of the current his- 
torj- of tliat date, that everywhere North, as 
well as South, the native American party had 
sprung into vigorous life on the ruins of the 
Whig party, whose last great national effort 
was exerted in the Presidential campaign of 
1852, and that the secrec}' with which the 
" Know-Knothings " conducted their affairs not 
onlv gave them the popular name acquired, but 
became a stunning surprise to their own confident 
political adversaries, who suffered defeat in al- 
most every contest of the year. A tax of five mills 
was levied for city purposes, and although the 
new Mayor recommended the issuance of bonds 
to aid in public improvements, no indebtedness 
was created, and little else done than some re- 
pair to some of the streets, the passage of a 
few necessary police ordinances and the con- 
stitution of a board of health, consisting of Drs. 
Emanuel Honn, A. B. Maclom and Shoemaker. 
The population during the summer varied as 
the exigencies of emigration changed, and the 
character of the people and their industries 
exhibited little change from those of former 



3'ears. Trading with emigrants, furnishing 
them with supplies and outfits was the unvary- 
ing monotony of traffic. Settlements began to 
form in groups in the adjoining counties, and 
the necessities of these brought them long dis- 
tances in contact with the people aud merchants 
of Council Bluffs. Grain and produce were 
hauled in wagons from Harrison, Shelbj', Cass 
and Monona Counties. Teams came from Page 
and Montgomerj' Counties, or the territory con- 
stituting those counties, aud procured their 
supplies as an advantageous point on the river, 
and men and people who were severed by dis- 
tances of fift}', sixt}' and sevent}- miles, pioneers 
were regarded simply as neighbors. About the 
onl}- amusements accessible to the people in the 
remote country places was the country dance, 
and it was considered no hardship to go twenty 
miles to one of these, '• hoe it down " all night, 
return home the next day, and resume the 
homely occupations of the frontier settlements. 
The chain of friendship thus formed, under those 
circumstances, among the survivors of those 
days and those events, is as bright as ever it 
was, and is one of the consolations of a rapidly 
changed and, in manj- respects, more selfish 
and less sociable condition. 



CHAPTER XXI.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— NEBRASKA TERRITORY ORGANIZED— THE MOB AT BELLVUE— HADLEY JOHN- 
SON TERRITORIAL DELEGATE— SENATOR A. C. DODGE'S PLAN— SQUATTER SOVEREIGNTY- 
"CHRONOTYPE" ESTABLISHED— DR. SETH CRAIG'S ARRIVAL AND SKETCH— COUN- 
CIL BLUFFS TEMPERANCE— INDIAN HABITS — AGAINST 



DURING the year 1854 began the formation 
of a new political part}' in the countr}', and 
Council Bluffs also feU the tendency' to change in 
new issues. The Republican partj- had not 3-et 
emerged from the Free-Soil element that took 
on shape organically in the Presidential cam- 
paigns of 1844, 1848 and 1852, but a spirit of 

*By Col. John H. Keatley. 



PROHIBITION. 

discontent with old organizations was mani- 
fest. A circumstance occurring ou the other 
side of the river, at the old mission of the 
Omaha Indians, near Belle vue, in 1853, was the 
incipiency of a greater movement than was at 
first contemplated b\' its authors. What now 
constitutes the States of Nebraska and Kansas 
was unorganized territorj- of the United States, 



126 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



and without auy form of government except 
such as was exercised by the military at the 
frontier posts. Hadley D. Johnson and about 
one hundred and fift3' others, citizens and resi- 
dents of Council Bluffs, proceeded to the Oma- 
ha Mission, and without any authority from 
Congress organized a squatter civil territorial 
government, and elected Johnson as a Territor- 
ial delegate in Congress. Of course there could 
be no recognition of this irregular act of citi- 
zens of another State who were not residents 
of the so-called Territory, but it directed the 
attention of Congress to the necessit}^ of pro- 
viding some kind of civil government for the 
region in question. 

Hon. D. H. Solomon related to the writer 
of these annals that in the winter of 1853) 
while he was on his way, during a blinding 
snow storm, to Sidney to court, he was met by 
Gen. A. C. Dodge, one of the Senators of Iowa, 
on horseback, traversing this section of the 
State in that inclement weather on a tour of 
investigation regarding the settlement of West- 
ern Iowa, and the character of the country 
immediately beyond the Missouri, that an inter- 
view took place between them as to the organi- 
zation of a Territorial government for the Ne- 
braska country, and that his return to Wash- 
ington was followed b}^ the introduction of a 
bill in the Senate to organize all of that coun- 
try now included in Kansas and Nebraska as 
Nebraska Territor}-. True it is that such a 
bill was introduced, and when it came back to 
the Senate, from the Committee on Territories, 
of which Senator Douglas, of Illinois, was 
Chairman, it was so amended as to provide for 
the organization of two Territories, one to be 
called Nebraska and the other Kansas, and in 
that form, with a further amendment allowing 
the people of these Territories to decide the 
question for themselves, as to the introduction 
of slaver}', the bill became a law, and those 
incipient great States sprang into existence, 
and, in the case of Nebraska, contributed 



greatly in shaping the destiny of Council 
Bluffs. The adoption of the Douglas princi- 
ple in regard to slaverj' being an overthrow of 
the compromises of 1820 and 1850, stimulated 
au opposition which, while in the transition 
period from the disruption of the Whig party 
to the actual formation of the Republican 
party, as Anti-Nebraska, not that they were 
opposed to the organization of the Territory, 
but to the novel features introduced which 
tended to open up the Territory to slavery 
and slave propert}', on equal terras with free- 
dom. The BugJe, then under the management 
of Joseph E. Johnson, was the champion of 
the Douglas doctrine of squatter sovereignty, 
and was the Democratic organ. The discon- 
tents had no exponent. Jeremiah Folsom and 
W. W. Maynard were of the latter class. 
Maynard was a printer, Folsom was not. On 
the 13th da}- of December, 1855, in response to 
the growing discontent everywhere manifest, 
these two gentlemen, under the firm name of 
Folsom & Maynard, issued the first number of 
an Anti-Nebraska weekly newspaper, called 
the Council BJuffx Chronoti/jie, with Mr. May- 
nard as editor. Those who knew Mr. May- 
nard in his lifetime and vvhen in his greatest 
vigor, will not soon forget him. He was small 
in stature and light in build, and in all his 
movements was quiet and undemonstrative. 
He was no great while in demonstrating, in his 
editorial capacity, that he was no mean adver- 
sary with the pen. He had no disposition to 
elaborate and exhaustive editorial writing, as 
existing copies of the Ghronotype and the early 
files of the NonpareU show, but his short cuts 
to the pith of a point exhibited his capability 
to reach the sensitive part of an argument 
with a pungenc}' that sometimes had a vigorous 
sting. 

Among those who came to Council Bluffs 
in 1855, and who are among those best remem- 
bered of that date, is Dr. Seth H. Craig, and 
who is now a resident of Fremont County. 



HISTORY OF POTTAAVATTAMIE COUNTY. 



127 



Dr. Craig has had a varied career, and no man 
in the State is more widely Icnown. He is a 
native of Millersburg, Ohio, having been born 
there in 1825. He removed to Farraington, 
Van Biiren Count}-, in 1843, and when the 
Mexican war brolce out went into the serv- 
ice in 1847, in Lieut. Col. Powell's Mis- 
souri battalion of volunteers. After that war, 
he studied medicine, and in 1852 went to Cali- 
fornia, where he remained until he came to 
Council BlulTs in 1855. He was City Treas- 
urer in 1857, and appointed Sheriff of the 
count}' in 1859, and elected to the same office 
in 1860. When the civil war commenced, he 
went into Gen. G. M. Dodge's regiment, the 
Fourth Iowa, and remained in the service until 
he resigned in 18G3. He then returned to 
Farmington, whence he was chosen from Van 
Buren Count}' to the State Legislature, whicli 
met in 1868, and, serving one term, he again 
came to Council Bluffs. Here he served dur- 
ing part of 1869 and of 1870 as Assistant 
Assessor of United States Internal Revenue, 
under the Assessor of the District, Maj. A. B. 
Anderson. He was then elected by the Legis- 
lature, and served two terms as Warden of the 
penitentiary at Fort Madison. Dr. Craig is 
also a brother of Gen. James Craig, a resident 
of St. Joseph, Mo., and for years a wealthy and 
influential Democratic politician and an enter- 
prising citizen of that State. 

In the spring of 1855, the great temperance 
movement throughout the United States mani- 
fested itself in the organization of lodges of an 
organization known as the Sons of Temper- 
ance. The order was then formed here, with 
Thomas Tostevin as its chief officer, and it had 
among its membership Judge Street and Thomas 
P. Treynor, the latter of whom held the office 
of City Recorder from 1863 to 1869, and until 
he was appointed Postmaster by the new Grant 
administration. He held the latter office until 
1877. The first lodge of Ancient, Free and Ac- 
cepted Masons in Council Bluffs was constituted 



on the 21st of July, 1855, under the name of 
Bluff City Lodge, No. 71. L. L. Brown was 
its first Master, and its other officers were Dr. 
P. J. McMahon, Judge Samuel H. Riddle, Sam- 
uel Knepper, A. W. Hollister, J. C. Fargo and 
Dr. S. W. Williams. Among those who were 
its earliest members were Joseph Weirich, W. 
W. Maynard, Judge Larimer, John Keller, 
Judge James, Gen. Benton and Leonard Sears. 
One of the noted business blocks of the city was 
the " Phoenix," erected by Lysander W. Babbitt 
and the firm of Stutsman & Donnell, on the 
south side of Broadway, between Main street 
and Pearl, in the early part of 1855. Mr. Bab- 
bitt was at that time the Register of the United 
States Land Office, and it was moved into that 
block during that fall. William H. Robinson 
and Mr. Babbitt also engaged jointly in trade, 
and carried one of the largest stock of goods 
fitted for the Western and pioneer trade ever 
carried by any firm in the West. They were 
known far and wide as dealers, and their credit 
seemed to be unlimited. The Phcenix Block 
was afterward totally destroyed by fire, but 
the historic recollection of its existence still 
lingers in the memory of the old settlers. During 
these years, the Indians, the Pawnees, the Otoes 
and the Omahas, wei'e a sort of free common- 
ers in the city, and, in many instances, unmiti- 
gated nuisances. They were allowed to roam 
away from such reservations as had the name 
merely, and were disgraceful specimens of de- 
moralization when in contact with the white 
man and his vices. It was useless to close 
doors against them. They regarded these bar- 
riers of no account, and with the most stolid 
assurance stalked in and took possession and 
helped themselves. They were also a constant 
annoyance to families in the frights they gave 
women and children unused to their rude hab- 
its, as they put their tawny faces to the win- 
dows and gazed quizzingly into the dwellings. 
They were universal beggars, and up until 1869 
abated little in their nomad conduct. The 



128 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



writer of this well remembers a characteristic 
incldeut occurring while the Union Pacific Rail- 
road was in course of construction. He took 
passage at night in the caboose attached to a 
freight train, mainly made up of flat cars laden 
with railroad iron. An old buck, who had been 
imbibing freely in Omaha, and his ancient and 
work-worn squaw were unticketed passengers 
on the car just in front of the caboose. The 
train was all night making its trip, and from 
dark until nearly dawn the old squaw sat 
" crooning " over her inebriated brave, chanting 
a doleful sort of requiem, sounding more like 
the outpourings of a savage heart in the death 
tepee than a natural scene by the side of a hus- 
band too full for utterance. Her reward for all 
this was when they left the train. He could 
then walk, and, leaving the car, he gruffly com- 
pelled her to carry a budget of stuif picked up 
in Omaha, big enough for the brawny shoulders 
of a stout man rather than for the frail frame 
of a decrepit, gray-haired, storm-wrinkled 
squaw. They disappeared over the hill to a 
tanning camp, she almost doubled to the earth 
bj' the weight of the burden, and he stalking 
along with lordlj indifl'erence as one of the 
bravest men of his tribe. 



The total vote of Kane Township, in the fall 
election of 1855, was 243. The Democratic 
ticket had a majoritj- of some thirteen votes as 
the highest, and three the lowest. The ques- 
tion of prohibition was submitted to a popular 
vote, and the township gave a majority of 
twenty-five and the county forty against it. 
The question of prohibition was not seriouslj- 
agitated again in Council Bluffs, until, in 1882, 
when at the special election, on tlie 12th day of 
June, on the question of amending the State 
Constitution so as to prohibit the manufacture 
of all kinds of alcoholic liquors, the township 
gave a majoritj' of 806 votes against the 
amendment, and the county 1,123. The elec- 
tion was held in August, and W. D. Turner, 
who afterward kept the City Hotel, which 
stood immediatel}' east of where the Ogden 
House now is, was elected County Treasurer ; 
Thomas Tostevin, County Surveyor ; John C. 
Fargo, SherilT, and Joseph Hall, County Judge. 
The latter resigned after a few months, and A 
V. Larimer, was appointed until the spring 
election following, when W. C. James was 
elected to fill out the unexpired term of Judge 
Hall. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



COUNCrL BLUFFS— GEN. G. M. DODGE — SKETCH— HIS BIRTHPLACE— FATHER AND MOTHER— 
GRADUATES— MILITARY TRAINING— SURVEYS THE MISSLSSIPPI & MISSOURI ROAD— PACI- 
FIC RAILWAY EXP LOR.'iTIONS- SETTLES IN COUNCIL BLUFFS — OUTBREAK OF 

CAxMPAIGN — INDIAN HOSTILITIES. 

soldier. The name of Gen. Grenville M. 
Dodge is endurably impressed upon Council 
Bluffs. It is also proper to say of him as did 
Fuller, "a man true to his word, merciful to those 
under him, and hating nothing so much as idle- 
ness." The little town of Peabod^-, formerly 
Danvers, in the State of Massachusetts, settled in 
the earlj' days of the colonies and of the repub- 
lic when in its incipient growth by a pure race 



THE WAR— PEA RIDGE — ATLANTA 
A T this time and place, it is right and proper 
-^-^to tui-n the reader's attention to the one 
who had a marked influence upon the historj' of 
Council Bluffs through all its career since the 
commencement of his residence here, and has 
also stamped his impress upon the annals of 
his country by the fame he won, and the serv- 
ices he rendered in the civil war as a gallant 

*By Col. John H. Keatley. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY 



139 



of true New England stock, has given to the na- 
tion two men of which any country might be 
proud; the one, " the friend of all his race," has 
ended his career of munificence in two hemi- 
spheres, in the noblest charit}' of all history, 
and has canonized the name of George Pea- 
body in the great and noble roll of philan- 
thropy; and the other, the subject of this sketch, 
has won his place among the greatest en- 
gineers of the world. His genius as a civilian 
has assisted in subduing the wilderness, and as 
a soldier, he takes rank among the many great 
generals whose careers are glorious exemplars 
to the aspiring youth of all ages. In the pride 
in which his birthplace takes in such a noble 
life, the city of Council Bluffs, of which he 
was a pioneer, and still retains as his home, 
justly claims an equal right and public-spirited 
interest. 

Grenville M. Dodge was born April 18, 1831, 
and consequently, at this writing, is fifty-one 
}'ears of age, and still in the enjoj'ment of a 
fair proportion of physical vigor, considering 
injuries received in the militar3' service, and 
the full possession of the mental energy which 
has characterized his long, arduous and erai- 
nentl}' useful career. His father was Syl- 
vanus Dodge, an active business man of Dan- 
vers, now Peabody; was at one time Postmas- 
ter of the South Town. He was of solid, 
stable New England stock, and a native of 
Rowley, Mass. The mother of Gen, Dodge 
was Julia A. Phillips, of Rowley, and she and 
the General's father were married in 1827. She 
is also the sister of John M. Phillips, who has 
been one of the foremost business men of 
Council Bluffs, engaged in the shoe trade, for 
many years. Sylvanus Dodge came to Coun- 
cil Bluffs about the date of the arrival of his 
distinguished son, and in 1869 was appointed 
Register of the United States Land Office. 
This position he held until his death some 
years afterward at the venerable age of eighty 
years. The mother of Gen. Dodge still sur- 



vives, and has her home in Council Bluffs, on 
Bancroft street, surrounded by her children, 
grandchildren and other relatives, in the enjoy- 
ment of a serene and happy old age. 

Gen. Dodge received a fair common school 
education in such schools as the times then af- 
forded, but the opportunities then afforded b}- 
no means slaked his thirst for knowledge. He 
was a stout, active, robust and health}- boy. He 
worked on a farm and at gardening, which 
toughened and hardened the fiber of his phys- 
ique, and fitted him for the arduous duties of 
the life he afterward lived. He was subse- 
quently engaged as a clerk in a general store, 
and here he acquired those rudiments of ordi- 
nary business which developed in him in the 
culture of a broader career. Like many an- 
other New Englaud boy, his ambition was 
aroused, and his leisure hours were improved 
in study. He was fitting himself for college, 
and at last attained that goal by being matric- 
ulated in 1846 at the Vermont Military Uni- 
versitj' at Norwich, from which he graduated 
in 1849, having attained the degree of bachelor 
of arts and that of civil engineering. His 
training at Norwich was of a broad, liberal char- 
acter, and professional as well, but at the same 
time he had the advantages of a military course 
equal almost to the curriculum of West Point, 
which was of the greatest usefulness to him 
when his services were demanded by his coun- 
try in the hour of its greatest peril, in 1861. 
His mind had a military bent, and when he at- 
tained high command in the field and among 
troops and the stirring activities of actual war 
this quality of mind was manifest in his adapta- 
tion and success. 

His attention was turned toward the West 
through college associations. The sons of Col. 
Ransom of the regular army, who fell gallantly 
fighting at Chapultepec, in Mexico, were his es- 
pecial friends, and they having come West, he fol- 
lowed them soon after his graduation, and set- 
tled at Peru, 111., where he adopted the profes- 



130 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



sioii of land surveyor. He soou, however, re- 
ceived an appointment in tlie engineer corps of 
the Illinois Central Railroad Company. He 
soon exchanged this position for one in the Chi- 
cago & Rock Island Railroad Company, whose 
line of road was then in course of construction 
toward the Mississippi River, and whose chief 
engineer was the famous Peter A. Dey, one of 
the railroad commissioners of the State of Iowa, 
and who has been such commissioner ever since 
the organization of the board. Gen. Dodge com- 
menced service under Mr. Dey simply as an ax- 
man, but the latter was quick to discern talent 
and appreciate industry, and soon advanced 
him to the head of a party and made him re- 
sponsible for its work. This was the proper 
position to develop the latent talent of the young 
and ambitious assistant. It was clothed with 
tliat responsibility that he located the Bureau 
Valley Branch of the Rock Island road, and 
from that date he was constantly employed in 
tliat class of service on other Illinois roads un- 
til 1851. Enterprise was already looking be- 
yond the Mississippi into Iowa, and contem- 
plating the magnificent capabilities of the new 
State, and even casting its eyes toward the Pa- 
cific as the goal of the rapidly developing en- 
ergy of the country and the genius of the people. 
That year, the Mississippi and the Mis- 
souri River Eailroad across the State of Iowa, 
from Davenport, was projected, and Mr. Dey 
was selected as its Chief Engineer, he at 
the same time making Gen. Dodge his assist- 
ant. Here there was a virgin field for the 
capacity of the latter. Here was the trying 
time of his life, and here was to be tested the 
trainincr he had undergone in school and in 
the field. He was then revolving in his mind 
a grand inter-continental railway scheme, and 
his instructions from the contractors of the 
Mississipiji & Missouri Railway Company, 
Messrs. Dm-ant & Farnham, involved the 
consideration on his part, of such a grand 
enterprise and its achievement. They de- 



cided that he shoiild ascertain the most prac- 
ticable route beyond the Missouri River for a 
Pacific road, in order that the Mississippi & 
Missouri road in Iowa might have a 2>i'oper 
connection. The same year, he entered upon 
his work with zeal and alacrity, and made a 
thorough reconnoissanee from Davenport, by 
the way of Des Moines, to Council Bluf3fs. 
Every energy of his nature was aroused by 
the great trust imposed in him, and he faith- 
fully discharged his duty with a rare intelli- 
gence. The central and western part of the 
State at this date was almost wholly unsettled. 
The only inhabitants between Des Moines 
and Council Bluffs were the hunters and trap- 
pers along the streams and those in the scat- 
tered cabins of the Mormons on the western 
slope. The latter were mere pilgrims and 
sojourners, unsettled as to whether they 
would remain or go beyond the mountains 
and join their co-religionists. Large game 
in this section was abundant, and the buffalo 
had not yet emigrated westward, and fresh 
provisions were supplied to the explorers by 
their own rifles. It was a bare, uninviting, 
lonely prairie then; but the great capacity 
for future development and the fertility of 
the soil were abundantly apparent to Gen. 
Dodge and his companions, as they traversed 
the rolling country between the Des Moines 
and the Missoiu-i. They found Council 
Bluffs simply a little Mormon settlement, 
and the last outpost of civilization on the 
route to far-off California. Its location on 
the Missouri River, its admirable sm-round- 
iugs, its evident possibilities and advantages 
as an initial point for a great inter-continent- 
al railway, induced him, after mature con- 
sideration, to establish here the western ter- 
minus of the Mississippi & Missoui'i River 
line of railway. That decision of his. as the 
subsequent history of the place and of other 
railway lines that have come to make up the 



HISTORY OF POTTAWA.TTAMIE COUNTY. 



lai 



great system centering here, was of the high- 
est importance. Without his having so de- 
cided, the future historian of the then little 
frontier hamlet might have been compelled 
to indulge in a reverie of " might have 
beens." He not only thus selected the point 
to which the railway should tend, in the 
course of construction, but he selected it as 
his future home. No sooner had he deter- 
mined these matters than he rafted his outfit 
across the Missoiari and began his explora- 
tions for a Pacific line of the Platte Valley. 
In crossing the river in the primitive method 
of a raft, he lost half of his outfit, and had 
the rest damaged by water; but nothing 
daunted by these drawbacks, notwithstanding 
the impossibility to replace the losses, he ad- 
vanced into the Platte Valley, and unmistak- 
ably and confidently indicated that as the 
proper line of the projected and to 
many, merely visionary, inter-continental rail- 
way. He was unmoved by any speculations 
of failm-e and impossibility. He had the 
faith of an earnest explorer, and his work 
was performed with a confidence that it would 
terminate in the highest results. He was 
among the first to realize, comprehend and 
appreciate the great fertility of the soil of 
Nebraska and make it known to the world. 
His confidence in it was manifested in the 
selection of a prairie farm, in the Elkhorn 
Valley, now settled and cultivated as few val- 
leys on earth are cultivated, and inhabited 
with all the adjuncts and comforts of an ad- 
vanced civilizcXtion. He not only selected 
this farm, but made it his home for a time. 

During the succeeding years up to 1857, 
he vigorously carried on his railway surveys, 
in the location of the route of the Mississippi 
& Missouri River Railroad, now constituting 
the Iowa Division of the Chicago, Rock 
Island & Pacific. It is demonstrable from all 
his work of this chai'acter that he has had few 



equals and no superiors as a locating engi- 
neer, instinctivelj' grasping, as he always 
has, the topography of the country involved, 
and securing for those railroads the best ]ios- 
sible line. This quality of his work was es- 
pecially manifest and exhibited in this, his 
first extended location. 

During the greater j^ortion of these inter- 
vening years, he still kept in mind his project 
of a Pacific railroad, and fondly cherished it, 
working winter and siimmer, contending with 
and overcoming a thousand, obstacles, and 
passing innumerable obstacles in his way, 
and making extended and careful surveys 
and rcconnoissances in view of the ultimate 
construction of the road. It was by no means 
a task free from personal danger. He met 
these with matchless pluck, energy and 
patience. His aim was a fixed and definite 
one, and nothing could deter him. It is 
only necessary to conceive and recall the 
character of the wild regions beyond the Mis- 
soiu-i at that date, and the fact that not a 
vestige of civilization appeared where States 
have since sprung into populous and unexam- 
p)led existence, except the mere trail made 
here and there by the trader and the emi- 
grant. It is only necessary to comprehend 
the arduousness of the task; to reflect that 
the country then was the abiding-place of 
Indian tribes more or less hostile and more 
or less jealous of every encroachment of the 
white man, and that the hierarchy of Utah 
were the sworn enemies of every approach of 
civilization that even remotely threatened 
the destruction or the modification of their 
peculiar and barbarous system. He explored 
every pass through the Rock}' Mountains and 
every approach, from the British possessions 
in the North to the Red River in the South, 
and thoroughly developed the wide expanse 
of countiy from the Missouri River to the 
Great Salt Lake Basin, finally settling and 



133 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



cletermining the location upon which the line 
of the Union Pacific traverses the great coun- 
try between the Missouri River and Ogden. 
This work has been pronounced by both Eu- 
ropean and American critics, having the 
proper experience and skill, to be a marvel 
of railroad engineering. 

During the year 1857, Abraham Lincoln, 
then counsel for a number of Illinois railroad 
companies, greatly interested in the develop- 
ment and traffic of the western country, visit- 
ed Council Bluffs and had frecjuent and pro- 
longed interviews with Gen. Dodge with ref- 
erence to the Pacific Railroad and its futiu-e. 
These matters were in the mind of Mr. Lin- 
coln when he became President, and when 
the Union Pacific bill was under considera- 
tion in Congress, in 1863, and when the 
President was called to act in the matter, 
Gen. Dodge was in command at Corinth, 
Miss. He then and there received a tele- 
graphic communication to visit Washington 
to confer with the President concerning this 
gigantic project. The result of their inter- 
view, after I'ecalling the President's own ob- 
servations, and impressed by the advice of 
Gen. Dodge, induced the issuance of the 
proclamation which fixed the initial point 
within the limits of the city of Council Bluffs. 
It must be borne in mind that the act of Con- 
gress incorporating this railroad company 
did not undertake to definitely fix this point, 
but left it to the President to determine by 
his proclamation, which he did in the man- 
ner and under the influences just stated. 

Gen. Dodge was married, in 1854, to Miss 
Annie Brown, of Peru, 111., and who, as his 
courageous wife, gallantly shared all the per- 
ils, hazards and discomforts of the camp life 
that he led in the arduous discharge of duty. 
His home was actually first made in Coun- 
cil Bluffs the same year, living at first in a 
small brick house on Broadway, and after- 



ward in a log house on Madisou, now known 
as First street. He, however, soon went to 
his new farm in the Elkhorn Valley in Ne- 
braska, and became the first settler in that 
valley. Here he made his residence until 
November, 1856, when the Indians drove 
him and his family away, and he was com- 
pelled to come to the little village, as it then 
was, of Omaha for safety and protection. 
He wintered at this point, and in the spring 
came back to Council Bluffs and commenced 
the construction of the Mississippi & Missouri 
River Railroad eastward. While engaged in 
making preliminary surveys and explorations, 
in view of the future Pacific Railroad, he had 
friendly intercourse with many of the chiefs 
of the Indian tribes, and traded with the In 
dians, and thus formed an accpiaintance with 
them and their character, that was of great 
value to him in the campaign in that country 
in 1865-66, to reduce their refractoriness, 
and afterward, when actually locating and 
finally establishing the route and building 
the Union Pacific through their country, or 
along the borders of it. He saw the vast im- 
portance of the business of freighting across 
the plains, and, in 1856, he also engaged ex- 
tensively in that, to California and Utah, on 
the great overland trail. He also engaged in 
the banking business during the same period, 
under the firm name of Baldwin & Dodge, 
merging the capital thus employed eventually 
in the Pacific National Bank, and which 
finally went into voluntary liquidation, and 
was replaced by the Council Bluffs Savings 
Bank. Ilis military instincts were always of 
the strongest, and wherever he was, manifest- 
ed themselves. When at Peru, he organized 
a volunteer artillerj' company, which ren- 
dered important service in the suppression of 
a serious riot at Vermillionville. His atten- 
tion was again called to military matters 
after his removal to Council Bluffs, and. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



133 



though uusuccessfiil, he advocated and iirged 
the passage of a comprehensive and efficient 
militia bill by the Legislature. He, how- 
ever, organized a volunteer company, desig- 
nated as the Council Bluffs Guard, of which 
he was Captain, and the late Gen. Benton, of 
the Twenty-ninth Iowa, was one of the Lieu- 
tenants. By this means, he kept alive his 
own military spirit, and laid the foundation 
for a proper response on the part of Council 
Bluffs, when the trial time of the nation 
came to determine its strength and its power 
to cope with its armed internal enemies. In 
political sentiment, during the period which 
led up to the civil war and at the birth and 
through the vicissitudes of the Republican 
party, he was an earnest member and an ac- 
tive work of that organization. His atti- 
tude, when the conflict was impending, could 
not be mistaken, and he comprehended a 
single duty in the spirit of the first inaugu- 
ral of President Lincoln, and never, for a 
moment, viewed the possibility of a dissolu- 
tion of the Union. It was too sacred for him 
to contemplate any such a dire contingency. 
Before Fort Sumter was fired on, he was vigi- 
lant and comprehended his duty as a citizen 
of the Union, without waiting for the com- 
mands of a siiperior. He had large inter- 
ests involved that were of an absorbing char- 
acter, but his public spirit impelled him to 
act, according to his best judgment, for the 
Interests and necessities of the Government. 
The following letter, written by him, discov- 
ered among the archives of the War Depart- 
ment at Washington, forcibly illustrates the 
character and promptness of the man. It is 
dated at Council Bluffs April 2, 1S61, and is 
addressed to John A. Kasson, Member of 
Congress, and says: 

" I arrived home yesterday, and would 
have telegraphed you at St. Joseph had I 
dared to do so. There are men from seces- 



sion military companies formed at St. Joseph 
for the purpose of capturing the troops from 
Fort Randall. They will be down about May 
1 on the Omaha, and they propose to take the 
boat, arms, etc. I have letters from several 
steady Union men in St. Joseph, and I 
shall board the boat as she comes down. My 
information is such that there is no doubt 
about the matter, and a telegram from the 
proper source to the officers on the boat would 
cause them to take the proper action. This 
letter will reach Washington before the troops 
reach this place. Union men are leaving 
Missouri in swarms, and unless matters 
change within a week, a reign of terror will 
rest about St. Joseph." 

It was not difficult to determine what course 
he would take should a conflict of arms be 
precipitated by the events which were hasten- 
ing with such great rapidity at that moment. 
Gen. Dodge at once tendered the services of 
the Council Bluffs Guards to Gov. Kirkwood, 
but they were not accepted for the reason 
that in the unsettled condition of the frontier, 
of which this city was then the almost western 
limit, he was unwilling to expose it bj' the 
withdrawal of what organized military force 
existed here. This course on the part of the 
Governor was acquiesced in with reluctance, 
but no alternative presented itself. The per- 
sonal services of Capt. Dodge were accepted 
by Gov. Kirkwood, and he was dispatched to 
Washington to consult with the military au- 
thorities there as to the arming and equip- 
ping of the contingent that Iowa was called 
upon to furnish for the suppression of the 
insurrection daily growing into wider propor- 
tions. His mission was successful, and Sec- 
retary of War Cameron, appreciating his 
evident military talents and training, ten- 
dered him a commission as Colonel of an 
Iowa regiment to be raised. He accepted 
the position with much misgiving, and re- 



134 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



turned to Council Bluffs to execute the mis- 
sion of raising a regiment from among the 
stiu'dy and loyal sons of the western and 
thinly settled section of the State. The 
writer of these annals of Council Bluffs and 
of this sketch of Gen. Dodge had the pleasure 
of riding with him at the head of a column 
of veterans at the re-union of the old soldiers 
at Council Bluffs, on the 29th of September, 
1882, when he recalled the writer's attention 
to the fact that he was " soldiering again, 
after the lapse of almost twenty years." and 
accompanied this observation with the re- 
mark that he never had so great misgiving as 
to hia own fitness to command troo^os as when, 
in 1861, he marched his old company of the 
Fourth Iowa Infantry, up these same 
streets, just before going to the field, where 
the men performed such gallant and mer- 
itorious services. The tear started in his 
eye as he looked back over the line and saw 
the same old battle-flag of the regiment wav- 
ing again over battle-scarred and gray-haired 
veterans. 

At the same time that he was engaged in 
the raising of the Fourth Iowa Infantry, he 
also organized what was called, out of com- 
pliment to him, Dodge's Battery. Recruit- 
ing progressed rapidly, and, in a short time, 
one thousand of the young, hardy, athletic 
young men of Western Iowa, inured to var- 
ious hardships and accustomed to the use of 
firearms, were in the ranks, and constituted 
as fine and as loyal a regiment as shouldered 
a musket during the civil war. Comjiany B, 
of the regiment, was made up of Pottawatta- 
mie County men, with its Caj^tain, S. H. 
Craig; its First Lieutenant, P. A. Wheeler, 
and the Second Lieutenant, W. H. Kinsman, 
who, as Colonel of another Iowa regiment, 
fell, gallantly fighting, at the battle of Black 
River Bridge, in Mississippi. The battery 
was mainly raised in the county, and was 



commanded by N. T. Spoor, as Captain, with 
J. R. Reed, now District Judge, and C. O. 
Dewey, as Lieutenants. The camp was es- 
tablished south of the city, and was desig-- 
nated as Camp Kirkwood. He began the 
task of drilling and instructing his command 
in the arduous and stern duty that was before 
them, and the making of soldiers out of the 
raw material of citizenship. He was well 
fitted for this preliminary work by his mili- 
tary education at college and otherwise, and 
it was no long time until men. unused by 
habits of life to military discipline, and ma- 
neuvers, and evolutions, became proficients. 
In the early summer of ISfil, the Confed- 
erate partisan leader, Col. Poindexter, made 
an advance toward Northern Missouri and a 
demonstration against the southern border 
of Iowa, and particularly, against the line of 
the Hannilial & St. Joseph Railroad. Col. 
Dodge's regiment was then only partially or- 
ganized and instructed, l>ut, recognizing the 
necessity of prompt action, he moved with 
such of his command as was available, and 
broke up Poindexter's movement, thwarted 
his plans and rapidly drove him to Southern 
Missouri, and then returned to Council 
Bluffs to complete the organization of his 
regiment. The value of this jjrompt enter- 
prise, taken under difficulties that could only 
be realized and comprehended then, was in- 
calculable. He not only encountered and 
overcame difficulties incident everj'-where to 
the formation of veterans from the raw ma- 
terial of men accustomed solely to the habits 
and vocations of civil life; but delays of an 
unusual character were thrown in his way in 
the trouble at which the Government was 
in the unsettled state of the country at the 
outbreak, to obtain the necessary military 
stores. He received ail possible aid from the 
citizens, regardless of jiarty, and without 
waiting for the tardy methods of the Quar- 



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.«^/. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



137 



termaster General's Department, resorted to 
his personal credit to facilitate all that was 
required to put his command in a condition 
for active service in the field. 

In August, 1861, he left Council Bluffs 
with a portion of the regiment for Fort 
Leavenworth, and was followed, in a few 
days, by the rest of the command, and the 
active career of the Fourth Iowa was begun. 
He eventually reached Holla, Mo. , and was 
placed in command of that important post, 
on the frontier of Gen. Sterling Price's 
operations. When at Rolla, on November 4, 
1861, he dispatched an expedition south, 
under Col. Nicholas Grensel, and issued to 
him a characteristic order by saying: " If the 
men who are away from home are in the rebel 
army, or if their families cannot give a good 
account of themselves, or their whereabouts, 
take their property, or that portion of it worth 
taking: also their slaves. Be sure they are 
aiding the enemy, and then take all they 
have got. They have aided and abetted 
Freeman in all ways, and most of them are 
now in the rebel army. You had not been 
gone long before the enemy was signaled 
from this vicinity by firing and beacon lights. 
They could only guess your destination, as no 
one knew it except you and myself. Keep 
account of eveiything you take and who it is 
taken from. I think your idea is a good one 
about dividing your forces Let the infan- 
try, on returning, visit the Pineys, and look 
out for affairs there. Be careful, in taking 
contraband negroes, that the owners are aid- 
ing the enemy." 

When the Army of the Southwest was or- 
ganized in that same quarter, under Gen. S. 
R. Cm-tis, already mentioned in these annals, 
Col. Dodge was assigned to the command of 
the Fourth Brigade, and led the advance in 
the capture of Springfield. Mo., when that 
army moved to the Southwest, and drove 



Price across the border into Arkansas. As 
the spring opened in 1862, decisive work was 
on hand for those troops. Van Dorn left 
Corinth to join Price, on the west side of the 
Mississippi. Ben McCalloch, of Texas, and 
Albert Pike, had mustered a large force of 
Indians, from the Indian Territory, and the 
combined rebel army, composed of Texans, 
Arkansans, Missourians and Indians, was 
moving in the direction of the Boston Mount- 
ains, expecting to defeat Ciu'tis and regain 
Southern and Southwestern Missouri. The 
result of this movement was one of the most 
memorable and decisive conflicts of the civil 
war, now passed into history as the battle of 
Pea Ridge. The fighting took place on the 
6th, 7th and 8th of March, 1862. Gen. 
Sigel's division was in the direction of Ben- 
tonville when it was assailed by Van Dorn's 
force, greatly superior to the entire command 
of Gen. Curtis. Sigel made a matchless re- 
treat in order to re-unite with Curtis, and 
did so at Pea Ridge, where the Federal 
Commander-in Chief had taken a strong po- 
sition, and was fortifying, preparatory to a 
stubborn defense. A skillful flank movement 
on the part of Van Dorn during the night of 
the 6tb compelled Curtis to face to the north, 
reversing his position, when his line was first 
menaced. In this new position, the fighting 
began, and the attack was furious and most 
gallantly and resolutely siistained. The bri- 
gade of Col. Dodge was in the right wing, 
where Pike's Indians and Ben McCulloch's 
brave Texans charged with almost savage 
ferocity in the hope of crushing in that flank. 
The Fourth Iowa bravely bore its part in this 
fierce and stubborn conflict, and in the end 
exhausted their ammunition and were com- 
pelled to go to the rear some distance in 
order to replenish. They began that neces- 
sary movement under Col. Dodge, and. to 
preserve the morale of the command under 



138 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



such trying circumstances as momentarily 
tui-ning their backs to the enemy, he engaged 
their attention and preserved their allign- 
ment by causing them to go through the 
manual of arms, under a heavy tire of shot 
and shell. When going through this exer- 
cise, he was met by Gen. Curtis, just coming 
to that part of the field, who inquired the 
object of the movement, and ascertaining its 
cause, he directed the regiment to face to the 
front and use the bayonet, which order was 
promptly obeyed by officers and men, and 
with the most salutary effect. The fourth 
Iowa distinguished itself in this battle for its 
courage and steadiness under the most trying 
circumstances. Col. Dodge had three horses 
killed under him, and was himself severely 
wounded in the side in this engagement. 
For gallant conduct on that occasion, he was 
recommended for promotion to the rank of 
Brigadier General, and the richly deserved 
promotion was made by the President. As 
soon as his wounds permitted, he was as- 
signed to the command of the post of Colum- 
bus, Ky. ^Vhile discharging that responsi- 
bility, he captured Gen. Faulkner and his 
force, near Island No. 10, in the Mississippi, 
and conducted various important enterprises 
and expeditions in the territory surrounding 
his post. His energy and capacity as an 
officer soon attracted the favorable attention 
of Gen. Grant, and, in July, 1863, he was 
placed in command of the Second Division of 
the Army of the Tennessee, and subsequent- 
ly, at the head of the left wing of the Six- 
teenth Army Corps, with headquarters at 
Corinth, Miss. In this responsibility. Gen. 
Dodge displayed his high 'qiaalities as an ad- 
ministrator and as a fighter. He rebuilt the 
railroads, protected the bridges and exposed 
places by block-houses, and organized the 
freedmen into regiments and raised the First 
Alabama Cavalry, composed of refugees from 



that State, and constituted it as fine a body 
of troops as ever drew saber. Its Colonel 
was George E. Spencer, afterward United 
States Senator from that State. He was 
constantly surrounded and menaced by u 
vigilant, hardy, enterprising enemy. Gens. 
Wheeler, Forrest and Chalmers were con- 
stantly on the watch, and to defeat their 
vigilance required the utmost efforts of their 
equally wily o])panent, Gen. Dodge. He 
defeated the forces of Gen. Van Dorn, at 
Tusciimbia, in a brilliant fight; whipped 
Gen. Forrest at Town Creek, and made the 
celebrated and successful raid upon Grenada, 
Miss. Here he destroyed the railroad in 
possession of the confederates, and a large 
amount of rolling stock and other public 
pi'operty. His headquarters were removed 
to Pulaski, Tenn., in the fall of 1863, and 
from that point he energetically pushed his 
operations in all directions, and subsisted his 
command of 30,000 men, for foiir months, 
off the country. It was during this period 
that he surprised the confederate garrison at 
Decatur, Ala., and secured the whole force 
as prisoners. 

While Gen. Sherman was pre2:)aring for 
the Atlanta campaign of 1864, from Chatta- 
nooga, Gen. Dodge was ordered to join the 
movement to participate in it. When the 
campaign began, he was at the head of the 
Sixteenth Corps in the Army of the Tennes- 
see, and was intrusted with the advance, and 
up to Atlanta participated in all the desperate 
battles that won back that rugged country by 
one of the most remarkable conquests ever 
conducted in modern times. At Dallas, his 
corps heroically repulsed a severe night at- 
tack, and won for itself the fame it ever after 
enjoyed. At Kenesaw Mou^ntain, the men of 
his corps closed upon the rebel works, at the 
top of that rugged, steep mountain more effect- 
ually than any other troops engaged. 



HISTORY or POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



139 



Tbo march from Chattanooga to Athmta 
was a continuous battle and skirmish. In all 
these conflicts, Gen. Dodge did not spare 
himself. He truly estimated the value of 
accurate information, and to a great extent 
made his own reconnoissance. exposed to great 
hazard and personal danger. The long train- 
ing that he had received in a wild couutrj', 
during his experience as a railroad engineer, 
his constant habit of observation, and his 
rapid methods of concentration, were of the 
highest value in a military sense, and fully 
appreciated by Gen. Sherman, who estimated 
his services in that respect more important 
than those of all his other corps commanders 
combined. It is no reflection upon the lat- 
ter to make such a comparison, for Gen. 
Dodge's opportu.nitios and experience in that 
essential were such as had not come within 
the range of army officers, in a time of pro 
found peace, and especially as many of them 
had risen in a very short time, from mere 
subalterns to high rank, by merit and meri- 
torious services. In recognition of these 
services, he was recommended by Gen. Grant 
to a promotion to Major General, and his 
commission bears date June 4, 1S()4. 

In a severe light at RufiPs Mills, on July 4, 
1864, Gen. Dodge's corps repiilsed and 
pushed back Hood's entire army, and took 
possession of the north bank of the Chatta- 
hoochie River at Roswell, Ga. Here, with 
no other bridge material than that attainable 
from the debris of some ruined cotton fac- 
tories, in two days, under a broiling South- 
ern sun, his men built a substantial double- 
ti-ack railroad bridge, 700 feet long, from 
plans he prepared, and the entire Army of 
the Tennessee, with his artillery and its vast 
supplies, safely crossed over. Sherman's goal, 
Atlanta, was eventually in sight, and, as his 
great army closed around the city, by the 
necessaiy contraction of the lines. Dodge's 



Sixteenth Corps, was displaced and obliged 
to take a position in the rear, in reserve, by 
the 22d of July, on the left. Gen. Hood 
conceived a bold and masterly policy of at- 
tack. The night before, he withdrew his 
troops from the city, and, secretly moving by 
a circuitous and well-covered route, hoped to 
break into the rear and left of Sherman's line 
toward Decatur and crush that wing. As 
Hood's force advanced and was about to de- 
velop on that flank in execu.tion of the rebel 
plan, Gen. Dodge observed the movement, 
and, divining its purpose, promptly formed 
his corps and met their first onset and checked 
it. Disappointed by this sudden and vigor- 
ous reception, the confederate column of at- 
tack hesitated, and Gen. Dodge, getting his 
corps well in hand, made a vigorous charge 
and di'ove the enemy from the field with ter- 
rible slaughter. It was only this opportune 
position and prompt decision of Gen. Dodge 
that on that day saved Gen. Sherman's army 
from serious loss, and, perhaps, great and 
irreparable disaster. Gen. McPherson, on 
that morning, rode into the advancing rebel 
lines and losthis life, and it was after recov 
ering the ground by Gen. Dodge's corps that 
the body of the well-beloved and talented 
officer was obtained. The confederate cavalry 
also made a desperate attempt that day to 
capture and destroy the vast supply trains of 
the Army of the Tennessee, but were thwart- 
ed by the prompt action, also, of Gen. Dodge. 
Later in the dav, one of his brisjades gallant- 
ly repulsed a desperate charge made upon the 
lines of the Fifteenth Corps. The confeder- 
ate loss in Gen. Dodge's front alone was 
fourteen hundi'ed, and many prisoners and 
eight battle-flags. 

Sherman's army proceeded with the invest- 
ment of Atlanta, and, as Gen. Dodge was 
personally observing the position of the con- 
federates from the rifle-pits of his skirmish 



140 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



line, preparatory to the making of an advance 
and au attack, he was picked out by a rebel 
shai'pshooter and severely wounded in the 
head. He was compelled at once to relin- 
quish his command, and, as soon as it was 
possible, was removed North. As soon as 
his wound would permit travel, he visited 
Gen. Grant, at City Point, Va., and, in the 
meantime, the Sixteenth Army Corps was 
broken up by Gen. Sherman, and its divis- 
ions in front of Atlanta distributed among 
the other corps. Other divisions of the same 
corps that had been with Gen. A. J. Smith 
in the Red River expedition of Gen. Banks, 
and in Missouri in the final expulsion of 
Gen. Price under the direction of Gen. Rose- 
crans, were sent to Gen. Thomas at Nashville, 
and assisted in the final defeat of Hood. 
During the period of Gen. Dodge's trip to 
Grant's headquarters at City Point, he visited 
Boston, and his native town in Massachusetts, 
and in both cities was received with flatter- 
ing demonstrations, among which was an elo- 
quent complimentary address by the venera- 
ble Edward Everett. 

Returning to diity in the Army of the Ten- 
nessee, he was met by an order from Gen. 
Sherman assigning him to the command of a 
column intended to operate against Mobile 
from Vicksburg, but was halted at Cairo, 
111., by a dispatch directing him to proceed 
to St. Louis and there assume control of the 
Department of Missouri, and relieve Gen. 
Rosecrans. This change was made by Gen. 
Sherman, at the instance of Gen. Grant, who 
had confidence that Dodge was the man for 
that important post. In this new field of 
duty, " the grave of Generals," he proceeded 
to work with renewed energy. He promptly 
suppressed disloyal sentiment wherever found, 
dominating, as it did, the entire State; he 
encouraged and protected the Union people 
everywhere, and effectually exterminated all 



guerrilla and bushwhacking enterprises and 
practices. In a word, he thoroughly restored 
order and safety to life and property through- 
out the borders of Missouri. At the call of 
Gen. Thomas, at Nashville, he sent all the 
organized forces he could spare from his de- 
partment, and thus assisted him in winning 
that " famous victory." He also made a cam- 
paign against Jeil Thompson on White River, 
Arkansas, and compelled the dispersion and 
sm-reuder of about ten thousand men, and the 
breaking-up of all organized opposition in 
that quarter. 

Just before the collapse of the rebellion, 
Kansas and the Western plains country were 
consolidated in Dodge's command, and his 
headquarters removed to Fort Leavenworth. 
The Indians from the Red River to the Brit- 
ish Possessions were in open and active hos 
tility, and were holding all the trails and 
routes, blockading frontier forts and massa- 
creing settlers, and destroying settlements. 
Gen. Dodge at once entered ujoon the ex- 
tremely difficult task of subduing these hos- 
tile tribes, opening up communications across 
the plains and restoring peace to the settle- 
ments. Troops for this service could not 
well be spared from the armies of)erating 
against armed rebellion in the South, and, 
to supply a force sufficient to undertake the 
task, he enlisted several regiments from Con- 
federate prisoners of war, confined in North- 
ern prison camps, under the title of " United 
States Volunteers," and, with these as an 
auxiliary, inaugurated a winter campaign 
against the tribes, and, coming upon them 
unwarily, and when they supposed white men 
could not and would not wage war against 
them, thoroughly and eflectively defeated 
them, obliging them to sue for peace, and 
thus re-opening the overland route closed b}' 
savage hostility. 

Having pacified the Indians and restored 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



141 



quiet to the Western frontier, he tendered 
his resignation in June, 1806. He was lu-ged 
to remain in the service, and to that end was 
appointed a Major General in the regular 
army, for which rank he was eminently 
fitted; but, having been selected as Chief 
Engineer of the Union Pacific Raih'oad, an 
employment more congenial to his tastes and 
habits in time of peace, he insisted on his 
resignation, and entered upon his new duties. 
During his absence fi'om home, in July, 
1866, the Republicans of the Fifth Congres- 
sional District, unsought by him, and in rec. 
ognition of his distinguished public services, 
nominated him as thoir candidate for Con- 
gi'ess. He accepted the honor thus tendered 
him with great reluctance, and withotit mak- 
ing any canvass of the district, which extend- 
ed from the Des Moines River to the Missouri, 
and included neai-ly one-third of the area of 
the State of Iowa, he was elected by an over- 
whelming majority, it being 4.500 — 2,000 
more than had ever been given any other 
candidate in the district. He took his seat 
in the Fortieth Congi-ess. He was never 
noted as an orator. In conversation, he has 
always been incisive in speech, and pointed 
and direct. He was an active, intelligent, 
working member, leaving to others more 
fluent and willing the task of debate on the 
floor. His influence was felt in a high de- 
gree in the passage of the bill for the re-or- 
ganization of the army. He paid particular 
attention to the wants ot his own State, and 
was instnnnental in procm-ing the act reim- 
bursing Iowa for the expenses incurred by 
her in the raising and equipment of troops, 
and in defending her border against raids: 
A monument of his energy and usefulness 
exists in the fine United States building 
which adorns the city of Des Moines, his aid 
in procuring the requisite appropriation be- 
ing of the most effective character. Though 



urged to accept, he most positively declined 
to accept a re-nomination and a re-election 
at the close of his first term, and was suc- 
ceeded by F. W. Palmer, then a citizen of 
the district, but now the Postmaster of the 
city of Chicago. 

Gen. Dodge preferred to devote all his en- 
ergies, to the building of the Union Pacific 
Railroad, an enterprise that had always lain 
nearest his heart from the day he entered 
upon its preliminary siu'vey, years before. 
Nothing could induce him to change this res- 
olution. The task was extremely diflScult in 
many resjaects. He had at the same time to 
survey and locate the line, carry on and push 
the work of construction, and to operate the 
constructed road. All these details were of 
the most eomj^lex and perplexing character. 
It was a long and difficult line, through an 
iinsettled, and, in many instances, a discour- 
agingly waste country. All the material had 
to be carried hundreds of miles before it 
could be put into the track. That character 
of railroad building was a mere experiment, 
and there were not a few experienced engi- 
neers in this country and in Europe, while 
they marveled at the progress, withheld their 
approval as a success. He inspired the man- 
agement of the new road and the contractors 
with his own energy, zeal and earnestness, 
and stimulated them to efibrts that were truly 
wonderful. Track-laying, under such an in- 
spiration as this, soon progressed at the rate 
of from two to three miles a day, and railroad 
building was revolutionized everywhere. 
Since then, his example has been easy to fol- 
low. In one yeai', 568 miles of road were 
built and equipped — a feat that had never 
before been excelled in the history of such 
enterprises, and still stands out as a marvel. 
A single base of operations, on the Missouri 
River, served for all this gigantic movement, 
as no other was possible. A moving city 



142 



HISTOKY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



kept pace to the end of the track as each 
day's progress advanced it miles west- 
ward; and an army of workmen and their 
camp-followers constituted its inhabitants. 
Towns sprang magically into existence, and 
disappeared as suddenly, but many of the 
flourishing cities and towns that now dot the 
plains along the route are due to the ephem- 
eral railway camjj. Diu-ing this exciting pe- 
riod, Gen. Dodge, who was the life and soul 
of the enterprise, virtually lived in his worlc 
One day he was in his ofiSce; the next, hun- 
dreds of miles out at the end of the track, 
and, perhaps, in a day or two, a hundred or 
more miles still beyond, in the wilderness, 
establishing the route. At last the gi'eat 
ambition of his life was achieved, and he saw 
with jileasure the uniting of the Union Pa- 
cific with the Central Pacitic at Promontory 
Point, Utah, a thousand miles from the start- 
ing-point on the Missouri Eiver, on that 
memorable day in May, 1869. 

While acting as Chief Engineer of the 
Union Pacific, he urged upon the Chicago & 
North-Western, the first of any of the other 
railways to make actual connection with the 
Union Pacific, to establish their western ter- 
minus at Council Bluffs, and was rewarded 
with witnessing that achievement Witness- 
ing the completion of the Union Pacific from 
the river to its junction with the Central Pa- 
cific, a thousand miles away, was the realiza- 
tion of only a part^of his great plan. The 
treacherous, fickle and subtle Missouri River 
must be spanned by a railway bridge before 
it could be said that the absolute wants of 
civilization could be satisfied in the matter 
of the Union Pacitic Railroad. None unac- 
quainted with that task can comprehend its 
magnitude, but, with a genius equal to the 
emergency, he entered upon a project which 
an experience and test of nine years have 
amply justified. After having made the plans 



for the great bridge, and pointed out its con- 
struction in the most minute detail, he re- 
signed the position of Chief Engineer in 
]S70, but, since 18G8, has served almost un- 
interruptedly as one of the Directors of the 
road. 

On severing his connection with the Union 
Pacitic as engineer, he immediately took j)art 
in another great inter-continental enterprise 
— the Texas & Pacitic, and, as Chief Engi- 
neer, took charge of its construction, and 
completed its location from Shi'evei)ort, La. , 
to San Diego, Cal., a distance of 2,000 miles, 
and 400 miles of it were built by him before 
the distressing panic of 1873, which caused 
a suspension of the work. His connection 
with that road has been uninterrupted since 
the date of his first connection with the en- 
terprise, and his tenacity of pm-pose in all 
manner of vicissitudes has never for a mo- 
ment flagged or yielded. 

Gen. Dodge's private business, unconnected 
with railway enterprises, has, in the mean- 
time, expanded into huge proportions. He 
was President of the Pacific National Bank 
of Council Bluffs, and held that p)Osition until 
its merge with the Council Bhiffs Savings 
Bank. He has also had connection with 
numerous other successful enterprises of in- 
ternal improvement than those already named. 
In 1 875-7 fi, he visited Europe, and remained 
abroad quite a long time, making a thorough 
and a careful examination of the railway sys- 
tems of those countries, and acquiring val- 
uable information as to their progress, man- 
agement and methods. 

In 1879, he was made President of the Pa- 
cific Railway Improvement Company, and re- 
sumed operations in the construction of the 
Texas & Pacific, and in 1880 finished that 
road from its then terminus. Fort Worth, 
Texas, to El Paso, in the same State. At the 
same time, he also undertook and completed 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



U3 



the building of the New Orleans Pacific road, 
from New Orleans to Shreveport, and also the 
work of an extension of the Missouri, Kansas 
& Texas Railway from Denison, Texas, to 
the Rio Grande River at Laredo. Between 
1880 and 1882, he has built more than two 
thousand five hundred miles of railway, all of 
which is now in successful operation. He 
also succeeded in obtaining from the Repub- 
lic of Mexico a concession for a railway from 
Loredo, on the Rio Grande, to the City of 
Mexico, called the Mexican Oriental, and 
upon which work is now rapidly progi-ess- 
ing. 

As already stated, Gen. Dodge married 
early in life, and his family now consists of 
his wife and three daughters, one of whom 
is married to Robert E. Montgomery, who 
grew to manhood in Council Blufis; the 
other, to F. S. Pusey, a son of Hon. W. H. 
M. Pusey; and a third, who is still unmar- 
ried.^ In all the changes of location de- 
manded of him by his greatly diversified bus- 



iness enterprises. Gen. Dodge has never for 
one moment ceased to be identified with 
Council Bluffs. Here it is that his beautiful 
home is. Here he comes to rest, when rest 
he takes. Here are associations that he finds 
no place else, and that are essential even to 
his busy nature. Absorbed in some of the 
most gigantic industrial enterprises that ever 
engaged the attention of man, his affection 
for his parents is as tender and unostentatious 
as that of the youth who has not yet entered 
upon the great work of the world. As a hus- 
band, father and brother, he is singularly 
affectionate ; and to acquaintances, of the 
most cordial disposition. A criticism would 
be out of place here. The writer has only 
endeavored to incorporate in this book, as a 
means of instruction and example, the true 
chronicle of the achievements of an illustri- 
ous citizen of Council Bluffs, who, as a self- 
made man, has illustrated the workings of 
our great free system of government in a Re- 
public whose greatness is yet in its infancy. 



CHAPTER XXIIl. 



COUNCIL BLUFFS- 



-W. H. M. PUSEY— BANKER AND POLITICIAN— BIRTHPLACE AND EDUCATION- 
STATE SENATOR— DELEGATE TO CHARLESTON CONVENTION 
OF 1860— ELECTED TO CONGRES. 1882. 



DURING 1855, the population of Council 
Bluffs increased to some extent, and the 
city had many visitors in search of new lands, 
who were on their way, overland, to the Pa- 
cific coast. There was little abatement of 
this class of enterprise during all these years. 
Among those who came about this date was 
Hon. W. H. M. Pusey, a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, and who, in a long and useful career 
as a business man and a banker, has left his 
impress upon the city. Mr. Pusey is still in 

«By Col. John H. Keatley. 



the prime of life, and has many years of use- 
fulness before him. He was born on the 
29th day of July, 1826, in Washington 
County, Penn., and graduated from "Wash- 
ington College, in his native county, in 1847. 
Among others who have distinguished them- 
selves in subsequent public life, and who 
were class-mates of Mr. Pusey, was the Hon. 
James G. Blaine, and whose friendship for 
Mr. Pusey has been undiminished in all the 
intervening years of public vicissitudes and 
political strife. Their esteem for each other 



144 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



is as fresh and manifest as it was when they 
were boys at college. Mr. Piisey is of Quaker 
parentage and habits of thought. His phys- 
ique and name indicates his English origin, 
and his habits are in keeping with that char- 
acter. He is broadly built, of medium height, 
and is capable of an immense amount of phys- 
ical endurance. His physiognomy is that 
of the English middle-class business man. 
After taking his degree at college, he selected 
the profession of law, and began its study. 
His ripe scholarship and studious, staid hab- 
its enabled him soon to master legal princi- 
ples, and in a short time he was duly admit- 
ted to the bar. Soon after this occiu'red, he 
took another important step, and that was 
marriage, with Miss Sarah Ellen Officer, in 
1849. This lady is the daughter of the late 
Robert Officer and the sister of Thomas 
Officer, who has been Mr. Pusey's business 
associate as a banker in Council Bluffs for 
nearly twenty-five years. The first move 
made by these gentlemen was to Illinois, 
where the vast quantities of unimpri ;ved land 
presented a wide field for real estate opera- 
tions. In these they engaged with success 
in that State; but, in 1855, Mr. Pusey visited 
Council Bluffs for the first time, remained 
quite awhile, located a large amount of wild 
lands, and laid the foundation for his and 
their subsequent successful business career. 
Returning to Illinois, his business connec- 
tions there were severed, his affairs in that 
quarter wound up, and a permanent removal 
made in 1856 to Council Bhiffs, to establish 
the banking house of Officer & Pusey, which, 
during all the monetary panics through 
which the country has since passed, has stood 
firm, unmoved and almost uninfluenced. The 
country now tributary to Council Bluffs and 
the basis of its prosperity and growth were 
little more than a waste. Here and there, for 
a hundred miles in the interior, was a ham- 



let, and here and there a settlement. ■ Coun- 
cil Bluffs was the only point west of the Des 
Moines River that could then afford any kind 
of banking facilities, and Officer & Pusey at 
once acquired an acquaintance and inspired 
a confidence that has been undeviating from 
that day to this. 

Mr. Pusey, though engaged in an exacting 
and absorbing business, jealous of every mo- 
ment's thought and energy, took some inter- 
est in political affairs and acted with the 
Democratic party, not wholly standing aloof 
from an active participation in its local oper- 
ations and movements. In regard to the 
rapidly developing question of disposing of 
slavery in the unorganized Territories, he 
was a disci j)le and an admirer of the lament 
ed Stephen A. Douglas, His interest in 
these matters was recognized in 1857 by his 
nomination for State Senator, in a district 
largely Republican at that date, and com- 
prised of twenty-three counties, extending 
fnim the Missouri line to that of the present 
State of Minnesota. Hon. Frank Street, of 
whom mention has already been made, was 
the opposing candidate. There were no rail- 
roads in this vast area of country, and both 
candidates separately made a canvass of this 
sparsely settled district. To neither was it 
anything like child's play. The odds being 
against Mr. Pusey, his task was all the more 
difficult. This section of the country had 
suffered and was suffering then from the 
effects of wild-cat banking, and his views on 
that question coinciding with those of the 
people, in the advocacy of more stringent 
regulations and safeguards as to the curren- 
cy, and the confidence he inspired as a pri- 
vate banker whose interests were not identi- 
cal with those of the shattered and shaking 
institutions so greatly unauthorized, gave 
him a personal leverage that insured his tri- 
umphant election. An incident of the result 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



145 



was that he had a majority in every township 
and a majority in every county of the twenty- 
thi'ee in the district. His service in the 
Senate was marked diu-ing its lii-st session by 
his advocacy of proper safeguards and restric- 
tions upon those raih-oads that were seeking 
to secLU'e to themselves the results of the mu- 
nificence of the General Government in do- 
nating large bodies of the public lands to the 
State, intrust for a proper encouragement of 
railroad building. He foresaw, as may be 
learned from the debates on those questions, 
that the time would come when the people 
and the railroads that had profited by the 
generosity of the former would be brought 
face to face with each other in a struggle 
for industrial domination. His pledges to 
the people on the question of the cui'rency 
were cai-ried out to the letter. His term, 
embracing four years, included the exciting 
Presidential campaign of 1860, and, as a 
Douglas Democrat, he was sent to the 
Charleston Convention; and in the exciting 
and difficult position in which the adherents 
of the "Little Giant" were placed, by the 
demands of the cotton Slave States, and by 
their throats to secede from the convention, 
he stood side by side with Iowa's most elo- 
quent son, Ben Samuels, whose resolutions 
so clearly expressed the length to which the 
Northern friends of Mr. Douglas were only 
willing to go on the slavery question. The 
assault upon Fort Sumter brought new duties 
to every man who held any official position 
in Iowa. Mr. Pusey's attitude was not un- 
certain. He gave his cordial support to all 
such measures as were regarded by the execu- 
tive, at the head of which was Gov. Kirk- 
wood, to fully sustain the effort of the Na- 
tional Government to suppress the rebellion. 
Some criticism has since been made that Mr. 
Pusey supported a resolution declaring that 
the war was not waged on the part of the 



North for the abolishment of slavery, but 
for the solepm'pose of restoring the authority 
of the General Government over the disputed 
territory. In this he simply reflected the 
sentiments of Mr. Lincoln's inaugural ad- 
dress, delivered only a few months before, 
and a resolution repeatedly taken by the 
fi-ionds of the President almost up to the 
date of the emancipation proclamation. At 
the end of his Senatorial term, Mr. Pusey 
returned to his business as a banker. Dur- 
ing all the changing f ortimes of the civil war, 
his confidence in the ultimate triumph of the 
Union cause was undiminished, and he gave 
to it all the assistance possible from his 
means and his energies. He ceased to t-ike 
as active an interest in mere party affairs, be- 
cause his business and business interests 
grew apace, but in the affairs of the city, its 
credit had reached such a low ebb, that the 
best men here demanded a re-organization of 
the Council, by bringijig into it those who had 
the capacity and the will to comprehend its 
necessities. In a largely Republican ward, 
the Fom-th, IVIr. Pusey was elected by a de- 
cided majority to represent it in the Council. 
He took a lead in that body in financial re- 
organization, and, before the expiration of 
his term, public credit was brought to par 
and placed on a solid basis. When the time 
came for the Council Bluffs & St. Louis Rail- 
road to seek an entrance into the city, it im- 
plored the people to vote a tax that would 
have aggregated about $180,000, to be given 
them as a donation, under the offer that the 
city should derive certain benefits from this 
liberality. An immense popular assembly 
was called to consider the question with the 
tide in its favor and strong influences brought 
to bear in aid of its success, but Jlr. Pusey, 
with a few others, at the risk of the loss of 
whatever popularity was involved in such an 
opposition, for two nights, debated every feat- 



146 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



ure of it, and defeated it, and the result has 
fully justified the event. Since then, his life 
has been a busy one behind the counter of 
his bank, giving his personal attention to 
the details of his business. During these 
years of activity, he has contributed to the 
gi'owth of the city by investments in the 
erection of business blocks of a most substan- 
tial and enduring character. In every public 
enterprise that promised to be of a permanent 
and substantial value, he has lent his in- 
fluence and financial aid. It is not usual for 
men, in their relation to bankers, to make 
public such a relation and the aids they re- 
ceive from that source, but the writer of this 
is in a position to know that Mr. Pusey has 
been unsparing, and without exactions to 
those, humble though they be, who were in 
need of substantial friendly assistance. His 
career, public and private, has been without 
spot or blemish, or suspicion of either. Up 
to 1882, he had cast otf all thought of polit- 
ical ambition. His family, consisting of a 



wife, two daughters and a sou, engages his 
affections in a high degree, and home sur- 
roundings were a solace to one who had 
learned to suppress the promptings of am- 
bition and to forget the excitements of po- 
litical strife. But, exigencies arose in this 
Congressional district that demanded of him 
an abnegation that he was loath to accept, 
and, at the instance of the largest convention 
ever held of the kind in the western part of 
the State, he accepted a nomination, unani- 
mously and heartily tendered, of the candidacy 
of the Democratic party for member of Con- 
gress from the Ninth District. 

At the general election held on the 7th of 
November, 1882, Mr. Pusey was elected a 
member of the Forty-eighth Congress, by a 
plurality of 2,249, over Anderson, Kepublican, 
and Hatton, Greenbacker. In the same coun- 
ties of the district in 1880, there was a 
Republican majority of 5,000, making the 
gain in 1882 the unprecedented amount of 
7,249. 



CHAPTER XXIV.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— ELECTION OF 18.56— D. W. PRICE CHOSEN MEMBER OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL 

CONVENTION— LOAN OF $100,000— MISSISSIPPI & MISSOURI CELEBRATION — PALMERS 

BLOCK— BENEDICT HAAG— CHARLES BOCK— WESTERN STAGE COMPANY— 

H. P. WARREN— KEOKUK AND WAPELLO— ANECDOTE OF JOHN C. 

BRECKINRIDGE— CHARTER AMENDED— JUDGE BALDWIN. 



'T^HE political canvass of 1856 was a memor- 
-*- able one throughout the country. James 
Buchanan and John C. Breckinridge headed 
the Democratic ticket: John C. Fremont and 
William L. Da^yton that of the Republicans, 
who were, for the first time, making a des- 
perate struggle to gain control of the Na- 
tional Government; and ex-President Millard 
Fillmore and Andrew Jackson Donelson, the 

*By Col. Jehn H. Koatley. 



nephew of Gen. Andrew Jackson, represented 
the Whig and native American element in 
politics. So far as the interest of Council 
Bluffs was concerned, the lines were drawn 
almost solely between the Democrats and the 
Republicans. Gen. S. R. Curtis was the 
Republican candidate for Congress, and Au- 
gustus Hall that of the Democrats of the dis- 
trict. Both of these gentlemen, in stumping 
the district, made sf)eeches here in advocacy 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



147 



of their claims. Two elections were held 
thcat year, one in Augxist, for State and county 
officers, and another in November for Presi- 
dential electors. The whole number of votes 
in the county at the August election was 
564, with a Democratic majority of 200. 
Hon. A. V. Larimer was elected Representa- 
tive in the State Legislatiu-e; J. H. Sherman, 
Coimty Prosecuting Attorney, and F. H. 
Welsh, the Clerk of the District Court. B. 
R. Pegram ran against Larimer; George W. 
Dodge against Sherman, and David Devol, 
now an old and venerable citizen, the father 
of P. C. Devol, against Welsh. An election 
was also held for members of a Constitutional 
Convention to revise the constitution, and D. 
W. Price was chosen the member of that 
body, as a Democrat, from a district embrac- 
ing the greater portion of the northwestern 
section of the State, his Republican competi- 
tor being the highly respected and venerable 
Judge D. E. Brainard, now of Magnolia, Har-' 
rison County. In the county, at the November 
election, the Buchanan and Breckenridge 
electors received 353 votes; those of Fremont 
and Dayton, 259, and Fillmore and Donel- 
son's electors, 85, or a total of 697, out of 
which Kane Township contributed 408. 
Capt. Price was also Mayor of the city that 
year, having been chosen to that office in 
March. W. C. James, J. B. Lewis, J. D. 
Test, Patrick Murphy, John T. Baldwin, D. 
C. Bloomer and G. A. Robinson, among 
others, constituted the City Council. 

The city authorities had begun to realize 
the necessity of expending money for the im- 
provement of the sti'eets. Li order to accom- 
plish that, a special election was trdered 
upon the question of borrowing $100,000 for 
that piu^ose, and, on the 14th of April, the 
voters, by a poll of 122 to 4, declared in fav- 
or of the proposition. The principal part of 
this sum was expended in grading and wid- 



ening Broadway, hemmed in as it was by the 
bluffs, and irregular as it appeared in its 
general features. It was virtually the only 
street of any importance, at that time, in a 
business point of view. In respect, also, of 
the fact that large donations of public lands 
had just been made, in aid of four contem- 
plated linos of railway across the State, the 
land office here was closed in May, 1856, in or- 
der that this liberality of the General Govern- 
ment might have full effect. In anticipation 
of this order, the eagerness to take advantage 
of what opportunity etill existed during that 
mouth, 200,000 acres were entered before the 
office was closed. At that date, the tendency 
of railroad concentration was here, though 
not definite. This concentration was antici- 
pated in the celebration of the completion of 
the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad to Iowa 
City. Gen. Curtis urged that course in 
newspaper articles, and had in view the great 
Platte Valley as the route of the great inter- 
continental highway, a dream that he almost 
realized in his own lifetime. 

Durino- this season, J. M. Palmer built the 
three-story brick block of four buildings, 
known as Palmer's Block, and now known as 
the Nonpareil Block, commencing at the 
southeast corner of Scott street and Broadway 
and extending westward along Broadway. 
Benedict Haag having built the first breweiy 
ever erected in Western Iowa, the year pre- 
vious, also erected the three-story brick suite 
of buildings on Upper Broadway, known as 
Haag's block. The brewery, now disused for 
about ten years, is located on the soi;th side 
of Pierce street, east of the Pierce Street 
School building, and part of the premises 
constitute what went, for many years, by the 
name of Bock's Beer Gardens, the widow of 
Benedict Haag having married Charles Bock, 
who, before his death, was also one of the 
best known and popular Germans in the city. 



148 



HISTORY OF POTTAAVATTAMIE COUNTY. 



His widow, IVIrs. Bock, still occupies part of 
the premises as a beautiful homestead. 

Commerce at this time was mainly by the 
river, from St. Louis, by steamboat, as many 
as twenty boats arriving in a mouth, many of 
them, of course, en route for the sparse settle- 
ments and for the Indian country, still far- 
ther north. The Western Stage Company 
ran a line of coaches across the State, and a 
gentleman by the name of Frost conducted a 
line between Council Bluifs and St. Joseph, 
Mo. Perhaps the most severe winter ever ex- 
perienced in this locality was that which was 
heralded by a severe snow-storm in Decem- 
ber, 1856. Snow fell during that month to 
the depth of four feet, and, in many places, 
it was six feet deep. The atmosphere gained 
in coldness at the same time, and many who 
had not anticipated so great a severity, suffered 
'intensely, owing to the inadeqaacy in pre- 
paration for anything of the kind. Up to 
that winter, deer were abundant in the vi- 
cinity, but the deep snow drove them into 
the timber southwest and northwest of the 
city, to browse on the young cottonwood 
sprigs to keep them from starvation, and they 
were slaughtered by hundi'eds. 

The niimber was so diminished by this 
means that it may be said that they ever after 
disappeared from the locality only one here 
and there at times making an aj^pearance in 
The timber or on the prairie. The only wild 
animals, in which there did not seem to be 
any diminution by the rigors of winter, were 
the prairie wolf. 

Among those who came to stay during the 
early part of the winter of 1856 was Henry 
P. Warren, who has, for quite a number of 
years, tilled the position of Deputy Clerk of 
the District and the Circuit Courts, and who 
is the father of F. H. Warren, who, for two 
terms, was Clerk of those courts. Mr. War- 
ren was born in Illinois in 1818, and, when 



a mere boy, came to v/hat was then known as 
Wisconsin Territory, now within the limits of 
Iowa. His uncle, with whom he came, was 
an authorized Indian trader to the Sacs and 
Foxes, and among the places at which he lo- 
cated was Agency City, on the Des Moines 
River, in Henry County. Here was a splen- 
did opportunity to study the Indian charac- 
ter and the language of those tribes, and Mr. 
Warren was at that susceptible age when it 
became easy to acquire the tongue of the 
Iowa Indians. He quickly became a useful 
interpreter — as much so as those who made it 
their life employment. It was here that he 
formed the acquaintance and acquired the 
friendship of both Keokuk and Wapello, and 
inspired those noted Indian chiefs with a 
confidence that was not shaken during their 
lives, and, when they went on their journey 
to the happy hunting-grounds of their tribe, 
they still remembered the white youth at the 
agency with gratitude and characteristic In- 
dian fidelity and friendship. After remain- 
ing at this and other trading houses within 
the limits of those tribes for several years, he 
returned to Illinois to school, but came out 
again in 1838. In 1842, John C. Breckin- 
ridge, of Kentucky, who had settled in Bur- 
lington, expecting to make that his perma- 
nent residence, with a party came out to hunt, 
and went up the Des Moines Eiver in two 
detachments far beyond trading-posts and the 
bounds of civilization. Breckinridge acted 
as cook for the party to which Warren was 
attached, and, the supply of floiu- getting 
low, he resorted to more than a liberal use of 
lard, in order to make slapjacks that would 
go a great ways. Little did the future Vice 
President of the United States, the gallant 
officer in the Mexican war, and the noted 
Confederate General think that his practice 
in the art ciilinary, with slender means, 
on the frontier, would ever stand him in 



HISTOKY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



149 



hand, in many a like occasion, during civil 
war. 

Great hardship was endured by many peo- 
ple during the winter of 1856. Not only in 
the town was this the case, but in the coun- 
try, which was covered with the deepest snow. 
Roads were blocked, such as they were, the 
timber was inaccessible, and many suiferpd 
from the want of fuel, extremely difficult to 
obtain. Scarcely anything but green cotton- 
wood could be had, and this commanded 
famine prices, selling as high at times as .|20 
per load. Whole weeks intervened between 
the arrival of mails, and newspapers were 
read and re-read for the want of fresh sup- 
plies. From the outside world they were 
virtually cut off, and the isolated people were 
compelled to endiu'e life, instead of enjoying 
it, making up for deficiencies in ordinary com- 
forts by resorting to such amusements as the 
frontier of itself could afford. 

The original charter of the city, after a fair 
experiment, was found inadequate, and, in 
January, 1857, it was materially amended, 
and the powers of the city government greatly 
enlarged. Not only were the municipal pow- 
ers increased, but the boundaries were ex- 
panded so that more territory was included 
within its limits than embraces the city of 
New York proper, and even the great city of 
London. This craze for enlai'gement was 
absui'd, and grew out of the intense passion 
for speculation in city property, in common 
with all other kinds of speculation inordi- 
nately stimulated by unlimited issues of 
cheap paper money by hosts of Western wild- 
cat banks. The only manufacturing industry 
existing at that time in the naiTow belt of 
settlements constituting the Ten-itorv'of Ne- 
braska was that of paper money manufactur- 
ing; and this flourished with baneful influ- 
ence until the general financial collapse of 
the fall of 1857 brought institutions to sink 



to rise no more. Council Bluffs was a suffer- 
er from this folly in a high and in an acute 
degree. The limits of the city at that date 
were extended to the Missouri River, and 
made to embrace an area of four mi les square, 
and quite a large niunber of acres that have 
never yet been devoted to anything else than 
tillage. Under the amended charter, the first 
election was held March 9, resulting in the 
choice of J. Smith Hooton as Mayor; Frank 
Street, City Recorder; S. H. Craig, Treas- 
urer; and City Marshal, H. J. Barnes. Dan- 
iel W. Carpenter, L. W. Babbitt, Henry 
Allen and Capt. John P. Williams were 
among the Councilmeu chosen at that elec- 
tion. George Snider was appointed (]ity At- 
torney for one year, but before the end of his 
term he resigned, and Caleb Baldwin was 
appointed in his stead. 

The latter gentleman performed so lan^e a 
part in assisting to develop the city, and, 
during his life-time, occupied such a high 
rank as a lawyer, Judge, citizen and public 
man, that he is entitled to more than a mere 
reference in these annals. Mr. Baldwin was 
born in Washington County, Penn , on the 
3d of April, 1824. He was the brother of 
the Hon. John T. Baldwin, also identified 
with the origin and growth of Council Bluffs, 
and both were sons of Nehemiah Baldwin, 
who, until his death several years ago, dis- 
charged the duties of Dejnity Collector of In- 
ternal Revenue in the service of the United 
States for a long time, an 1 with the highest 
degree of acceptability. Caleb Baldwin de- 
veloped an early aptitude for study, and was 
given the necessary means of mental improve 
ment. When prepared for college, he entered 
that at Washington, Penn., and graduated 
from that institution in 1842. He spent four 
years in the stud}' of the law, being in no 
great haste to enter one of the most jealous 
and exacting vocations of life without having 



150 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



thoroughly mastered the principles that are 
necessary to the highest professional success. 
He was then twenty -two years of age, and 
eager to develop his talents in a new country, 
and, removing to Fairfield, in Jefferson Coun- 
ty, Iowa, established that as his home, and 
entered upon the practice of his profession. 
Iowa was then a Territory only, and its set- 
tlements extended but a short distance inland 
from the Mississippi River. Many were the 
discouragements, the common lot of the vent- 
uresome, in those days, in a new country, 
without railroads, and no immediate prospects 
of any such; but Mr. Baldwin had extraor- 
dinary coiu-age, resolution, industry and will 
to overcome the obstacles that were in his 
pathway. He rapidly made friends, grad- 
ually, yet certainly, advanced to professional 
success, and acquired popularity as a citizen. 
His talents and character were fully appre- 
ciated by the most discrircfinating in that new 
community; but, being a Whig, and subse- 
quently a life-long Republican, the political 
avenues were virtually closed against him, 
after Iowa became a State, until 1855, when 
he was appointed Judge of the District Coiu-t 
by Gov. James W. Grimes. This was to fill 
a vacancy created by the resignation of Hon. 
W. H. Seevers, now one of the Judges of the 
Iowa Supreme Court. Mr. Baldwin came to 
Council Bluffs early in 1857, and was made, 
as already stated, the City Attorney. In 
1859, he was elected to the bench of the Su- 
preme Com't of the State, this being the first 
election of Judges of that covu't by the peo- 
ple under the new constitution formed by the 
convention of 1857. According to the method 
of selection, as provided by law, he became 
Chief Justice of that coiu-t in 1862. He was 
unwilling to serve longer than one term — six 
years — in that station, and declined a renom- 
ination, and resumed the practice of his pro- 
fession. His career as a Judge was marked 



by signal ability. The opinions prepared by 
him, and which are his monument, in the 
earlier Iowa Reports, are models of terseness 
and perspicuity. There is never any diffi- 
culty in understanding what Judge Baldwin 
meant when he decided a point, for his lan- 
guage was direct, and the matter iinclouded 
by any attempt to evade the issue presented 
in the record. His instinct of justice mani- 
fested itself in every line of those opinions. 
As a debater, he was an adversary of formi- 
dable character, and, having a pleasing voice 
and presence, and considerable humor, much 
of it of the quaint, homely character, there 
was always an eagerness to listen to his 
speeches when he made arguments in court. 
He always inspired confidence, both with 
judge and jmy, and in that way gave addi- 
tional character and force to the evidence by 
which he sought verdicts. In 1865, Judge 
Baldwin was appointed United States Attor- 
ney for the District of Iowa, and held that 
position for a short time, soon finding it too 
irksome to suit his tastes. About a year 
afterward, George F. Wright, a young law- 
yer from the eastern part of the State, came 
to Council Bluffs, and he and Judge Baldwin 
formed a law partnership which lasted until 
the death of the latter. After the treaty of 
Washington was ratified, and the Geneva con- 
vention had ascertained the amount of indem- 
nity to be paid by Great Britain to the United 
States for the dej)redations of the Alabama, 
Shenandoah and other Confederate priva- 
teers named in the treaty stipulation, Judge 
Baldwin was, in 1872, made one of the 
Judges to constitute the court and distribute 
the claims arising under that treaty and pay- 
ment. Dm'ing the last years of his life, it 
was evident to his friends, though not to him- 
self — for he refused to believe it — that a fa- 
tal disease had taken hold of -his stalwart 
frame, and was rapidly working its insidious 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



151 



way through his system. He finally suc- 
cumbed, and came home to die, and, in the 
winter of 187G, death came to his relief. In 
addition to a thorough educational prepara- 
tion for a career in life, Judge Baldwin was 
a man of commanding jsresence. He was 
more than six feet in height, and, possessing 
a winsome, manly countenance, invariably 
attracted to him hosts of personal friends, 
and became personally popular with men of 
all parties. There was universal sorrow at 
his death. The Judges of the Sujjreme Coui't 
of the State came from their homes and at- 
tended his funeral in a body, and evinced a 
personal sorrow that denoted the esteem in 
which he was held by his professional asso- 
ciates. 

For about eight years before his death, he 
made no appearance in coui't in the trial of 
causes, leaving that to those associated with 
him. The year before he died, however, a 
memorable scene was enacted in the court 
room in Council Bluffs. It was in the case 
of William Pierson against Benjamin Min- 
turn. Pierson was a bachelor, and had se- 
cured, shortly after the county was organ- 
ized, a beautiful piece of prairie land, which 
he made into a large and fertile farm. Min- 
ium became its purchaser, for perhaps all, or 
at least a great part of it, on credit. At about 
the arrival of Judge Baldwin in Council 
Bluft's, litigation began between Pierson and 
Minturn; and for nearly thirty years the con- 
tention in law proaeeded. Pierson became a 
monomaniac on the subject, and a pauper, 
but clung with tenacity to his case. His at- 
torneys either removed, died or abandoned 
the case from time to time. Young lawyers, 
just Hedged, were induced to take up the lines 



where others laid them down, and began to 
grow gray in the service. The case of Pier- 
son against Minturn, on one side or the other, 
was the means of introducing the newly ar- 
rived lawyers of Council Bluffs to their pro- 
fessional brethren, and the calling of the case 
in court, term in and term out, as it stood at 
the head of the docket, musty and incumbered, 
was the source of the first merriment of the 
tenn, and the last joke before adjournment. 
Mintm'n, in the meantime, became a bankrupt, 
thi'ough trade, and there seemed not to be 
any reason for having the case still in court, 
the substance being gone, except that fate 
willed it so. 

The year before the death of Judge Bald- 
win, the cause was reached for some kind of 
a determination and disposition before Judge 
Reed. There was no unusual stir among the 
regular habitues of the court room, but the 
presence of Judge Baldwin denoted some 
thing unusual. He was seated, his infirmi- 
ties claiming for him that exemption from re- 
spect to the court by being on his feet to ad- 
dress it. He began an argument. His lone 
was narrative and eonversatioual in style. 
He commenced by reciting the history of the 
case, and followed it through all ite chame- 
leon changes of counsel, aspect and phases, 
everj' step indicating that in the tragedy of 
those two litigants there lurked a, well-sea- 
soned comedy that he was developing in side 
lights of " infinite jest" and merriment. The 
effect was surprising and wonderful. For 
more than an hour this incomparable di'oll 
ery of speech went on, every step leading to 
a climax. When done, he left the court 
house, and never again was his voice heard 
within its walls. 



15U 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XXV.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS -CRESCENT CITY A RIVAL— JOSEPH E. JOHNSON— THE •'CLARION" AND THE 

"PRESS"— BONDS IN AID OF MISSISSIPPI & MISSOURI RAILROAD— PRESBYTERIAN 

CHURCH INCORPORATED— BUILDING COMMENCED— EPISCOPAL CHURCH 

—REAL ESTATE SPECULATIONS— CONCERT HALL— CRASH OF 

1857— INDTAN CREEK CHANNEL CHANGED 



IN the beginning of the year jl 857, John T. 
Baldwin and Gen. G. M. Dodge built a 
steam mill on Washington avenue, on the north 
side of Indian Creek, near the junction of 
Bryant and North Main streets. This mill 
they called the City Mills, and afterward it 
passed into the hands of Col. J. C. Hofifmayr, 
and now, in 1882, after being entirely re- 
built, and refitted with the Hungarian roller 
process of grinding, with an elevator at- 
tached, it is the property of John T. Bald- 
win and J. C. Hoffmayr. During the many 
years of its operations, it has been extensively 
employed, at times in the manufacture of 
flour for the Government in filling contracts 
of supply at Western Indian agencies. 

Council Bliiifs was threatened by a rival 
on the east side of the river at an early pe- 
riod of her existence. Six miles north, 
where Crescent Station, on the North- West- 
ern Railroad, now is, the tall bluffs, instead 
of keeping their directness on the verge of 
the valley, sweep inland to the eastward in a 
curve, and approach the river again south of 
Honey Creek Station. This curved sweej) of 
plain to the east, crescent-shaped, gave the 
name to the locality, to the township carved 
out in that vicinity, and to the Mormon vil- 
lage known as Crescent City. The growth of 
the place was stimulated by the belief that 
the Mississippi and the Missouri River Rail- 

*By Col John H. Keutley. 



road would reach the Missouri River opposite 
that point, for a crossing, by the way of the 
Pigeon, and Crescent City, opposite Florence, 
in I^ebraska. The latter was the chief town 
of the Territory, and Omaha was a mere con- 
ception, developed on paper by the drafts- 
men. Joseph E. Johnson, of the Bugle, of 
Council Bluffs, was an ardent advocate of the 
future greatness of Ci'escent City, and estab- 
lished there a newspaper called the Oracle. 
Mr. Johnson, in his far-off home in South- 
ern Utah, has lived to see the town of which 
he had such great hopes shrink again to a 
mere hamlet, and its rival expand to a popu- 
lation of 22,000. During these years, the 
Chronotijpe continued to be published, with 
Mr. Maynard at its head; but, in May, 1857, 
he and his brother-in-law, A. D. Long, 
launched the Weekly Nonpareil, a Repub- 
lican journal, which has continued as such 
ever since, and has expanded, under various 
managements, into a daily morning newsj)a- 
per of very wide influence and circulation. 
A. P. Bently became the owner of the Chro- 
notype, and published the paper for a few 
months, when it was made a Democratic jour- 
nal, and called the Clarion, as a response to 
Johnson's Bugle. The material on which 
the Clarion wa» printed was removed from 
the county in about eight years, and the pa- 
per disappeared from sight. For a few 
months in 1859, after J. E. Johnson ceased 









QyT~p>^^ 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



155 



to have any interest in the Bugle, and L. W. 
Babbitt had become its owner. Mr. Johnson 
published a Democratic newspaper called the 
Press, but its life was short, as its mission in 
this field was not a certain and successful 
one. During the summer of 1S57. the Bugle 
appeared as a daily newspaper, but the vent- 
ure not being profitable and assuring, it was 
discontinued, except as a weekly, after a few 
months. It was eventually revived as a 
daily, but that fact belongs to another period 
of these annals. 

One of the most notable events of the year 
■was a special election held iii the county on 
the 19th of June, for the jiurpose of deter- 
mining whether the county should or should 
not subscribe $100,000 in the bonds of the 
•county in aid of the construction of the Mis- 
sissijipi & Missouri Iliver Railroad. So ea- 
ger were the people of Coiincil Bluffs for its 
adoption that only fourteen votes were cast 
against it. It was a stipulation of the con- 
tract that none of the bonds should issue un- 
til work was commenced in the county, and 
accordingly it did begin, in the Mosquito 
Creek Valley, in 1858, but not a great deal 
of grading was accomialished, and the build- 
ing of the road at this end was suspended, 
and not again resumed until 1868, under the 
auspices of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pa- 
cific. The County Judge hesitated signing 
the bonds when claim was made for them, in 
1858, under the allegation that they were 
due on account of work begun. A strong 
public pressure was brought upon him, 
through public meetings and otherwise, and 
he was induced to affix his signature, and the 
bonds passed into the hands of the railroad 
company. About 135,000 of these were ne- 
gotiated to innocent persons, or who claimed 
to be such, and no legal defense could be 
made to their payment. Their validity was 
established by judgments against the coun- 



ty. The remainder were eventually surren- 
dered and canceled, this taking place in 1870, 
as the result of a negotiation on the part of 
the county authorities. That is the only lia- 
bility or debt that the county ever incurred 
in aid of railroads, though townships and the 
city undertook, by taxation and otherwise, to 
contribute to the building of several of 
these improvements. 

So far as can be ascertained, the Rev. John 
Hancock, of Kentucky, was the first Presby- 
terian clergyman who ever undertook to eon- 
duct stated services in that religious society 
in Council Blufis. He came here in 1S5G, 
and, after remaining here several days, went 
to Bellevue, Neb., to the Omaha Indian Mis- 
sion, where the Rev. William Hamilton was 
stationed, as a missionary. Coming back 
here, Hancock found quite a number of Pres 
byterians scattered through the city, among 
them W. H. M. Pusey, Thomas Officer, James 
B. Rue and C. W. Boyers, and proceeded to 
take steps to organize a congregation. In 
this work he was assisted by the Rev. Mr. 
Bell, a well-known and ensrgetic Presbyte- 
rian missionary in the West. In the begin- 
ning of 1857, $10,000 were subscribed to aid 
in the erection of a church edifice, and the 
ground secured on the east side of Marcy or 
Seventh street, between First avenue and 
Willow avenue. In February, 1857, articles 
of incorporation were filed in order to prop- 
erly constitute the society, and to enable it to 
hold and control the necessary real estate, 
among the incorporators of which were John 
T. Baldwin, Thomas Officer, James A. John- 
son, C. W. Boyers and W. H. M. Piisey, who 
were designated as Trustees. The work of 
erecting a brick structure as a place of wor- 
ship was begun the same year, but the unfort- 
iinate panic which paralyzed every other en- 
terprise in 1857 caused a suspension of the 
church erection, as well as many other im- 



156 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



provements, and the civil war and its excite- 
ments and perils also intervening, it was not 
resumed until 1865, when the present church 
edifice was completed. Mr. Hancock remained 
as pastor of the congregation until 1860. Dur- 
ing the next seven years, several clergymen 
were in charge of the congregation, and in 
1867, the Eev. T. H. Cleland, a Kentuckian, 
was chosen pastor, and remained in that office 
until March, 1882, when he was called to 
Westminster Church, at Keokuk, and. accept- 
ing that appointment, the pulpit of the Pres- 
byterian Church in Council Bluffs was again 
declared vacant. 

The Rev. E. W. Peet, an Episcopal cler- 
gyman of Des Moines, the first clergyman of 
that church who ever visted Council Bluffs, 
in the exercise of his religious or pastoral func- 
tions, came here in 1856, and proceeded to or- 
ganize St. Paul's Parish. The vestry was con - 
stituted with -J. B. Beers, Horace Everett, 
William C. James, J. P. Casady, D. C. 
Bloomer, Addison Cochran, Thomas P. Trey- 
nor, Samuel Perin and G. "W. Dodge. Dur- 
ing the autumn, the parish was visited by the 
lit. Eev. Bishop Lee, of the diocese of Iowa, 
in company with the venerable missionary. 
Bishop Kemper, of that chiu'ch. The Rev. 
George Watson, who also had a missionary 
parish in Omaha, came in February, 1856, 
and took charge of the parish in the capacity 
of missionary. A lot was ptu'chased in Bay- 
liss' First Addition, on Pearl street, on the 
west side, in the block south of Willow 
avenue. It was the plan to erect a commo- 
dious brick building on the site selected, and 
preparations were made for that purjiose. 
On the Ist day of August, 1857, the cere- 
monies of laying the corner stone occurred, 
under the direction of the Et. Eev. Henry 
W. Lee, the Bishop, assisted by Mr. Watson, 
the missionary pastor. Some masonry in the 
form of a square was erected as a foundation, 



several feet in height, at the northeast cor- 
ner of the intended edifice, and upon this 
was placed the cut stone designed as a cor- 
ner-stone. In its cavity were placed a brief 
history of the parish, local newspapers, some 
coins and other articles customary on such oc- 
casions, and the cavity sealed up. An address 
was also delivered by the Bishop. The panic 
of that year had its effect upon this enterprise. 
Many upon whom they depended for financial 
aid were overtaken by monetary distress, and 
went through the succeeding years under 
financial embarrassment, and the plan of 
building a brick church was abandoned. In 
1860, when general prosperity began to re- 
appear, a neat and an ai^propriate wooden 
building was erected on the same lot, the 
northeast corner of which rests a few feet 
south of the corner-stone laid in 1857. 
Thousands have passed the spot in the last 
twenty-five years, and, in wonderment, no- 
ticed what apjjears to be a partial ruin of a 
building so near the other. In brief, it is 
simj)ly a time-worn and storm-beaten monu- 
ment of a financial crisis of a quarter of a 
century ago. It is the hope of the survivors 
that some day their ardent wishes may be 
gratified by the occupancy of that corner-stone 
with an edifice worthy of the ceremonies 
which attended the laying of it. The spot is 
regarded with religious veneration by the 
members of the parish, and in all these years 
it has stood unmutilated, only as time has 
worn its traces into the stones. 

The successive rectors of St. Paul's Parish 
during the years succeeding the incumbency 
of Mr. Watson have been the Revs. Faber, 
Byllesby, John Chamberlain, T. J. Brooks 
and F. T. Webb. The latter has been the 
highly esteemed rector for about eight years, 
and has been highly useful in his chosen 
work. 

A vote was taken, at the October election 



HISTORY or POTTAAVATTAiMIE COUNTY. 



157 



of that year (1858), upon the new State con- 
stitution, the majority in the county being 
1*17 against it. The question of striking the 
word " white " out of the suffrage clause was 
also voted upon at the same time and defeated 
overwhelmingly, there being only seven votes 
in favor of negro suffrage. The Nonpareil, 
at that time under the management of Mr. 
Maynard, was vigorously opposed to that 
kind of suffrage, and urged the defeat of the 
proposition. AV. H. M. Pusey was elected 
Senator, and Samuel H. Gasady, Represent- 
ative, on the Democratic ticket, as against 
Frank Street and J. W. Denison, the total 
vote of Kane Township being 504. The not- 
ed and eloquent Ben Samuels, of Dubuque, 
the Democratic candidate for Governor, and 
Ralph P. Lowe, the opposition candidate, 
had a joint discussion here. Lowe was 
elected; also became one of the Judges of 
the State Supreme Court; served under Unit- 
ed States District Attorney Sapp from 1869 
to 1873, as assistant, and is now one of the 
legal advisers in a Washington executive de- 
partment. 

Fancy values were given to much of the 
real estate in Council Bluffs at that date. 
The assessment that year was largely based 
upon the fancy values attributed to the large 
amount of unoccupied town lots held for spec- 
ulative purposes, and the official assessment 
in the city aggregated the enormous valua- 
tion of §2,276.600. Building was active dur- 
ing the summer. Money was alnmdant, such 
as it was, and, as it turned out to be, in a 
few months afterward, merely " wild cat," 
and trade of all kinds singularly active and 
prosperous. Not a day passed without the 
arrival of a steamboat from below. Judce 

o 

James, Milton Rogers and W. B. Lewis erected 
that season the three-story brick block on the 
southeast corner of INIain and Broadway, in 
which block are now the Masonic Hall and the 



American Express Company's offices. J. M. 
Palmer also built a very handsome two story 
building, called Concert Hall, at the northeast 
corner of Broadway and Center streets. This 
was afterward destroyed by fire, and the site 
is now occupied by the New Opera House. 
Where the Congregational Church now 
stands, on Center or Sixth street, H. C. Nutt, 
John A. Andrews and F. A. Tuttle began the 
erection of a large hotel, and after spending 
about $25,000 in the enterprise, were com- 
pelled to abandon it, and the part built was 
afterward torn down, and the material used 
in other buildings. 

During the summer of 1857, W. H. M. 
Pusey and Thomas Officer built the comfort- 
able and conxmodious residences which they 
still occupy, on Willow avenue, on the south 
side of the Pearl Street Park. Thomas H. 
Benton also built a fine brick residence on 
the east side of Market street, south of Broad- 
way, in a beautiful spot in the glen, it be- 
ing the same that was afterward owned by 
Judge^ Douglass for so many years, and is 
still the property of his estate. The banking 
houses then in the city were those of Green, 
Weare & Benton, whose place of business 
was the brick building now known as tho 
City Building, op Broadway; Baldwin & 
Dodge; Officer & Pusey. still doing business; 
S. H. Riddle & Co. ; and J. M. Palmer & Co. 
Benton was also President, at the same time 
of the American Exchange Bank of Omaha, 
and so intimately connected were the two 
establishments that when one collapsed, on 
tho 25th of September, 1857, the other went 
with it, and both closed their doors, to the 
great loss of many of their customers and 
depositors. Benton made strenuous efforts 
to meet his obligations, surrendered his 
homestead, and all the property and paper 
that his banks held, but the crash was so 
general that a great part of the latter was 



158 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



absolutely worthless. The utter flimsy char- 
acter of the Nebraska banks, whose paper 
formed the currency at that date in this part 
of the country, left them no alternative than 
to go to the wall, and with them went also 
forever their abundance of paper trash. Real 
estate fell to a low ebb in consequence of 
these disasters, and could be scarcely given 
away. It was, perhaps, the darkest period 
Council Bluffs ever saw. Men who were in 
affluence the evening before could scarcely 
buy a breakfast the next morning. So the 
season passed, amidst the most intense gloom. 
Many remained here, not that they had heart to 
stay and wait, but because they were unable 
to get away, and the crisis was so general, 
everywhere, that no encouragement was 
given even to change. During this period, 
the land office was closed, to await the pleas- 
ure of the railroads, that acquii'ed an incho- 
ate interest in the public lands by way of 
donation; but among the fh'st events of the 
beginning of the year 1858 was the re-open- 
ing of the office by the appointment of James 
Pollard as Register, and A. H. Palmer as Re- 
ceiver, in February. Between that and Au- 
gust, about eight hundred thousand acres of 
the public lands of Western Iowa were entered 
by speculators. Pollard -held his position 
only until June, when he was succeeded by 
Lewis H. Hill, a clerk in the office of the 
Register. A greater portion of these entries 
were made through local agencies, among 
whom were the firms of Heun, AVilliams & 
Hooton; Casady & Test: Baldwin & Dodge; 
Officer &Pusey; Samuel Peri n; Louden Mul- 
len; Addison Cochran; and Horace Everett. 
Mullen and Everett gave their names to addi- 
tions laid out by them to the city. At the 
spring election of 1858, J. Smith Hooton was 
chosen Mayor; Frank Street, Recorder; and 
J. B. Lewis, B. Haag, J. P. Casady, Milton 
Rogers, Addison Cochran and Ale.xander 



Shoemaker, as Aldermen; C. E. Stone was 
made City Attorney. Up to that date, In- 
dian Creek meandered from east to west 
through the city, on the north side of Broad- 
way, in a narrow, shallow, devious channel. 
It crossed North Main street close to Broad- 
way, perhaps seventy-five feet in the rear 
of Officer & Pusey's present bank building, 
and on the ground now occupied by the 
brick block erected by P. C. Derd in 1882. 
The project to straighten the channel involved 
the rights of a mill-owner. The stream was 
dammed above Market street, and the water 
condiicted in a race, on the north side of the 
creek, across what is now Washington avenue, 
at the City Mills, to the side-hill where Mad- 
ison Dagger had a water-mill. Addison 
Cochran, of i",he City Council, was the leader 
in the project for a change, and, under his 
influence, it was begun and cai'ried out, and 
the present channel dug, making a straight 
course from a point near Geise's brewery to 
a short distance below where the Chicago & 
North-Western track crosses the stream, where 
it deflects nearly south in a shallow bed. A 
condition of things wholly unforeseen grew 
oat of this change of channel. The fall in- 
curred, and the soft, friable earth through 
which the changed current has since passed, has 
washed out, between Benton street and Center 
street, the distance of three blocks, a frightful 
and ever-increasing chasm. The most difficult 
jjroblemof the city government since the day 
the water was turned into its new course has 
been how to ari'est the progress of the rava- 
ges of the water, and how to span the stream 
with bridges that will endure. It has also 
been the source of numerous perplexing law- 
suits on the part of riparian owners, who, 
from year to year, have seen their homesteads 
crumble into the flood and swept away to the 
bottoms below, to till up the swampy lots of 
some other citizen. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



159 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— ST. JOSEFH RAILROAD MEETING— COMPANY ORGANIZED— ELECTIONS OF 
—CURTIS AND TRIMBLE FOR CONGRESS— FIRST COUNTY FAIR— BABBITT'S CHEROKEE- 
DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN COLORADO— "NONPAREIL" ADVERTISES IT— PIKE'S 
PEAK EMIGRATION — GREELEY AND RICHARDSON — D. C. BLOOMER 
— BIRTHPLACE AND CAREER— FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY. 



18.58 



INTEREST in railway building to Council 
Bluffs began to manifest itself again in the 
early part of 1S5S, and on the 19th of May 
a convention of business men from Pottawatta- 
mie, Fremont and Mills counties, and of rep- 
resentatives from intervening counties in 
Missouri and Southeastern Nebraska, was held 
in Council Bluffs, to take into consideration 
the question of connecting Council Blufl's and 
St. Joseph. S. F. Nuckolls, of Nebraska 
City, was elected President of the company 
organized at that meeting; Horace Everett, 
of Council Bluffs, Vice President; S. S. Cur- 
tis, son of Gen. S. R. Curtis, Secretaiy; and 
L. Nuckolls, brother of the President of the 
company, was made Treasurer. The project 
was a feasible one, the proposed line being 
down the Missouri Valley, and with compara- 
tively few streams to cross. The first ma et- 
inf of the stockholders was held on the 12th 
of July, when Dr. Enos Lowe, S. F. Nuck- 
olls, B. F. Rector, J. W. Coolidge. L. Nuck- 
olls, L. W. Babbitt, James A. Jackson, 
James D. Test and Addison Cochran were 
chosen Directors, and H. C. Nutt, the Chief 
Engineer, made a favorable report of his pre- 
liminary survey. In passing, the remark 
may be made that S. F. Nuckolls afterward 
emigrated to Cheyenne, and became the first 
Delegate in Congress from the new Territory 
of Wyoming, having been elected in 1868. 

By Col. John U. Kialley. 



James B. Rue was elected County Superin- 
tendent in the spring of 185S, over Samuel 
Eggleston and Thomas Oificer, the oppos- 
ing candidates. At the August election, J. 
H. Sherman was chosen the County Judge, 
and C. P. Kellogg, the father of Miss Faimie 
Kellogg, the famous songstress, was elected 
Clerk of the District Court. The anti-slav- 
ery question, by its manifestation of opposi- 
tion to the extension of the institiition into 
the new territor^y, caused great political in- 
terest in the Congressional canvass. Gen. S. 
R. Curtis was the Republican candidate for 
Congress in the district, and H. H. Trimble, 
afterward Colonel of an Iowa regiment, who 
was severely wounded at the battle of Pea 
Ridge, and is now a distinguished Iowa law- 
yer, was the candidate of the Democracy. 
Both visited Council Blufifs duriug the can- 
vass and presented their claims Curtis was, 
however, elected. Col. Trimble had a ma- 
jority of 209 in a total vote of 093 in the 
county. 

The first agricultural exhibition or fair over 
held in the county was on the 13th and 14th 
of October, 1858. Hon. <^aleb Baldwin was 
President of the society, and VV. H. Kinsman, " 
the gallant soldier who fell at Black River 
Bridge, the Secretary. The fair grounds 
and race track were in the eastern part of 
the city, a little east of the Babbitt residence, 
and on the north side of Indian Creek. 



160 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Those who took the most active interest in 
the success of the institution werr* Col. Bab- 
bitt. Capt. D. B. Clark, William Garner, H. A. 
Terry (now and then the noted nui-seryman and 
fruit-grower of Crescent Township), -Joseph E. 
Johnson (oE the Ellisdale farm) and Marshal 
Turley. The exhiliits were highly credita- 
ble, notwithstanding the sparsely settled 
character of the country and the newness of 
its ; I gri culture. The famous horse Chero- 
kee, belonging to L. "W. Babbitt, took the 
two fii'st premiiims of $8. Two handsome 
ladies' saddles were awarded to the best rid- 
ers in the toiu-nameot of the second day, 
when the greatest interest was manifested. 
The affair closed with a dance on the evening 
of the last day, and the festivities were of 
the most delightful character. The night of 
the 3d day of December was intensely cold. 
A. D. Long, brother-in-law of 'Mi. May- 
nard, of the A'onjjareil, and its publisher, 
lived then on the north side of Indian Creek, 
and was accustomed to reaching his home by 
a foot bridge that considerably shortened 
the distance. "When last seen alive, he was 
going in the direction of that crossing, biit 
the ne,\t morning was found stark dead, and 
frozen in the bed of the creek, evidently hav- 
ing fallen from the unprotected structure. 
His death was gi'eatly lamented, not only by 
his immediate relatives, but by many citizens 
to whom he was endeared by numerous manly 
qualities. 

The tide of emigi-atioQ to California and 
Utah ebbed and flowed, in ail these years, 
and, notwithstanding the fact that trade was 
prostrate throughout the country generally, 
there were local reasons why there should be, 
at all times and under all circumstances, con- 
siderable activity here in those interests 
which related to the great country just be 
ginning to open up westwardly^ 

The discovery of gold in Cherry Creek in 



the vicinity of what is now Denver, Colo., 
gave a new impulse to all this energy and 
westward traffic. St. Joseph, Mo., was a 
rival of Council Bluffs. So was Nebraska 
City, the site of the original frontier post of 
Fort Kearney. Mr. Maynard made the first 
announcement to the citizens of Council 
Bluffs, in the Nonpareil, on the 11th day of 
September, 1858, of tho Pike's Peak gold 
discovery. The contageon soon spread. The 
spirit of adventure that prompted many of the 
pioneers of Council Bluffs to seek this as a 
new home, impelled them forward to take 
their chances in the new fields of mining 
enterprise. Among these were Judge James, 
James N. Casady, D. T. Elwell and a host of 
others, some of whom increased their fortunes, 
and others added nothing to their stock of 
experience but disappointment. 

Col. Samuel S. Curtis, the son of. Gen. 
Curtis, was one of those who made the vent- 
ure, and. from time to time, by newspaper 
correspondence, contributed to the knowledge 
and privations of the country. The news 
spread like wildfire through the Eastern 
States, and there was a repetition of the ma- 
nia that characterized the excitement of 1849, 
with an influx of like characters and in all 
shades. The trade of Council Bluffs was 
again stimulated by these influences, and 
there was a return to many of the habits and 
characteristics of its earliest history. Lon,i5 
trains of wagons were on the trail from this 
point by the way of Jule's Fort, fitted out in 
all their appointments here, to the Colorado 
mines, and there are men living, just in mid- 
dle life, who engaged as freighters across the 
plains, and have a lively recollection of the 
great herds of bufi'alo that interfered with 
overland traffic, as these great droves of ani- 
mals were on their way, in the late autumn, 
to Southern pasturage groimds. When the 
tornado of wild-animal life came with a rush. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



161 



thfi thousands of them, woe betide the wagon 
train that was in their way. Led by their 
shaggy chieftains, they heeded it not, but re- 
sistlessly jiiu'sued their way, in spite of all 
such obstacles. " Pike's Peak or Bust " was 
a favorite legend on many a wagon -cover as 
the train started West. In the spring of 
1859, the intelligence of the richness and 
character of the mines was various and con- 
flicting; and many who had gone there with 
no experience, little money and high hopes, 
came back with the legend reversed, and the 
wagon, or what was left of it, inscribed with, 
'"Busted, by G— d! " There was a basis of 
gold-seeking enterprise in Colorado, but to 
many the disappointment was no less, and 
inevitable. The Nonpareil, having been 
largely responsible for the tide of adventure 
that had set in toward Pike's Peak, in 1858, 
Col. W. H. Kinsman, having some relation to 
that paper, started on foot for the gold re- 
gions to make a personal examination and 
exploration, and report the same in its true 
light. He reached the mining country in 
June, and his well-known character for truth 
and candor gave his first letter an unusual 
and gratifying importance — so much so that, 
upon its receipt, the office was illuminated 
and the streets paraded by a band of music. 
It was felt that the good name and fair fame 
of Council Bluffs were involved in ascertain- 
ing the truth and making it known, and when 
Kinsman's letter put an encom-aging face on 
it, every citizen, whether directly interested 
or not interested at all, joined in the general 
rejoicing. During the same summer, Horace 
Greeley made his famous overland trip to 
California, passing thiough the Colorado 
mining country on his way west across the 
Rocky Mountains, and, by his letters to the 
New York Tribune, which were read by hun- 
dreds of thousands of people, in the weekly 
edition, he fortified whatever impressions of 



the richness of the gold fields had gotten 
abroad in the meantime. Albert D. Rich- 
ardson, of the New York Tribune — he who 
was murdered, afterward, in the office of that 
paper, by McFarland, and who was the nephew 
of a venerable lady of Council Bluffs by the 
name of Blake — the mother of Joseph B. 
Blake — also painted the richness of that 
country in mineral wealth in its true colors, 
and thus indirectly, but most certainly, added 
an impetus to the solid prosperity of this city. 
From that date to the present, with such in- 
terrujDtions only as came through the civil 
war, the tide of emigration to that country 
has been unceasing. XJj) to that time. Coun- 
cil Bluffs had her back turned upon civiliza- 
tion, as manifested in settlements and popu- 
lation, but now she felt that, tiu-n her face 
whatever way she might, there was an ad- 
vancing wave of population circulating with 
an enduring force around her, and assuring 
her perpetual prosperity and urban growth. 
The question of organizing the city of 
Council Blitffs into an independent school 
district was submitted to the voters at a spe- 
cial election on the 18th of February, 1859, 
and unanimously carried. The first election 
of the board was held on the 14th of March 
following that special election, with the fol- 
lowing result: D. C. Bloomer as President 
L. W. Babbitt, Vice President; H. C. Nutt, 
Secretary; Samuel Knepper, Treasurer, and 
J. B. Stutsman, Thomas Officer and Edward 
McBride, Directors. At this date, no public 
school buildings had been erected, but, in 
1858, six acres of ground, on Glen avenue, 
where the High School building stands, were 
purchased for the location of school build- 
ings. The election of Mr. Bloomer as Presi- 
dent of the Board, was an exceedingly fortu- 
nate selection, and, although the other officers 
and the members of the board were warm 
friends of the public school system, and zeal- 



162 



HISTORY OF rOTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



ous workers in the advancement of the cause 
of education in the city, the universal dispo- 
sition is to ascribe to Mr. Bloomer the pater- 
nity of the system here. His public service 
in that capacity was a long, and arduous and 
a successful one. It is as a friend of popu- 
lar education, and especially in connection 
with our magnificent city schools, that he is 
most widely known. 

Mr. Bloomer is, most emphatically, one of 
the pioneers of Iowa, coming as he did, into 
this sparsely settled regioa, as early as 1855. 
He was born at Aurora, Cayuga County, in 
the State of New York, on the 4th day of 
July, 1810. His ancestry were of the 
Friends Society, and surrounded by that 
«arly influence he imbibed a strong feeling 
against slavery, and especially against its 
spread into territory where it had never 
yet acquired a foothold. He has al- 
ways had the courage of his opinions, and his 
convictions Were not mere barren reflections, 
but resulted, all his life, in positive and cer- 
tain conduct. In 1823, his jjarents removed 
to Cortland County, and that became his 
boyhood home. The public schools were of 
no great importance in those days, but he 
made such good use of them as was possible 
under the circiunstances. In 1828, he re- 
moved to Seneca Falls. Ho always delighted 
in books, but in those days they were scarce, 
and, when ten years of age, what money he had 
earned was expended in that way, and he 
walked quite a distance to make the delight- 
ed purchase. His fondness for reading was 
not confined to books, but extended to news- 
papers, and thus instilled in him a fondness 
for political controversies and journalism, 
always fascinating to the youth who compre- 
hends its far-reaching power and influence. 
At eighteen, he became a teacher, and fol- 
lowed that vocation for three years. He had 
an aspiration, in the meantime, to see the 



great West, that was pictured in the colors of 
romance to his susceptible imagination, and 
before the advent of railroads he made a trip 
to Michigan, in 1836, going by the Erie 
Canal and the great lakes. He returned to 
New York in 1837, and began the study of 
the law, that appearing to him then, with his 
acquired experience, better than jom'nalism 
stripped of its glamour. His resources, upon 
entering upon this study, were limited, being 
the possessor of only $20 and a single suit of 
clothing, but he had a stout heart and a reso- 
lute and intelligent jiurpose, and, with the 
aid of such practice as came to him as a nov- 
ice in the Justice's Courts, he was able to 
support himself during his student career. 
He was admitted to the bar, after a very 
creditable examination, and, his industry and 
attainments being recognized by those having 
the necessary power to advance him, he was 
appointed Clerk of the village which he had 
made his home, and received such a salary as 
enabled him to live. The same year, he 
gratified his desire to enter journalism, and 
became the editor of a Whig newspaper at 
Seneca Falls, holding his clerkship for three 
years, and retaining editorial control of the 
paper for fifteen years, always, under all cir- 
cumstances, taking an advanced attitude 
upon the slavery question, then moving for- 
ward to its bloody and direful solution in 
civil war. Being an effective liublic speaker, 
he was called upon to do arduous work in 
that way for his party and always served it 
faithfully and efficiently. He had few su- 
periors and not many equals as a stump 
speaker. His voice had a clear, metallic ring; 
he possessed an admirable presence; his tem- 
per was 'genial and his fund of humor in the 
heydey inexhaustible, so that he attracted 
men around him and became universally 
popular. 

In 1841, he was appointed a Commissioner 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



163 



in bankruptcy, under the act of Congress 
then in force, adopted as a relief measure 
after the monetary crisis and commercial 
crash of 1837. From that date to 1849, he 
devoted himself also industriously to the law, 
and won for himself a high standing at the 
bar and a liberal, lucrative reward. He was 
appointed Postmaster at Seneca Falls by 
President Taylor. This position he held 
through the short term of Taylor and to the 
close of llr. Fillmore's administration. He 
then removed to Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and for 
one year thereafter had editorial management 
of the Western Home Visitor, a literary 
jom'ual of large circulation and extended in- 
fluence. Dm-ing these years, his desire to 
make the far West his home increased, and, 
in 1855, culminated in a removal to Council 
Bluffs, then on the frontier and surrounded 
by frontier influences. He brought with 
him his Whig j)rinciples, seasoned with 
strong anti-slavery instincts and convictions, 
and when the Whig party went to pieces and 
stranded on the question of slavery extension, 
Mr. Bloomer, with a few others, proceeded 
to organize, amidst obloquy, the nucleus of 
the Republican jiarty in this section of the 
State. In 1858, he became the editor of the 
Chronotype, akeady mentioned, and made it 
the first vehicle of Republican doctrine west 
of the Des Moines River. He was elected 
Alderman in 1856, but was defeated in 1857 
as the Republican candidate for Mayor. 
His party was in a rninority, and, when its 
candidate for County Judge, in 1858, and 
for Representative, in 1859, he was again 
defeated. These results were partisan, not 
personal. When Abraham Lincoln became 
President, in 1801, he was appointed Receiv- 
er of the United States Land Office at Council 
Bluffs, and held that position until the office 
was closed, the records removed to Des 
Moines, in 1872, and the place abolished. In 



the meantime, in 1860, he was chosen a 
member of the State Board of Education, 
and served as such until the board itself was 
abolished by statute. He was chosen Presi- 
dent of the School District Board for nine 
consecutive years, by 4he j)opi^lar will, and 
his services were so valuable in that station 
that his continuance was simply a matter of 
choice with himself. Many of the fine 
school buildings in various localities in the 
city were erected during his administration 
of that office. Mr. Bloomer has always been 
a careful, prudent and successful financier 
and manager in reference to his own private 
affairs, and into public trusts always cai'ried 
those habits and good qualities. Ho was al- 
ways able to inspire his associates with the 
same degree of prudence, and it resulted al- 
ways that no municipal corporation ever pos- 
sessed finer management, or had better credit 
or standing than the Independent School 
District of Council Blufi's. Its credit has al- 
ways been at par. Diu-ing the civil war, 
Mr. Bloomer was President of the Union 
League in this city, and, year in and year 
out in that couflict, gave his energies in the 
enlistment and equipment of troops, and in 
various ways, as a civilian, gave the cause of 
the Union his cordial support. 

Thirty years ago, Mr. Bloomer became 
a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 
and has ever since taken an active interest in 
its growth. His life has been that of a con- 
sistent believer in the canons and precepts of 
Christianity and devoted to good works. He 
has prospered in worldly matters, and his 
disposition to charity has kept pace with his 
success in other matters, but following a line 
of conduct peculiar to himself, he has not 
made his gifts a matter of common notoriety. 
In this duty to humanity, he has been wholly 
free from ostentation, and, on the contrary, 
has studiously avoided any publicity where 



1(54 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



concealment of the acts was possible. In his 
domestic and home relations, he has been 
singularly happy. In .1840, he and Amelia 
Jenks were married, and throughout a mar- 
ried life of forty-two years, have been almost 
inseparable. Their union has never been 
blessed with children, but to those who have 
been made such by adoption, they were kind 
and indulgent and gave them every possible 
opportunity to start in life and meet its cares 
and responsibilities. Mr. Bloomer became 
an Odd Fellow when the order first began to 
spi'ead throughout the United States, and 
when it seemed to have reached its decadence 
and began to recede, he never lost faith in 
the ultimate triumph of its great principles. 
When the revival set in a few years ago, he 
was among the first to give his cordial efforts, 
and ever since it is one of the objects which 
lay nearest his heart. Recognizing the in- 
fluence of public libraries, Mr. Bloomer, with 
others, some ten years ago, set on foot such 
an auxiliary of civilization under the au- 
spices of a jirivate beneficial corporation. 
Among his most active and efiicient coadjutors 
in this movement were Mr. and Mrs. Horace 
Everett, A. W. Street, Cashier of the Savings 
Bank, and of the citizens' Bank, Mrs. G. M. 
Dodge, Mrs. Nathan M. Pusey and others 
whose hearts were in the success of such 
an institution. Horace Everett and others 
were liberal in their donations of books 
and meals, and in the face of great adversity 
these persons clung to the library, having 
faith in its ultimate influence. Its shelves 
came to contain at least about three thou- 
sand volumes of excellent books, but public 
interest in their use was considerably limited. 
Mr. Bloomer took pains to urge upon the 
Legislature the necessity of a provision of 
law allowing taxation to a limited extent for 
the establishment of free public libraries in 
cities and towns, and was rewarded by seeing 



the suggestion embodied in a law authorizing 
a popular vote on the question. At the 
spring election of 1881, the proposition to 
levy a tax for a free public library was car- 
ried by a decisive majority, but the Council 
refused to levy a tax on the ground that the 
Mayor, in making the usual and necessary 
proclamation pi'eceding the election, had 
omitted to state that such a question would 
be voted on at the same time that the regular 
city olHcers were to be voted for. Such an 
omission had been made. Mr. Bloomer re- 
garded it as not fatal to the validity of the 
affirmative vote, and made application to the 
Oirimit Court for a peremptory mandamus to 
compel the City Council to levy the tax in 
accordance with the popular vote. In the 
presentation of the question in argument, he 
was assisted by John H. Keatley, who not 
only looked at it from a professonal stand- 
point, but was a friend of the measure. The 
application was sustained, the eoiu-t making 
the order that the tax should be levied. G. 
A. Holmes, the City Attorney, resisted the 
petition on behalf of the City Council. No 
exception was taken, and the case rested at 
that point, the Council at once making the 
proper levy of the tax in obedience to the 
writ. The Council also provided by ordi- 
nance for the organization of a Board of 
Trustees to manage the fund and the library. 
The Trustees were appointed by that body on 
the first Friday in January, 1882, as follows: 
Horace Everett, Thomas Officer and J. P. 
Casady, to serve for one year; J. R. Reed, 
John H. Keatley and D. C. Bloomer, to serve 
for two years, and Rev. Cyrus Hamlin, A. W. 
Street and W. R. Yaughan, to serve for three 
years. Upon organizing the board, Horace 
Everett was elected President; D. C. Bloom- 
er, Vice President; John H. Keatley, Sec- 
retary, and A. W. Street, Treasurer. Dui-ing 
the period since the free public library has 



HISTORY OF FOTTAWATTxVMIE COUNTY. 



165 



existed, owing to the almost continuous ab- 
sence of Mr. Everett from the city, Mr. 
Bloomer has filled the position of Acting 
President of the Board. A tax of half a 
mill on the assessed valuation, being the 
limit under the control of the board for 
1882, only about $1 500 wore at their dis- 
posal. The expense of fitting up, the pay- 
ment of roomrent; the salary of the Librarian 
and the payment of other necessary expenses, 
left only a small sum for the purchase of 



books. The Library Association heretofore 
in existence, however, came to the rescue of 
the free public library, and, by a proper deed, 
conveyed to the latter all their books and 
furniture, on the sole condition of its revert- 
ing to the donors in case the Legislature 
should repeal the provisions of law Ufion 
which the free public library rests and should 
altogether abandon the policy of such institu- 
tions. This contingency is not likely to arise, 
so as to ever make the condition ojierative. 



CHAPTEK XXVII.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— ELECTION OF 18.59— AMOUNT OF BONDED DEBT— OVERFLOW OF THE MISSOURI- 
JUDGE SHERMAN INDICTED AND CONVICTED— HASKELL THE SHOWMAN AND PRE.iCHER 
—ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S VISIT IN 1859— MAKES AN ADDRESS —JUDGE 
COLE AND HENRY CLAY DEAN— GROUND BROKEN FOR ST. 
JOE RAILROAD — SWAMP LAND TRANSFERS. 



THE regular city election in 1859 occurred 
on the 1-tth of March, at which George 
Doughty was elected Mayor: ex-Mayor Voor- 
his, City Recorder, and J. C. Fargo, Marshal; 
J. B. Lewis, G. M. Dodge, J. W. Damon, S. 
N. Porterfield, T. P. Treynor, H. H. Ober- 
holtzer, John Hammer and D. W. Carpenter 
were elected Aldermen; Frank Street was 
made City Attorney. The bonded debt then 
was .$10,000; the total amount of taxes levied 
was $9,970. The Council, also, in the way 
of improvement, made a raid on a large num- 
ber of old log houses and cabins on Broad- 
way, declared them nuisances and ordered 
them to be torn down. Mr. Voorhis having 
resigned as City Recorder during the year, 
the vacancy was filled by the appointment of 
T. P. Treynor, and, without any interrup- 
tion, the latter gentleman held the ofiSee un- 
til his appointment as Postmaster, in March, 
1869. There was an nmisual overflow of the 

*By Col. John U. Keatley. 



bottom lands by the Missouri River that 
summer, the water approaching the vicinity 
of the rear of the Pacific House. 

John H. Sherman. County Judge, was 
charged with malfeasance in office by the 
corrupt issuance of county warrants, and in- 
dicted by the grand jmy on the 18th of Feb- 
ruary. His case was postponed until the Au- 
gust term, bat in the meantime a public 
meeting was held and steps taken to investi- 
gate the affair's of his office. A committee 
soon got to the bottom of the matter and dis- 
closed criminal abuses of his position with- 
out number by the most convincing proof, 
and at the August term he was convicted of 
the charges in the indictment, and the office 
declared vacant. In October, J. P. Casady 
was appointed to the vacancy thus created. 
It was many years and after the most careful 
management before the county finances re- 
covered from the operations of Sherman, the 
Tweed of Council Bluffs. The county orders. 



166 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



when Judge Casady took hold of affairs, were 
of no more value than 25 cents on the dollar. 
The jDublic school fund suffered most. 

One of the most singular characters ever in 
the city was one J. S. Haskell, who had for 
nine or ten months charge of the pastoral 
affairs of the Congregational Church. He 
had been a showman, a sort of a fakir, a per- 
former by sleight of hand and a ventrilo- 
quist, and he carried into the pulpit the 
habits of the stage. His sermons were simply 
dramatic disj)lays. He was exceedingly fond 
of horses, and while discharging the duties of 
his sacred office, owned quite a large number 
of teams and managed the business of freight- 
ing. He was highly of the sensational order, 
and his usefulness was soon impaired by his 
loud manners on the street, when behind a 
fast team of horses. Diu'ing a political pro- 
cession, he took his place on the seat of a 
band wagon, and astonished the people with 
his deftness in handling the reins and with 
the airs of a montebank. When his pastoral 
connection ceased abruptly that year, he dis- 
appeared from sight, and not until 1870 did 
he again show his face here, and then it was 
as a manager of a circus. As he drove 
through the streets, he was hailed by the 
crowd of those old settlers who still remem- 
bered him and given an ovation by those who 
could enjoj' the joke of his transformation. 
He alluded with a great deal of levity to his 
residence here, and demonstrated that the 
semblance of piety had formed but a very 
thin veil to one who was a natural and irre- 
vocable buffoon. 

As stated in the sketch of Gen. Dodge, 
Abraham Lincoln visited the city in August 
of that year. Mr. Hatch, the Secretary of 
State of Illinois, was with him. Mr. Lin- 
coln was invited to address the people while 
here, and did so in a large assembly, in Con- 
cert Hall, and spoke eloquently and power- 



fully upon the political questions which w6re 
then shaping themselves for the memorable 
campaign of the next year. 

Some idea may be obtained of the river 
traffic from the fact that 149 steamboats ar- 
rived here during the boating season of 1859. 
The county fair was held on October 13 and 
11, and, in the absence of a floral hall, on 
the fair grounds, that part of the display, 
including agricultural products, was made at 
Concert Hall. The first sorghum, an article 
now So common among the farmers, made its 
first appearance that year as one of our prod- 
ucts. Gen. A. C. Dodge, of Bmlington, ex- 
United States Senator and es-Minister to 
Spain, was the Democratic candidate for Gov- 
ernor in 1859. His successful opponent was 
Samuel J. Kirkwood, afterward the well- 
known War Governor of Iowa, twice a Sena- 
tor in Congress, and Secretary of the Interior 
Department in the cabinet of President Gar- 
field, holding the latter position at the date 
of the assassination of the President, and one 
of his most trusted and intimate personal 
friends. The Democrats of the city had a 
barbecue and an immense mass meeting on 
the 13th of Sef)tember, at which the famous 
Hemy Clay Dean made a speech, and the as- 
semblage was also eloquently addressed by 
the Hon. Chester C. Cole, who subsequently 
became one of the Judges of the Supreme 
Coiu't of Iowa, by election on the Republican 
ticket. Judge S. H. Riddle was elected Rep- 
resentative, beating J. L. Fettei", now of 
Belknap Township, and Di-s. S. M. Ballard 
and D. C. Bloomer. Dr. Craig was elected 
Sheriff. J. B. Rue was also elected County 
Superintendent. 

An event occurred on the 9th of November 
that had a lasting effect upon the interests of 
Council Bluffs. It was the first breaking of 
ground in the construction of the Council 
Bhiffs & St. Josexsh Railroad, an almost air 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



167 



line between the two cities, traversing the 
great valley north and south, and now oper- 
ated by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 
Company, under the name of the Kansas 
City, St Joseph & Council Bluffs lino. The 
whole popluation of Council Bluffs turned out 
to witness the ceremony of breaking ground. 
The point selected was within the present 
yards of the company, and, with plows and 
shovels, the lirst earth, in railroad building 
here, was thrown out amidst the most enthu- 
siastic demonstrations of an excited and hope- 
ful populace. That evening, Col. Sam 
Black, the Territorial Governor of Nebraska, 
made one of his eloquent and characteristic 
speeches in Concert Hall, to an audience as- 
sembled to rejoice at the harbinger of bright 
days to come, when they should culminate in 
being one of the great railway centers of the 
country. Col. Peabody, the Chief Engineer 
of the company, also made an address, un- 
folding the plans and prospects of the enter- 
prise. The outlook was so encom-aging and con- 
vincing, that, upon submitting a proposition 
to subscribe $25,000 of the bonds of the city, 
at a special election, on the 8th of December 
following, the proposition was almost unani- 
mously concurred in by the popular vote. 
At a special county election, held on the 15th 
of February, 1860, the measm-e was supple- 
mented by the transfer of the proceeds of the 
sale of swamp lands to the same use to the 
amount of 140,000. The contract for such 
transfer had been previously made, and the 
vote was simply one of ratification of the 
same. The co .nty held this stock for some 
years, and thus kept a voice in the affairs 
of the company, but in aid of the completion 
of the road, made an absolute transfer, event- 
ually, to the men in control of the company. 



It is here stated upon the authority of Mr. 
Bloomer, whose personal knowledge of the 
affairs of the county is second to no citizen, 
either old or young, that of the 60,000 acres 
of swamp lands allotted to Pottawattamie 
County, but a small portion went to the uses 
for which it was originally set apart by the 
United States, but that the railroad company 
in all received from the same source the acr. 
gregate of about $-41,400. 

The annual city election of 1860 was held 
on Monday, March 12. Col. Babbitt was 
chosen Mayor; T. P. Treynor succeeded him- 
self as City Recorder, and Perry Smith was 
elected Marshal. The Aldermen were J. B. 
Lewis, John Jones, Milton Rogers, W. L. 
Biggs, Addison Cochi-an and D. W. Carpen- 
ter. Judge Douglass was chosen President 
of the School Board at the annual school elec- 
tion that year. John B. Beers, an old and 
respected citizen of Council Bluffs, died on 
the 3d of March, leaving a widow, one daugh- 
ter and a step-son. The widow subsequently 
became Mrs. D. W. Crawford; the daughter 
married a popular young business man, M. F. 
Rohrer; and the step-son is Phil Armour, 
the Postmaster, appointed in 1882. 

An industry that has since expanded into 
mammoth proportions was begun here in the 
winter of 1859, and carried on through the 
available season of the early part of 1860. 
It was that of packing pork. No regular es- 
tablishment was begun until the fall of 1860. 
when John W. Ross, who afterward kept the 
Ogden House, and died at Marshall, Texas, 
erected his brick pork house on the north of 
Buckingham street, and west of Indian 
Creek, and which forms a part of the present 
Stewart Packing House. 



168 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XXVI [I.* 



COUNCIL BLUFF.S— KIDNAPING OF NEGROES— ESCAPE OF PRISONERS — HANGING OF MoGUIRE- 
MILLER THE HORSE-THIEF LYNCHED— STATE BANK ORGANIZED— IRON FOUNDRY ES- 
TABLISHED—LITTLE GIANT AND WIDE-AWAKE CLUBS — BOARDS OF 
SUPERVISORS— TURNER'S DEFALCATION— LATTER-DAY SAINTS 
— M. E. CONFERENCE— MILITARY MATTERS. 



THREE negroes, one of them John William- 
son and another a woman, were kidnaped 
south of this city, on the 29th of September, 
1860, and hurriedlj' carried off into Missouri 
for the purpose of being sold into slavery. 
The occurrence being in the midst of an active 
and excited political campaign, in which the 
slaver^' question itself figured, occasioned an 
intense feeling of indignation, even among 
those who were not in sj-mpathj- with the party 
then strenuoush' opposing slavery extension. 
Dr. Craig, who was then Sheriff, and City Mar- 
shal Perry Smith, started after the kidnapers, 
and succeeded in getting Williamson back, but 
the others did not regain their libert}" until 
some time afterward, when Mr. Blanchard 
.and Mr. Gaston, well-known anti-slavery men 
of Tabor, succeeded in tracing them and find- 
ing and liberating them in Missouri. There 
were three of the gang of kidnapers, noted 
and desperate characters, and all were arrested. 
Two of them escaped. One by the name of 
Hurd was surrendered to the Governor of Iowa, 
on a refjuisition and, brought to Council Blulfs, 
and having had his case continued, made his es- 
cape during the delay, and none of the parties 
were ever brought to justice for the offense. 

The disposition to inflict summary punish- 
ment, according to the code of Judge Lynch, 
had not j'et finally disappeared at this date. 
A notorious character, b}' the name of Philip 
McGuire. at this time infested the city. His 
body was found hanging from the limb of a 

*By Col. John U. Keatley. 



tree on the hill near Fairview Cemetery, on the 
morning of the 16th of October. He was labeled 
" Hung for all kinds of all rascality." He was 
confined in the cottonwood jail for stealing, 
when taken out by the vigilantes and hung as 
just stated. No clew seemed ever to have been 
gained of the perpetrators of this hanging. A 
man by the name of Jliller, brought from Har- 
rison County, on the charge of hoi'se-stealing, 
was taken about the same time from the same 
jail, and hung to a tree on the bluffs in the east- 
ern part of town. The summer of 1860 was 
noted for being exceedingly warm and dry, and 
vegetation of all kinds suSered greatly, and 
the prosperity' of the place was materially 
affected in consequence. By this time, the 
character of the Colorado mining country, had 
been pretty well determined, and emigration 
in that direction was in a stead}' stream. This 
greatly aided the prosperity of the city, and 
added to its traffic. The banking facilities of 
this place were increased by the addition of a 
branch of the State Bank. It did not, how- 
ever, commence operations until in January, 
1861, at which time James A. Jackson was 
made President, and John D. Lockwood, 
Cashier; S. S. Bayliss, Samuel Knepper and J. 
P. Casady were Directors of the institution. 
It was afterward merged in the First National 
Bank, when the law creating such institutions 
went into effect. William S. Burke, wlio is 
now at the head of an influential daily news- 
paper, at Albuquerque, New Mexico, took an 
interest in the A'oiijxircil, on the 17th of No- 



HISTORY OF rOTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



169 



vember, 1860, and was an important editorial 
auxiliary during the six or seven j'ears he was 
attached to the paper. 

The time had come when people began to 
take an interest in the encouragement of manu- 
factures. To that date the industry of the cit}- 
was purely commercial, but in the fall it took 
a new departure. Charles Hendrie, an experi- 
enced foundry man and manufacturer of machin- 
ei'y, came from Burlington, and, organizing the 
corporation known as the Council Blutl's Iron 
Works, established a foundry and machine 
shop on the west side of Main street. This es- 
tablishment has been undeviating in its pros- 
perity ever since, and has demonstrated the 
parcticability of manufactures even at a great 
distance from the source of the necessarj- raw 
material. 

As already stated, the political activity that 
characterized other parts of the country extend- 
ed to Council Bluffs. The Democrats were main- 
ly admirers of Stephen A. Douglas, and called 
their club " The Little Giant." The friends of 
Lincoln and Hamlin had their " Wide-Awake " 
organization, and torch-light processions were 
frequent during the canvass. Toward the close, 
nightly meetings were held and speeches made, 
and songs and music enlivened the assemblies 
and increased the enthusiasm. Frank Street, 
C. E. Stone, Col. Kinsman and D. C. Bloomer, 
local speakers, kept up the fire, witli speeches, 
on the Republican side ; and W. G. Crawford, 
Capt. Price, Col. Babbitt and John C. Turk held 
forth eloquently on behalf of the Democracy. 
Judge Cole was the Democratic candidate, and 
Gen. Curtis, the successful candidate for Con- 
gi-ess on the part of the Republicans. Those 
who adhered to the Bell and Everett Constitu- 
tional Union party, Old Line Whigs, were few in 
number, as were the out-and-out Breckinridge 
Democrats. Col. J. D. Test was the principal 
one among the latter. Cole had a majority 
over Curtis in the county, and Douglas a plu- 
rality. The Bell-Everett ticket had twenty- 



eight votes, and the Breckinridge-Lane ticket 
one more than the Bell-Everett. The final re- 
sult over the country was celebrated b^' the 
Republicans with demonstrations of a joyous 
character, although the mutterings and rum- 
blings of civil war were already heard. Men 
of all parties here, as well as elsewhere, were 
skeptical as to the possibility of the American 
people ever plunging into such a conflict, and 
treated the threats then made, by those of cer- 
tain the Southern States, as the final vapor- 
ings of disappointed politicians, and the last 
echoes, merely, of an intensely heated partisan 
campaign that would soon die awa}-. 

The second session of the county teachers' 
institute, lasting about a week, commenced on 
the day before Christmas, 18G0. About a score 
of teachers from different parts of the county 
were present and took part. W. E. Harve}', 
State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 
Nebraska Gen. Thomas H. Benton, Jr., who 
had held that office in Iowa, and a Mr. Bloomer 
delivered lectures during the session, and which 
were attended by the people of the city in large 
numbers as well as b^' the teachers immediate- 
ly intei-ested. Judge Casady was elected to 
the office of County Judge, to which he had 
previously been appointed. Experience had 
demonstrated, however, that the system of man- 
aging county affairs through the instrumentality 
of County Judges was so liable to abuse, and 
had been so abused, that a change was made bj- 
the Legislature, and in 1861 the s^-stem of 
Boards of Supervisors for counties went into 
effect. The first board met in this county on 
the 7th day of Januar}', 1861. It ma}' not be 
out of place here to state the names of those 
who constituted the board, though not strictly 
a matter of Council Bluffs. Judge Douglass 
represented Kane Township in the board ; C. 
Voorhis represented JIacedonia ; William Els- 
wick, Grove ; Josiah True, Knox ; J. B. Lay- 
ton, Center ; L. J. Childs, York ; Robert Kent, 
Boomer ; Abram Jackson, Rockford ; David 



170 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Dunkle, Crescent ; William Lj'man, James ; 
and John Bratten, Silver Creek. As townships 
were added in subsequent years, this sjstem of 
township representation became cumbrous and 
unwield}', and the number of members was re- 
duced, elected by the whole count}', and not 
bj- townships. Years were required, however, 
to demonstrate the necessity for this change. 
William D. Turner, was then Treasurer of the 
county, and having filed an unsatisfactorj- re- 
port, lie was required by the board to supple- 
ment it and also increase his sureties in the 
amount of 817,000. He filed what he consid- 
ered a report in response to the order of the 
board, but instead of complying with that in 
relation to additional sureties, resigned, and 
Thomas Tostevin, now Citj- Engineer iu 1SS2, 
was appointed to the vacancy, and through sub- 
sequent elections, held thepo.sition for six years. 
Earlj' in 1801, President Buchanan issued a 
proclamation calling upon the people to observe 
a day with prayer and fasting iu token of the 
impending calamity of a civil war, and in re- 
sponse to it all classes of citizens, profoundly 
feeling the impending danger, strictlj- and re- 
ligiously observed the da}-. Up to this date, a 
schism had been widening in the church of the 
Latter-Daj' Saints. The non-pol^'gamists in 
the city felt the necessity of organizing under 
the direction of Joseph Smith, Jr., the sou of 
the prophet who had been murdered in the Car- 
thage Jail, and on the 4th of January, 1861, 
the first meeting was held to constitute the neces- 
sar}' societ}- here, and a series of meetings were 
held, at which many baptisms occurred. The ad- 
herents wholly repudiated Brigham Young and 
the Utah hierarchy. They also built a neat 
frame church edifice in after years, and have 
ever since been considered one of the most im- 
portant religious societies in the citj-. It may 
be interesting to those of the present to com- 
pare the prices then received for agricultural 
produce in this market, and now, when we are 
blessed with all the advantages of apparent com- 



petition of railroads and our homes nearer mar- 
ket, where it took days and even weeks to de- 
liver our produce. Wheat then, in ttie mouth 
of Januarj-. 1861, sold for 65 cents; corn, 30 
cents, and oats 35 cents per bushel. Butter 
was 25 cents per pound, and slaughtered hogs 
were quoted by dealers at from $4 to $4.50 per 
100 pounds. The intercourse between Council 
Bluffs and Omaha that winter was of an un- 
iBKially cordial nature. The river was frozen 
over,'and mammoth sleighing parties crossed 
between the two towns, making perfect holi- 
days of the occasions. Once or twice since that, 
the people of both cities have thus turned out 
en masse, with sleighs and sleds and in lioliday 
dress, when the ground and snow were fiivor- 
able, and interchanged their happy good feel- 
ings. 

Upon the advent of Mr. Lincoln's administra- 
tion and the supremac3'of the Republican party 
in national affairs, a change was made in the 
two most important Federal offices in the citj-. 
Frank Street, on the 20th of May, 1861, was 
appointed Register of the Land Office, and D. 
C. Bloomer, Receiver. Judge Street held the 
appointment until the incoming of President 
Grant's administration, when he was succeeded 
by Sylvanus Dodge, the father of Gen. G. M. 
Dodge, who discharged its duties until his 
death, and in turn was succeeded by Nehemiah 
Baldwin, who was the incumbent when the land 
office was closed. Mr. Bloomer was Receiver 
from Maj-, 18(!1, until the office was finally 
closed. The annual meeting of the stockhold- 
ers of the Council Bluffs & St. Joseph Rail- 
road Company took place here on the 13th of 
July, and James A. Jackson, John T, Baldwin, 
Horace Everett, Jefferson P. Casady, Samuel 
Knepper, Edward Gilliland, W. C. Sipple and 
S. T. Nuckolls were elected Directors. The grad- 
ing of the road down the river through Potta- 
wattamie and Mills Counties was then finished, 
and that through Fremont County all under 
contract, and 25,000 ties were on the ground 



Jf 

«, 





. / 




HISTORY or POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



173 



ready for use. While the civil war was then 
in activity, the prospect of completing the road 
was still encouraging, and lively hopes were 
aroused by the official report then made. The 
condition of atfairs in Northern Missouri was 
not, however, very encouraging to those who 
looked beyond that report. Money was needed 
for national uses, and after that date little was 
done toward completing the road until the sta- 
bility of our Union was assured by the victory 
of its arms. The first time a Methodist Epis- 
copal Conference was ever held in the city was 
in September of that year, in the annual meet- 
ing of the Western Iowa Conference of that 
church, with Bishop Scott presiding. The at- 
tendance was large, and the people, without re- 
gard to sect or belief, gave the ministers and 
visitors a cordial reception, and hospitably* en- 
tertained them. 

The Bugle, published by Col. Babbitt at 
that time, expressed the belief " that the com. 
pact which holds these States together was irre- 
mediably broken," and following the sugges- 
tion of the celebrated letter of Gen. Scott 
before Fort Sumter was fired on, held that the 
Union would be " divided into four Republics." 
It was not surprising that men should take this 
view of the result. Public opinion was in 
chaos, and we, as a people, were going through 
an experiment that had never been more than 
foreshadowed in words of significant warning, 
but never defined. When the die was once 
cast; when compromise and conciliation were 
exhausted; though adhering to its Democrac}-, 
with an unflagging spirit, that paper never 
ceased in ardent desires for the total and final 
success of the Union arms. The troops of the 
United States, two companies, referred to b}' 
Gen. Dodge, in his letter to John A. Kasson, and 
already quoted, eventually passed this point. 
The citizens tendered them a loj'al and earnest 
ovation, and gave them a complementary din- 
ner. 

When preparations were being made to cele- 



brate the national anniversary on the 4th of 
Jul}' that year, a spirited controversy sprang 
up among some of the citizens. A public 
meeting was held to make the necessarj' ar- 
rangements, and a resolution was ofl'ered invit- 
ing the people of the county to join in it as a 
'• Union celebration " of the day. So much 
feeling had been aroused by discussions and 
events, that had preceded the meeting, that 
the word " Union " was regarded b}- some as 
having been appropriated b}- those most free 
in the use of it, as a mere partisan and partj' 
designation, and Col. J. D. Test, who was at 
the meeting, moved to amend the resolution bj' 
omitting the word " Union." The amendment 
did not pass. Col. Babbitt was Maj-or, and 
invited to participate in the celebration, but 
declined to take part on the ground that he 
regarded its character as purely partisan. 
This difficulty was removed finally by the iH\'i- 
tation to attend being so shaped as to include 
all who desired to see the restoration of the 
Union, no matter by what means, and thus har- 
mony among the citizens was restored, and the 
celebration took place, with the best of feeling, 
J. D. Lockwood and William G. Crawford, 
afterward Clerk of the District Court, making 
the principal speeches. The latter gentleman 
at that date was one of the best known and 
highl}- respected persons in the citj-. He was a 
lawyer of excellent attainments, and a speaker 
of no ordinary talent. He was elected Clerk 
of the District Court in the fall of 18G6, but 
already consumption had made a fearful inroad 
upon his system, and before the completion of 
his second term of two years, the disease carried 
him off. He was also an Odd Fellow of high 
degree, and his obsequies took place at Fair- 
view Cemeterj-, under the auspices and under 
• the solemnities of that noble order, thousands 
of other citizens attending the funeral of one 
who had just closed a highly honorable career. 
The first response made to the spirit of re- 
sistance to the breaking-up of the Union bj- 



174 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



violence was the raising of a military company 
ou tlie 11th of April, 1861, the day before the 
firing on Port Sumter began, and before it was 
known what would be the result of the be- 
leaguering of that fortress in the Charleston 
Harbor by the troops concentrated there under 
Gen. Beauregard. G. M. Dodge was chosen 
Captain of the new military organization, John 
F. Hopper, long since a newspaper man, and 
now a resident of Leavenworth, Kan., the First 
Lieutenant, and C. C. Rice, Second Lieutenant. 
On the day'that Fort Sumter fell, April 14, and 
before intelligence of the disaster reached Coun- 
cil Blufl's, the organization of the Union Cav- 
alrj' was completed by the choice of Dr. Seth 
Craig as Captain, and John T. Oliver and P. 
A. Wheeler as Lieutenants. In a very short 
time afterward, one artillery company was 
raised, and Samuel Clinton made its Captain. 
These organizations went toward the Missouri 
State line to meet an apprehended invasion of 
Iowa from that quarter, and, during the brief 
and bloodle.ss campaign, occupied a position on 
the verge of Page County. The service de- 
manded of these embryo soldiers was cheer- 
fully performed, but their ideas of the art and 
necessities of war were of the crudest charac- 
ter. The rustle of a leaf, the crackling of a 
twig, a little cloud of dust off in the prairie 
track were conjured into and magnified to the 



proportions of a bloodthirsty enemy, and gavfr 
rise to some of the most ludicrous exhibitions 
of soldiering. Many still survive to tell of the 
feats of the campaign. It is a tradition among 
them that Capt. Clinton had one excellent qual- 
ity as an officer, and that was to give personal 
attention to the subsistence of his men and ex- 
ercise a personal supervision over the quality 
of the rations issued them. On one occasion, 
while they were in the field, almost in the pres- 
ence of the Mis.souri " hostiles," he passed up 
and down the company street when the camp 
kettles were seething and boiling with the cus- 
tomary allowance of beans. Observing small, 
white, quivering particles floating through the 
mass of cooking food and in the boiling water, 
he at once became intensely indignant at the 
frauds perpetrated upon the poor private sol- 
dier, and vented his wrath bj^ ordering tiie 
whole mess to be emptied on the ground as un- 
fit for human food. It was not until the suppers 
of the men had thus been destroyed, and they 
compelled to go to their couches supperless on 
the hard ground, did he discern that what he sup- 
posed were maggots in the beans were simply 
the germ of that famous article of soldiers' food 
expelled by the heat in cooking. The tradition 
is still cherished as an illustration of how much 
the most intelligent officer can find to learn in 
assuming new and untried duties. 




HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



175 



CHAPTER XX:X.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY — ROLL OF HONOR — SECOND IOWA BATTERY— VIC 

KELLER'S GUM-WOOD MORTARS— COU W. H. KINSMAN'S DEATH— DEATH OF ADJUTANT 

TUTTLE — FISCHER THE FIFER-BOY — TWENTY-NINTH IOWA— MAJOR LYMAN 

AND COMRADES— THE DRAFT— SIXTH IOWA CAVALRY— AN OVATION. 



THE part which Council Bluffs otherwise 
took ill tlie war for the Union will always be 
of intense interest to those who are proud of her 
history. The fact has already been stated, in 
the sketch given of the career of Gen. Dodge, 
that Camp Kirkwood was established near the 
southern limits of the city, on the high ground 
north of the IMosquito Creek and east of the road 
leading to the Deaf and Dumb Institute. Com- 
pany B, of the Fourth Iowa Infantry, was al- 
most wholly raised in the city of Council Bluffs. 
Its officers were elected on the 3d day of July, 
1861. During its honorable career of service 
in the field, it had, successively, for its Cap- 
tains, Dr. Seth Craig, W. H. Kinsman and George 
E. Ford. When its first term of enlistment ex- 
pired, it was renewed as a veteran organization. 
The veterans who thus re-enlisted, and who occu- 
py a bright place in the roll of honor, were George 
E. Ford, George W. Lloyd, Christian W^eirich, 
Henry Bradshaw, C. A. D. Clark, Lawrence 
Doran, Levi Jones. Heur3- C. Laj'ton, James S. 
Lewis, John W. Ncsbitt, Curtis O'Neill, George 
W. Tucker, Jonathan West and Isaac V. Jlay- 
nard. Two of this company were killed in bat- 
tle, twenty-one were wounded and four died in 
Andersonville Prisou — Ennes, Jones, Maynard 
and Reed. The regiment was finally discharged 
from service on the 24th of July, 1865, at Louis- 
ville, Ky., after having been in thirty battles 
and engagements, after losing 119 men killed, 
250 b}- disease, and 309 discharged on account 
of disability incurred in the line of duty. This 

"By Col. Johu H. Keatley. 



regiment also had the honor uf participating in 
Sherman's famous " March to the sea," and when 
the fighting was all over, and when Gen. Joseph 
E. Johnston's army had surrendered at Salis- 
bury, N. C., it marched with the column across 
Virginia to Washington, and there took part in 
the grand review of the Army of the Potomac 
and of the Armies of the Cumberland, of the 
Tennessee and of the Ohio. 

The Second Iowa Batter3- was organized at 
Camp Kirkwood on the 4th of Jul}-, 1861, with 
Nelson T. Spoor as Captain, J. R. Reed and 
David Watling, First Lieutenants, and Fred 
T. Reed as Second Lieutenant. The record of 
this battery is a glorious one, and the organiza- 
tion was mustered out of the service on tlie 5th 
of August, 1865, its last fighting being in the 
capture of Mobile, Ala. When the siege of the 
latter city began, it was found that the troops 
were deficient in mortar batteries with which to 
assail Spanish Fort with the ordinary bomb- 
shell. To supply that deficcncy, wooden mor- 
tars were constructed from the ordinar}- Soutii- 
ern gum wood, at the suggestion of Vic Kel- 
ler, of Council Bluffs, a member of the Second 
Iowa Battery, and under his direction ami su- 
pervision with most effective mortar batteries 
thus organized, the}" threw shells with the force, 
precision and effect of a regularly constructed 
cast-iron regulation mortars. 

Company H of the Fifteenth Regiment of 
Iowa Volunteers was raised at Council Bluffs. 
the officers being Capt. D. B. Clark, and Lieut. 
Stephen W. King, of Pottawattamie County, 



176 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



ami John A. Donelson, of Harrison County. 
Capt. Clark, on account of his health, resigned 
before the term of service of the company ex- 
pired. William S. Burke at a later date took 
seventeen men from the county into the Seven- 
teenth Iowa Infantry, and was made First 
Lieutenant of the Company H. John C. Lea- 
inger of Council Bluffs, took twenty-three men, 
in 18G2, into Company E, of the Twenty-third 
Iowa, and was made a Captain. W. H. Kins- 
man, of the Fourth Iowa, was commissioned 
Lieutenant Colonel of the Twenty-third Iowa, 
on the 2d of August, 1862, and Colonel, Sep- 
tember 9, 1 862, and was at the head of that 
regiment until killed in battle in 1863. One of 
the most brilliant j'oung lawyers of the Coun- 
cil Bluffs bar, was Joel Tuttle. As Adjutant uf 
the Second Iowa, he distinguished himself at 
Fort Donelson and Shiloh ; he died in the hos- 
pital, of fever, in St. Louis, in May, 1862, deep- 
ly lamented Ijy hosts of friends, here and else- 
where, who admired his chivalrous and patriotic 
character. Tlie name of Col. Kinsman is the 
especial propert}- of Council Bluffs. His re- 
mains lest in an unknown grave in Mississippi, 
where he fell at Black River Bridge. He came 
to the county as a school teacher, and obtained 
employment in Hazel Dell. Few knew his ori- 
gin, but he rapidly made friends, and took part 
in correspondence in the Nonpareil, attracting 
attention by the quaintness and humor of some 
of his paragraphs. Among the first to offer his 
services to the country, and doomed to lose his 
life on the battle-field, his gallant career has in- 
vested his memory with a halo that time will 
never dispel. Some of his gallant comrades of 
the Twenty-third Iowa still survive, among them 
Ernest Fischer, of this city, who, as a mere boy, 
as afifer, went into Company E, and was near 
his gallant Colonel when struck by the fatal 
bullet, and assisted in placing his body at rest 
in the lonely Southern grave where the bright 
river will ever and ever murmur his requiem. 
The Twenty-ninth Iowa has some claims upon 



the attention of the people of Council Bluffs. 
It was here that this fine regiment of soldiers 
was organized, at Camp Kirkwood, from mate- 
rial gathered throughout Western Iowa, from 
the stalwart j'oemanry of that region. The 
rendezvous began in August, 1862, and in De- 
cember the command was read^' to take the 
field. During that time, the men who assem- 
bled from all parts of the " slope " formed as- 
sociations of the most pleasant character, and 
the survivors still turn with pleasing memories 
to events here of twent3' }'ears ago. It was that 
feeling which, to many of them, made the re- 
union of October 28, 29 and 30, 1882, of such 
a pleasant character. Pottawattamie Count}" 
furnished of the field and the Colonel, Thomas 
H. Benton, Jr.; Major, Joseph Lyman; Sur- 
geon, Dr. William S. Grimes, now of Denver, 
and after the war a long-time a physician at Des 
Moines; and the Quartermaster, William W. 
Wilson, now a banker in Lincoln, Neb. Com- 
pan}- A was from Pottawattamie County, with 
John P. Williams. Captain; George A. Haynee. 
First Lieutenant, and E. R. Kirkpatrick, Second 
Lieutenant. Capt. Williams is an emploj-e 
of the Council Bluffs Post Office; Haynes is a 
merchant at Maysville, Cal., and R. R. Kirk- 
patrick lives at Oakland, Cal. C. V. Gardner, 
one of the founders of Avoca, and afterward of 
Deadwood, D. T., succeeded Williams as Cap- 
tain of Company A, a short time after the regi- 
ment reached the field, and remained at the 
head of the company during the war. Will- 
iams resigned on account of ill health. The 
regiment had an honorable career, and was dis- 
charged at New Orleans, on the 10th of Au- 
gust, 1865, after having served on the Rio 
Grande for some months after actual hostilities 
ceased in that quarter, by the surrender of Dick 
Taylor and Kirby Smith. Thirty men of the 
Twentj'-ninth were killed in battle and died of 
wouuds, 253 of disease and 1 3-1 were discharged 
on account of disability. 

While speaking of the military incidents of 



HIiSTORY OF rOTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



177 



the city, it may be stated that only one draft oc- 
curred here during the war. This was made ou 
the 5th of November, 1864, sixty of whom were 
drawn from Kane Township. Substitutes were 
furnished in a few instances, and on the 17tii of 
the same month the men thus drawn were sent to 
the general rendezvous at Davenport, and from 
that camp assigned to various commands in the 
field. The draft was here conducted b}' II. H. 
Field, who was a Deputy Provost Marshal in the 
Fifth District of Iowa. Hon. Caleb Baldwin, as 
an assistant to Gov. Kirkwood, and Col. II. 
C. Nutt as aid to Govs. Kirkwood and 
Stone, rendered important service in placing 
all these troops in a condition for active duty. 
The ladies of Council Blufls were not behind 
hand in aiding the countr}^ in its efforts to re- 
store peace. xVt an early period of the war, a 
soldier's aid society- was formed here, and did 
most excellent and patriotic work, but on the 
22d of March, 1SG2, that organization was 
merged into a branch of the " Army Sanitary 
Commission of Iowa." In addition to that, a 
branch of the Christian Commission was also 
established here to aid in the work assigned to 
that organization, in the hospitals, and camps, 
and militarj- posts. Company E of the Sixth 
Iowa Cavalry, was recruited at this point. 
When the enlistments were made, it was in- 
tended that W. G. Crawford should have the 
command of the company, but consumption 
was already making rapid headway and threat- 
ening his life, and he reluctanth- yielded the 
post to Capt. Daniel F. Eicher, of this city, one 
of the Lieutenancies being assigned to Joseph 
C. Dellaven, also of this city. The company 
was mustered in in Januar3', 1863, and the 
disturbed condition of Indian affairs on the 
Northwesleru frontier, and the massacres of set- 
tlers in Minnesota, making it necessary that 
they should be employed in that service, their 
term of enlistment was spent in arduous cam- 
paigns through the wilds and " Bad Lands" of 
Dakota and the Northwest. 



The final paymeijt of the $40,000 sub- 
scribed for stock in the St. Joseph Railroad 
was made on the 8th of January, 1802. The 
road, owing to the disturbed condition of 
national affairs, was making no headway to- 
ward completion, but the assets of the com- 
pany at that date were estimated at S568,000. 
Some indication of the growth of the city 
was manifest in the number of children of 
school age, and, as shown by the school cen- 
sus of the year, there being of those 584. 
J. M. Pabner was chosen Mayor, and J. B. 
Rue, John Dohany, H. C. Fredericksou, L. 
W. Babbitt and John B. Lewis were chosen 
as Aldermen. Samuel Clinton was also chos- 
en President of the School Board. In March 
of this year, the market price of wheat here 
ranged from 40 to 45 cents per bushel, corn, 
15 cents, and dressed pork, from $2.25 to 
$2.50 per hundred weight. The Missouri 
River, iu April, was at a very high stage. 
To navigate it in those diiys through virtual 
wilds, at any season of the j'ear, iu any small 
craft, was an undertaking of considerable 
hazard. Jesse Williams, Beruhard Henn 
and Col. Test, however, venliu'ed to come 
down from Decatur, Neb., to Council Bluffs 
in a small boat during this flood, and, though 
exposed to great perils, made a successful 
trip. Emigration to the gold mines kept up 
a constant stream, and contributed to general 
mercantile prosperity. Mormon emigration 
was without abatement. About a thousand of 
these arrived by way of the river in steam- 
boat, on the 9th of June, and started over- 
land, after fitting out here for the long and 
dismal journey of more than a tliousand 
miles. As soon as the act of Congress went 
into effect, during this summer, providing a 
system of internal revenue, Horace Everett 
was .appointed Collector of the Fifth District, 
and F. A. Burke, an old and highly esteemed 
citizen, was appointed his Deputy. The Pa- 



178 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



citic House property met with an accident, on 
the 3()th day of August, in this, that the 
stables belonging to the hotel were struck by 
lightning and entirely destroyed by fire, in- 
cluding seven horses, some cows and ■ve- 
hicles. 

The frights to which the sparse settlements 
in Northwestern Iowa were subjected from 
border Indian hostilities during the fall of 
1862 will not soon be forgotten by those early 
settlers. The savage torch was kindled all 
along the Minnesota frontier. The unrelent- 
ing Sioux were on the warpath, and the utmost 
alarm pervaded the whole of Western Iowa 
The excitement reached its highest pitch in 
September. The people of Council Bluffs 
felt the necessity of prompt action and held 
a large public meeting to devise measures of 
assistance. Three companies of the Twenty- 
ninth Iowa in camp here, then recruiting that 
regiment, and a detachment of the local ar- 
tillery, moved to Sioux City to await devel- 
opments, and, after remaining there some 
days, the excitement grew less, the alarm 
abated and the troops returned to this point. 
W. W. Maynard was ajjpointed Postmaster in 
November, to succeed Nelson T. Spoor, who 
had gone to the front with his battery, and 
retired from the editorial control of the Non- 
pareil. He was succeeded in the latter posi- 
tion by W. S. Burke, whose health did not 
permit him to remain in the military service. 
John P. Williams, who was Sheriff of the 
county, also resigned to go into the volunteer 
service, and C. Yoorhis was appointed to fill 
the vacancy thus made. The Democratic 
County Convention held that year denounced 
" Abolitionism and secession as twin enemies 
of the Union." The resolutions of the Re- 
publican County Convention simply an- 
nounced the adherence of the party to the 
administration in its efforts to prosecute the 
war. E. F. Burdick and J. Smith Hooton 



were independent candidates for the only office 
in the county to be tilled that fall, that of 
Clerk of the District Court, and in the con- 
test Burdick was elected. John A. Easson 
was the Republican candidate for Congress, 
and D. O. Finch, of Des Moines, led the 
Democratic party in that respect. The two 
candidates had an interesting and joint dis- 
cussion at Council Bluffs .during the canvass. 
Both were ranked as the most eloqu&nt stump 
speakers in the State. Samuel Clinton was 
the candidate of the Democracy for Judge of 
the District Court, and James G. Day, of Fre- 
mont County, was the candidate of the Re- 
publicans of the district. The latter was 
elected, and held that office until chosen to 
the Supreme bench of the tate, in 1870, a 
position he has ever since held. Finch's ma- 
jority over Kasson in the county was thirty- 
six; that of Clinton over Day, two hundred 
and forty-two. Kasson, however, was elected 
by a decided majority over Finch in the dis- 
trict, and was re-elected in 1804, but failed 
of the nomination in 18()6 for a third term 
because of his leaning toward the famous 
policy of President Johnson. 

Several years before this, missionary priests 
of the (Jatholic Church had succeeded in 
gathering in the communicants of that relig 
ious oj'ganization, and, iu 1859, a plain, sub- 
stantial brick church, a chapel rather, was 
erected on Pearl and Main streets, between 
Willow avenue and Buckingham street. No 
regular pastor was provided for the parish 
until 1862, when the Bishop of the Diocese 
of Iowa designated the Rev. Father Philip 
McMahon as the first stated priest here. The 
church edifice was built through the main 
efforts of the Rev. Father Tracy, as a mission- 
ary. Rev. J. H. Clark, of the Presbyterian 
Chiirch; the Rev. J. W. Todd, of the Method- 
ist Episcopal Church; the Rev. Harvey 
Adams, of the Congregational Church, and 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



179 



the Rev. Faber Byllesby, were the pastors of 
the Protestant societies at that date. 

Among the changes that took place at the 
January meeting of the Board of Supervis- 
ors, in 1863, was the admission of Perry Reel 
as a member fi'om Crescent Township. This 
gentleman afterward became Sheriff of the 
county for four terms, and County Treasurer 
for two terms. His popularity in the county 
was unbounded, and his name has always 
been the synonym of everything that is noble 
in character. J. M. Palmer was again elected 
Mayor in the spring of 18*33. Among the 
Aldermen chosen were H. H. Fields, J. M. 
Phillips, John Hammer and N. S. Bates. 
The latter gentleman was a noted and con- 
spicuous character in his day here, and was 
familiarly known to his associates as "Gov. 
Bates," a title to which he responded with 
alacrity. He was highly esteemed during his 
life, and took high rank as an Odd Fellow, of 
which order he was a zealous member. Sam- 
uel Clinton was re-elected as President of the 
School Board at the annual school election. 
The Sixth Iowa Cavalry, the regiment to 
"which the company, officered by Capt. Ei- 
cher, and Lieut. De Haven, of this city, be- 
longed, were ordered into the Indian country 
of Dakota, and when on their way up, on the 
march, they halted for a day, rested their 
animals and enjoyed the hospitality of old 
neighbors and friends. The Council Bluffs 
Branch of the Sanitary Commission did a 
most excellent work during this period, in the 
collection and remittance of funds. To May, 
for that current year, they had collected and 
transmitted $340. Considering that they 
were here on a virtual frontier, and had con- 
tributed largely in the equipment of troops, 
and in aid of soldiers' families, this showing 
was highly creditable to the town. 

Council Bluffs lost several estimable and 
patriotic young men in the army during this 



summer, among them Curtis Burroughs, of 
the Twenty-ninth Iowa, who died at Helena, 
Ark. ; George W. Fairmau, son of George 
Fairman, an old citizen, and N. H. Folsom. 
Lawrence M. Smith was instantly killed in a 
fight at Milliken's Bend. A Union League 
was established early in the year by the Re- 
publicans of the county, with headquarters in 
Council Bluffs. Its functions were mainly in 
the directio;! of controlling local political 
affairs. The Democrats effected the organi- 
zation of a large club, with Samuel Ja- 
cobs, now of Hamburg, Fremont Couuty, as 
President. Judge Cole, who had hitherto 
been a Democrat, took the attitude of a War 
Democrat, as they were called in those days, 
and spoke to a large crowd on the 2d of 
May. He eventually drifted into the Repub- 
lican party, and was elected to the Supreme 
Court for several terms. Capt. A. L. Dom- 
ing, President of the First National Bank of 
Council Bluff's dm*ing his lifetime after the 
institution was organized, was chosen a dele- 
gate to the Republican State Convention this 
year. Thomas Tostevin, I'rank Street, and 
J. C. Layton, were the other delegates. The 
Republicans carried the county by 160 ma- 
jority on the State ticket. Col. William M. 
Stone, of Marion County, was the Republican 
candidate for Governor, and was elected, 
afterward for a second term, and Gen. 
James M. Tuttle, of Des Moines, they were 
both soldier candidates, was the leader of the 
Democracy. L. W. Ross, now one of the law 
professors and Chancellor of the University 
at Iowa City, was the unsuccessful Repub- 
lican candidate for State Senator, against 
Samuel Clinton, Democrat. A. J. Bell, Re- 
publican, was chosen Representative over B. 
Winchester, Democrat. Among the political 
events of tjie summer and of the campaign, 
was a Democratic address — a speech to the 
people here by Hon. A. C. Dodge, ex-United 



180 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



States Senator, on the 30th of May, when on 
his way to Montana Tetritory. On the 5th 
of September, Gen. G. M. Dodge visited his 
homo on a leave of absence, and in considera- 
tion of his distinguished military services, 
the citizens, without regard to party, gave 
him a most cordial public reception and wel- 
come. This demonstration was highly ap- 
preciated by that distinguished officer, and 
he expressed his gratitude to his old neigh- 
bors in the warmest possible terms. The 
county fair fell short of being asiiccess, owing 
to a heavy frost which destroyed almost all 
kinds of vegetation, on the 27th of August. 
Caleb Baldwin and Nathan P. Dodse formed a 
banking house in September, an institution 
that was afterward merged in the Council 
Bluffs Savings Bank, the latter also afterward 
absorbing the Pacific National Bank. The 
annual Mormon conference was held in Octo- 
ber, on the farm of M. L. FoUet, in what is 
now Garner Township, in the vicinity of 
Parks' Mill. This was that branch of the 
Latter- Day Saints whose headquarters were 
at Piano, 111., and who discarded polygamy 
as any part of their system, and treated it as 
a rank heresy engrafted on their religion by 
Brigham Young. Joseph Smith, Jr., the 
son of the Carthage Jail martyr, was the 
recognized head of the anti -polygamous 
branch, and presided over the deliberations 
of the conference at this meeting for the first 
time. At that date, and up to 188 1, the gen- 
eral business of the church was transacted in 



an annual conference held in the fall near 
Council Bluffs, at Parks' Mill. Every male 
member of adult age had a voice in the de- 
liberations of the conference. The people of 
the society from far and near came in wagons 
and otherwise, and pitched their tents in the 
style of a camp meeting, and for a week, at 
least, religious services were conducted in 
the camp meeting, and the aifairs of the 
church deliberated as in a purely democratic 
assembly. As the church grew in numbers, 
and, in 1880, had reached some 21,000, in 
Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and even in Utah, 
and other Western Territories, as a delibera- 
tive body, on the old plan, it became un- 
wieldy and inaccessible to many, and its dis- 
cipline and constitution were so changed as 
to constitute it a representative body com- 
posed of delegates chosen by congregations 
and local church societies. These camp 
meetings were events of an interesting local 
character, and thousands attended them who 
were neither members of that society nor in 
sympathy with them in any way, as idle and 
cm'ious spectators. They were more after 
the fashion of an old-time Methodist camp- 
meeting than the later-day so-called camp 
meetings of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
An interesting sight, always, was the immer- 
sion of scores of converts and new communi- 
cants in the Mosquito, this ceremony receiving 
gi'eater unction from the fact that the sacra- 
ment of baptism in that form was adminis- 
tered by the son of the Prophet Joseph Smith. 




HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



let 



CHAPTER XXX.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS — SOLDIERS' BOUNTIES —FIRST SCHOOL BUILWNG — FAIRVIEW CEMETERY 
—GEORGE FRANCIS TRAIN— CIRCUS CALAMITY — WILLIAM MARBLE KILLED BY 
INDIANS— LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION— PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BUILD- 
ING—LYNCHING OF A BOBBER— UNION PACIFIC BEGUN. 



WHEN the Boai'd of Supervisors met, on 
the -ith of January, 1864, E. McBride, 
now of Harrison County, represented Kane 
Township. A draft, under the act of Congress, 
was pending at that date; Mayor Palmer and 
other citizens, to avoid that contingency, 
went before the Board, and induced them to 
appropriate the sum of S'2,000, to be placed 
in the hands of Caleb Baldwin, for the pay- 
ment of bounties for voluntary enlistments to 
fill the quota called for. Large sums were 
also expended by the board for aid to the 
families of absent soldiers who needed such 
assistance. The State tax was 2 mills; the 
coimty tax, 4; schools, 1; relief, 2^; and 
bounty tax to soldiers, li. At the city elec- 
tion in March. "Gov." Bates became Mayor. 
A. J. Bump was also elected Marshal. Judge 
Douglass and Judge Street were also elected 
to the Council with others. The entire Re- 
publican city ticket was elected at that time. 
In that year began that admirable system of 
public school building, which has ever since 
characterized the district. A tax of 2 mills 
was voted by the people at the annual elec- 
tion, and the contract was let to George F. 
Smith for a $5,000 brick schoolhouse, now 
known as the Stutsman Street School, in the 
eastern part of the city, and the building 
completed in time for the winter schools. 

In the early history of the city, the Mor- 
mon settlers had used the highest point of 
the bluff between Oakland avenue and Ben- 

•By Col. John n. K>atley. 



ton street, and the spot now forming the 
eastern portion of Fairview Cemetery as a 
place of burial. Diu-ing this summer, this 
old burying-ground was secured from those 
who thus owned the soil, and by adding to it 
on the west to a great extent, an area was se- 
cured for one of the most beautiful resting- 
places for the dead to be found anywhere. 
The ground sloped beautifully to the west, and 
being at an elevation of 100 feet above the level 
of the great valley of the Missouri, presented a 
most romantic and delightful view for miles 
north, south, west and, at the highest point, 
east, taking in range the Missouri as it coils 
around the foot-hills, and the sparkling lakes, 
whose sheen amid the trees and foliage that 
embowered them is like the glitter of gems. 
Walnut Hill Cemetery, in the eastern part of 
the city, and on the road to Parks' Mills, was 
laid out the same season. Here rest the re- 
mains of Dr. McMahon and Judge Baldwin. 
The Catholic cemetery is side by side with 
Walnut Hill. A soldiers' festival was held 
in Palmer's Hall in April, 1864, as a testi- 
monial of welcome to such soldiers as had 
come home on a thirty days' furlough, one of 
the conditions oE their re-enlistment for 
another three years. George Francis Train, 
at that time, was highly interested in Omaha, 
with Dr. Durant, his brother-in law, the 
Vice President of the Union Pacific Railroad, 
and was here and made one of his charac- 
teristic speeches at this festival and re-union. 
The semi annual statement of the State 



183 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Bank, now the First National, of Council 
Bluifs, showed the average deposits to be 
148,000; the circulation, $79,000; the loans, 
185,000, and the gold and other coin in its 
vaults at §22,000. The Cedar Rapids Rail- 
road, now the Chicago & North- Western, 
had advanced westward to within 160 miles 
of Council Bluifs, and gave token of an early 
connection with the outside world by rail. 
The Western Stage Company established its 
stages between the temporary terminus and 
this city, and as the space diminished, short- 
ened its route, until the arrival of the road 
in 1867. 

On August 2, the people had an immense 
scare. Mabie's circus was exhibiting. A 
fearful storm of wind came on, after dark, 
and blew the pavilion down and extinguished 
the lights. Severall thousand people were 
involved in total darkness, and, in the pros- 
trate canvas. One of the lions escaped 
from the cage, and added terror to the dis- 
tressing scene, but was secured in a short 
time, but the fright occasioned a panic of the 
most alarming character. The pavilion was 
cut almost to shreds by the attempts of the 
people to escape. No lives were lost, and 
the injuries received were not of a very seri- 
ous character. 

Atlanta having fallen, the people uniting 
with those all over the country, celebrated the 
victory with vast demonstrations of joy, with 
boniires and illuminations, on the 9th of Sep- 
tember. Gen. Dodge, who had been severely 
wounded in the head, in front of Atlanta, in 
that campaign, came home as soon as he could 
safely travel, and gave the citizens another 
pleasant opportunity to testify in a public 
manner their high regard for the distin- 
guished soldier, their fellow-townsman. 

William Marble, a citizen of this place, 
while on the plains near Plum Creek, Neb. , 
was killed by the Indians, in October. His 



little son with him escaped, and was sent 
home. S. S. Bayliss and his son-in-law, 
George Parks, began the erection of what is 
now known as Parks' Mill, on the Mosquito 
Creek, two miles east of town, on the site of 
the Wicks Mill, used by the Government in 
connection with the Pottawatomie Indian 
Agency and reservation. During the same 
autumn, the militia of the city were shaped 
into two organizations of "Home Guards," 
in two companies, one called the "' Flying 
Artillery," under Capt. Thomas Tostevin, and 
the other the "Provost Guards," under Capt. 
A. J. Bell. The county fair began October 
24. An early frost greatly injured the corn 
crops, and that cereal sold at SI. 10, and 
wheat at SI a bushel. Butter readily brought 
50 cents per pound, and hard wood |10 per 
cord. The canvass between Lincoln andMc- 
Clellau was conducted with very little S2:)irit 
in the city, and few public meetings were 
held. The work of the Re2:)ublicans was done 
within the secret precincts of the Union 
League. The most marked public event of 
the winter was the holding of a festival for 
the relief of the families of such soldiers as 
needed that assistance. It may as well be 
plainly stated that a variety of circumstances 
made this course necessary on the part of 
those at home. Long delays frequently oc- 
cmTed between dates of payment in the field. 
Active operations in a campaign rendered it 
impracticable in the presence of the enemy to 
intrust large sums of money on precarious 
lines of commtinication, and added to that, 
the soldier in the field was not always as 
mindful of those dependent on him at home 
as the ordinary dictates of prudence demand. 
Gambling devices inntimerable, often won his 
hard-earned dollars when his family were in 
need, and, in many instances, there were 
those who were careless of results, in this, 
that they conceived that the rich who were 



HISTORY OF POTTAAVATTAMIE COUNTY. 



183 



not bearing tho bnant of the battle were un- 
der some kind of au obligation to support the 
families of those in the service. These were 
exceptions, but they helped to increase the 
burdens of those charitably disposed toward 
the actually deserving. The donations and 
receipts of this fair and festival amounted in 
money and useful articles to §2,000. and was 
placed in the hands of D. C. Bloomer, Thom- 
as Officer and Judge Baldwin as a committee 
for disti'ibution. At the January, 1805, 
meeting of the Board of Supervisors, E. Mc- 
Bride was elected Chairman. A. E. Claren- 
don, of Council Bluffs, was also appointed 
County Superintendent, to fill a vacancy 
caused by the resignation of L. S. Axtell. 
Cornelius Yoorhis also resigned the office of 
Sheriff, and at the same session of the board 
H. H. Field was appointed in his stead. A 
ferry at Trader's Point was established as 
soon as navigation opened, and a license for 
that purpose gi'anted by the Board of Super- 
visors to H. T. Clark. At the city election. 
Bates was elected Mayor; T. P. Trey nor. 
Recorder; H. P. Warren, Treasiu'er; A. J. 
Bump, City Marshal; and H. H. Field, Rich- 
ard Eodgers, C. P. Johnson, J. M. Phillips, 
Thomas Jefferies and John Hammer, Alder- 
men. At the spring school election, a brick 
school building was authorized at the corner 
of Seventh street and Willow avenue, diag- 
onally across from the Presbyterian Church 
in the Fourth Ward. This building was re- 
garded of ample proportions for its uses, until 
1880, when the j)resent three-story brick edifice 
gave place to it, and received the name of the 
Bloomer School Building, a designation made 
officially by the School Board as a tribute to 
Mr. Bloomer, as a tribute to his long and val- 
uable services in the cause of education. 

The "most solemn and son'owful event that 
ever fell upon the city, was the news of the 
assassination of President Lincoln. When 



received on the 15th of April, all places of 
business were immediately closed, the city was 
draped in mourning, the bells were tolled, 
and every manifestation of profound sorrow 
was made. The Union League called a 
meeting for the afternoon, and the whole cily 
turned out in attendance, eulogies were pro- 
nounced, and strong resolutions adopted de- 
nunciatory of the act. On the Wednesday 
following, the day fixed for his funeral, 
services in memorial were held in the Con- 
gregational Church on Pearl street, and ad- 
dresses made recounting the life and services 
of the Martyr President. 

Work on the new Presbyterian Church was 
resumed dm-ing the summer, and the building 
carried forward to completion, under the pas- 
torate of the Rev. James H. Clark. The cost 
of the building was $17,270; S1,S93 of this 
amount was raised by the ladies of the church 
through festivals, one of which, the most suc- 
cessful, was held on the 21st and 22d of De- 
cember, 1865. The Soldiers' Aid Society 
closed its labors on the 16th of May, and 
balanced its accounts. From December, 1864, 
it had transmitted to the Christian Commis- 
sion the sum of $504. The people of the 
city were greatly imperiled in their lives and 
property by a gang of robbers which seemed 
to prey at will upon them and in the neigh- 
borhood. George Parks, on his way in from 
his mill, encountered a suspicious character 
whom he compelled, at the muzzle of the re- 
volver, to march into the city. The man was 
at once identified as an individual who had 
compelled a farmer to hold up his hands 
while he robbed him. In a day or two after- 
ward, the body of the unnamed criminal was 
found dangling from the limb of a tree in 
the eastern part of the city. Its effect was a 
salutary one in the way of breaking up the 
system of bold robberies. 

The State census made the population of 



184 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



Kane Township, which then included what is 
now Garner and Lewis Townships, at 3,003. 

The celebration of the Foiu'th of July, 
1865, was of an iiniisual character. The 
termination of the civil war occasioned a 
disposition to make the most of the National 
anniversary, and thousands, from all parts of 
the county, attended. Gyrus H. Street read 
the Declaration of Independence, and 
speeches were made by Judge Street, D. C. 
Bloomer, W. G. Crawford, W. F. Sapp and 
others. A military procession, consisting of 
the Council Bluffs Light Artillery, the Rifle 
Company, the Botna Tigers and the Provost 
Guards, occurred, with Col. J. C. Hoffmayr 
as commandant. Council Bluffs, at that date, 
had no lire department, but the Omaha Hook 
and Ladder Company took part m the dem- 
onstration. The mothers and widows of the 
dead soldiers were given the place of honor, 
together with such soldiers as had been mus- 
tered out of the service and reached home. 
Au immense free dinner was given, and that 
night there was a very fine display of lire- 
works. 

The commencement of the building of the 
Union Pacific Railroad from the west bank of 
the Missouri River, during the summer of 
1865, and another event that had a marked 
influence on the future of Council BhtfTs. 
The line, as first projected, contemplated a 
direct route westward from Omaha, until it 



reached the Platte Valley. This idea was 
abandoned, and what is known as the " Ox 
Bow" or southern convergence, selected. This 
plan was deemed prejudical to both Council 
Bluffs and Omaha, as leading to the eventual 
abandonment of both towns, when the con- 
struction of the bridge over the Missouri 
River came to be considered. A good deal 
of feeling was aroused, but it had no effect in 
altering either the plans or purposes of the 
company, and the danger apprehended did 
not prove, as expected, a calamitous reality. 
In August, the Council Bhiffs Branch of the 
State Bank was transformed into the First 
National Bank of Council Blufls, with Capt. 
A. L. Deming, as President, and Moses H. 
Deming, his brother, as Cashier. The '21st 
day of September was set apart by the citi- 
zens as a testimonial to the men here who had 
gone into the military service, and had re- 
turned, at the close of the war, to resume 
again their peaceful avocations. The testi- 
monial was in the shape of a banquet, and all 
the citizens vied with each other in thus ex- 
pressing their gratitude to the brave men who 
had so cheerfully and nobly done their duty. 
The returned soldiers organized a post of the 
Grand Army of the Republic, but after a 
time it took on a political character, and the 
post disappeared, and was not revived until 
1880, when the re-organized Post Abe Lin- 
coln was established. 




HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



185 



CHAPTER XXXI.* 



COUNCIL BLUFFS— ST. JOE RAILROAD REVIVED— CONGRESSIONAL FIGHT OF 188( 
HOUSE— REV. CLARK SCANDAL— NARROW ESCAPE AT BURHOP'S HALL- 
CHURCH EDIFICE— COMPLETION OF THE NORTHWESTERN JUBILEE 
—SKETCH OF THE "NONPAREIL" AND THE "BUGLE." 



—NEW COURT 
M. E. 



RL. DOUGLASS was President of the 
• Council Bluffs & St. Joseph Railroad Co. ; 
J. P. Casady, Vice President; Horace Ever- 
ett, Treasurer, and Samuel Jacobs, Secretary. 
Increased efforts were put forth to secure the 
completion of the road. The old contracts 
for construction were surrendered, and a new 
one entered into between Henry W. Phelps, 
of Massachusetts, for the completion of the 
road by January 1, 1867, and, under this 
arrangement, the work was vigorously re- 
sumed. All the stock in the company held 
by the city and the county was transferred to 
Willis Phelps, as one ot the inducements to 
a resumption of the work. W. F. Sapp, who 
had settled in Omaha, having removed there 
from Mt. Vernon, Ohio, became a citizen of 
Council Bluffs in 1864. At the election held 
for Representatives in the State Legislature, 
he was chosen on the Republican ticket that 
fall to represent Pattawattamie County in the 
House. Thomas Tostevin was re-elected Coun- 
ty Treasurer, and H. H. Field, Sheriff. Col. 
Sapp assisted in raising a regiment for front- 
ier duty, among the people of Nebraska, and 
the organization was designated as the Second 
Nebraska Regiment. He was made its Lieu- 
tanant Colonel. In 1869. he was appointed 
United States District Attorney for Iowa by 
President Grant, and served for four years, 
and was succeeded by James T. Lane, of I>av- 
enport. In 1876, Col. Sapp was nominated 

«Bj- Col. John H. Keatley. 



by the Republicans of the Eighth Congres- 
sional District of Iowa, and elected. He was 
renominated in 1878, and having as his oppo- 
nents John H. Keatley, as a Democratic can- 
didate, and the Rev. Mr. Hicks, of Montgom- 
ery County, a Greenbacker; he was elected 
the second time by a majority over both, oi 
369 votes. A bitter contest arose, in 1880, 
over his desire for a nomination for a third 
term. The convention was held in Council 
Bluffs in August. Col. W. P. Hepburn, of 
Page County; A. R. Anderson, of Fremont 
County, John T. Stone, of Mills County, 
and Col. Sapp, were candidates before 
the convention. After a few ballots. Col. 
Hepburn announced his withdrawal, and 284 
ballots, consuming three days and two nights, 
were had without any result. Scarcely a 
change was made in all this long and stubborn 
contest; but, at the end of the 2S5th ballot, 
it was found that Col. Hejiburn had secured 
the number requisite to a nomination, and he 
was declared the candidate, and elected in the 
ensuing fall by a majority of about seven 
thousand, over Robert Percival, of Council 
Bluffs, the Democratic candidate. Gen. 
Thomas H. Benton, Jr., was the Democratic 
candidate for Governor of Iowa, in 1865, but 
was defeated by Col. William M. Stone, who 
was then the successful Republican candidate 
for a second term. 

In January 1866, the movement already 
on foot to erect the present county court 



186 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COU>fTY. 



house took definite shape. A Committee of 
the Board of Supervisors reported a plan and 
estimates, and on the tith of January, the 
present site on Pearl street,' at the corner of 
Buckingham, was purchased at a cost of 
$3,500. J. M. Phillips, Thomas Officer 
and William Ward, neither of whom were 
memberii of the board, were appointed a 
building committee, to let the contract and 
supervise the erection of the court house. On 
the 15th of February, 1866, the contract was 
let according to plans and speeificationa pre- 
[)ared by William Ward, the architect, to 
John Hammer, a professional contractor of 
brick and stone work, and F. T. C Johnson, 
now a farmer of Norwalk Townshipj but then 
engaged in Council Bluifs as a contracting 
carpenter and builder, the cost not to exceed 
$42,000, and bonds of the county having been 
authorized to meet the cost. The basement 
story was completed that year, and the build- 
ing finished so far as inclosing it and fitting 
up the jail and offices on the first floor were 
concerned, but the court room proper was not 
completed until the winter of 1868. It was, 
however, used as a coiu't room with temporary 
f lu'uitiu'e. The funds having been exhaust- 
ed occnsioned this delay. A disastrous fire 
occurred on the south side of Broadway, on 
the morning of the iSth of Februaiy, which 
swept away the stores and tin shop of J. M. 
Phillips, Samuel Knepper, Keller & Bennett, 
and John Epeneter. These were replaced in 
1868 by substantial brick store buildings. 
At the city election, on the 12th of March, 
1860, Caleb Baldwin was chosen Mayor, and 
H. P. Warren, Treasurer, and A. J. Bump, 
City Marshal. The latter office had attached 
to it the important duty of collecting the 
taxes levied for city purposes. At the spring 
school election, D. C. Bloomer was elected 
President of the Board. A religious feeling 
was also aroused in the city, and for a num- 



ber of months a union prayer meeting was 
daily held, beginning at eight o'clock in the 
morning, and lasting for an hour. A Young 
Men's Library Association was also organ- 
ized at the same time, with Hon W. H. M. 
Pusey as its Librarian. Cyrus H. Street was 
Secretary, and Frank M. Streamer, afterward 
city editor of the Omaha Herald, librarian. 
This institution collected quite a large quan- 
tity of books, but interest was lost in it, and 
the library became scattered. A Board of 
Trade, with Capt. A. L. Deming, was also 
constituted, which also, after a year's pre 
carious existence, and with a total lack of in- 
terest in its success and objects, was allowed 
to dissipate. T. J. Hiu-ford, then in the 
hardware business, now of Grand Island, 
Neb., was elected its second and last Presi- 
dent in the spring of 1867. 

Great scandal was brought upon the com- 
munity by the discovery of improper conduct 
of the Rev. James H. Clark, pastor of the 
Presbj-terian Church. It was alleged against 
him that he had been in the habit of enticing 
young girls to his study, and there made in- 
decent proposals to them. The fact was kept 
a secret for some time, but rumors at last got 
to the public ear, the triith became known, he 
was confronted with the evidence, and, seeing 
no avenue of escape, resigned his pastor- 
ate, after making a fiiU confession of his 
guilt. He left the city almost immediately 
after his exposure. 

Bitrhop's Hall, now known as Platner's 
Hall, on the north side of Upper Broadway, 
was opened on the 22d of June, and, for a 
number of years, was a favorite place of 
amusement for the people. It was here that 
Walter Bray made himself a favorite with the 
theater-going people of the city. Leo Hud- 
son also played " Mazeppa" on its stage. It 
may not be out of place here, in this connec- 
tion, to state a remarkably narrow escape made 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



187 



at this hall in the winter of 1868. Joseph 
Mueller, then piirstiing the profession of 
teaching music, had prepared an operetta for 
presentation, in which some twenty young 
girls were to appear in chorus. Red light 
was to be used in some part of the perform- 
ance, and the material for it stood on a shelf 
in the dressing-room on the east end of the 
stage. The choras of young girls had just 
stepped from the room to the stage; the hall 
was packed; the last of the young girls had 
only taken her place in the semi-circle, when 
a report was heard as if of a cannon, the 
audience jumped to their feet, a shudder ran 
through the crowd, and the smell of some 
kind of an offensive gas nished into the au- 
ditorium. It was soon found that there need 
be no panic, but the wiuter of this and sev- 
eral others ran into the dressing-room, and 
found that the red light, carelessly prepared 
by the druggist, had exploded in contact with 
the air, at the moment the last little girl had 
left the room, that the concussion had torn 
out the windows and burst the panels from 
two doors, making fragments of them. Noth- 
ing but the mere chance of the young girls' 
having, at the precise moment, been trans- 
ferred to the stage, saved the whole chorus 
from destruction. After the recovery from 
the first shock, the performance went on, but 
its pleasures were materially mar/ed by the 
thought of the recent danger. 

The fine brick building for school purposes, 
on Washington avenue was erected during 
the summer of 1866, that is, the part fronting 
on the avenue. The wing was not put up 
until two or three years later. This made the 
third two-story brick school building in the 
city. Upon the resignation of the Rev. James 
H. Clark, of the Presbyterian Church, for the 
reasons already stated, a call was extended to 
the Rev. T. K Cleland, then at Keokuk, and 
but a short time a graduate of the theological 



seminary, to assume pastoral duty here. After 
the usual trial, he was duly installed, and 
remained such pastor until May, 1882, when 
he resigned to take the pulpit of Westmin- 
ster Presbyterian Church of Keokuk. This 
clergyman was one of the most eloquent pul- 
pit orators ever in the ministry in Council 
Bluffs. Duving his pastorate, he was not only 
popular with his own congregation, but won 
the esteem of the citizens generally. This 
esteem enabled him to fill a career of many 
years of great usefiilness. 

The old Ocean Wave Saloon having been 
struck with lightning and destroyed by fire, 
there was poetical justice in occupying its 
vacant site with a religious edifice. The 
Methodist Episcopal Chui'ch here had grown 
and prospered, and the want of an appropri- 
ate place of worship was sadly and earnestly 
felt. A large brick edifice was planned by 
the Rev. Joseph Knotts, the Rev. J. S. Rand, 
the Rev. Moses Shinn and other zealous mem- 
bers of the church, and the contract having 
been let to John Hammer and George F. 
Smith, the latter a carpenter and builder, the 
corner-stone was laid with appropriate relig- 
ious services on the 14th of May, 1866. The 
building with its tall spire was located in the 
widening of Upper Broadway, at the junction 
of the latter street and Madison or First 
street. It fronts westward, and in looking 
eastward on that street the graceful outlines 
of the noble-looking building have an attract- 
ive appearance. The following year, 1867, 
the building was furnished and dedicated to 
religious uses. 

During all this period, when the Cedar 
Rapids & Missouri River Railroad was 
working its way toward the Missouri River, 
with the Chicago & Noi-th-Western company 
behind it as a sponsor, great fear existed in 
the minds of many of the business men of 
Council Bluffs, that after all the road might 



188 



HISTOEY or POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



reach the river without touching Council 
Bluffs. To reach this point required a sharp 
deflection southward from its direct route 
across the State. Whether the company would 
;so diverge in the interests of the city, and of 
their own interests, had become a very serious 
question. It is difficult to describe the con- 
stant anxiety that at times prevailed. Com- 
munication after communication passed be- 
tween the committees of the citizens and the 
officers of the company, without definite 
results. Eeal estate wa^ sensitive as to value 
in consequence of this uncertainty. At last, 
in July, something definite was reached in 
the way of a proposition for the settlement of 
the vexed question of the location of the 
western terminus of the road. Agents of the 
company came here and proposed to make 
this the terminus, provided the right of way 
was donated from the north line of the 
county and a cash donation made of §30,000. 
The meeting of citizens and business men to 
take into consideration these propositions 
occurred on the 'Jth of July. There was no 
difficulty in securijig .the pledge of $30,000 
.contemplated in the proposed stipulation. 
Marshall Turley made a donation of eighty 
acres of land, includin'g the soil occupied as 
a freight-yard and round-house, on condition, 
as he claims, that the passenger depot should 
be placed on the tract. This was not done, 
however, biit the temporary passenger depot 
was located about midway of Broadway and 
the present round-house. When the perma- 
nent building was finished, in the summer of 
1868, in disregard of the stipulation, the com- 
pany placed the freight and passenger depot 
on the south side of Broadway and some dis- 
tance south of the Turley tract. Many per- 
sons, among them T. J. Hurford, gave nego- 
tiable promissory notes for the amount of 
their subscription to the $30,000 fund, and 
when the same became due they allowed suit 



to be brought to test the validity of the de- 
fense, that the railroad comisany had violated 
its stipulation as to location. The notes had 
been transferred before due for value, it was 
claimed, to innocent purchasers, and this fact 
was successfully made against the makers of 
the notes, and the amounts collected. After 
the stipulation was thus made, the impression 
got abroad and still exists, that before the 
negotiation was concluded the railroad com- 
pany had decided upon this as the terminus, 
in order to connect with the Union Pacific, 
then well under way. The meagerness of the 
donation to such an important enterprise for 
so material a change in route was overlooked, 
in the eagerness of the people to secure the 
road at all hazards. The first ground was 
broken within the city limits on the 14th of 
September, 1866. From the date that this line 
of road was assured, the work went rapidly 
forward. It was important to the Union Pa- 
cific that they should have a line of railway 
across the State, for the transportation of the 
immense quantities of iron needed for its 
completion. 

In the meantime, the work went well on on 
the Council Bluffs & St. Joseph Railroad. 
An engine was brought up the river, on a 
steamboat, and landed in Mills County, and 
there a construction was made up and run 
into Council Bhiffs, on the 27th of December. 
The road, however, was not in condition to 
run trains to St. Joseph at that date, to con- 
nect with the Hannibal route. 

The North-Western pushed ahead with ra- 
pidity, and, on the 22d of December, 1867, 
the first engine on any completed railroad 
that ever entered Council Bluffs arrived, on 
a trial trip. The long period of deferred 
hope was at an end. Public joy burst all 
bounds. The people turned out en masse, and 
gave the train and those accompanying it a 
right royal reception. No conquering hero 




Nonpareil Building, council bluffs, iowa. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



191 



was ever hailed with louder and more earnest 
plaudits than this engine and the people with 
it received on that occasion. It was duly 
honored with a procession and music. Can- 
non boomed, and the day was turned into a 
happy holiday. Mayor Baldwin and other 
prominent citizens gave vent to their feelings 
in eloquent congratulatory speeches. There 
was feasting and joy on all sides. Tele- 
grams were sent in all directions announcing 
the event, and from that date a new era 
dawned on the city. It ceased at that hour 
to be a mere frontier town. Its pupilage was 
at an end. 

During this period, from January, 1866, 
to October, 1867, the Bugle was published by 
W. T. Giles, who purchased the paper from 
L. W. Babbitt, and again sold to Mi\ Bab- 
bitt, returning to Freeport, 111., and there 
publishing the Bulletin for a number of years. 
A change also took place in the management 
of the Nonpareil, on the 2'2d of December, 
1866. W. S. Burke retii-ed. and W. W. May- 
nard and John W. Chapman took control of 
it. Sir. Chapman had been in the United 
States civil service in Omaha for some to that 
date, when, removing to Council Bluffs, he 
entered journalism. Without recurring to it 
again, it may be here stated that diu'ing sev- 
eral changes of partnership, from December, 
1866, to January 1, 1869, Mr. Chapman had 
an interest in the paper, and was its manag- 
ing editor. At the latter date, the firm was 
Chapman, Grey & Mill. Richard Gray was 
a railroad man and a business character of 
great energy and experience. This charac- 
teristic he brought to bear as a business man- 
ager in the aifairs of the daily, then strug- 
gling as all such papers are compelled to 
struggle in order to gain a foothold and an 
establisbment. In the latter function, he was 
materially assisted by Spencer Smith, who at 
that date had no interest in the paper other 



than as an employe, who, subsequently, as a 
part owner, and as the business manager, gave 
unusual talents in the establishment of the 
paper on a firm and prosperous footing. Mr. 
Chapman sold his one-third interest to John 
S. Brainard, who had been the publisher of 
the Story County AOgis. Brainard retained 
his interest from January 1, 1869, until in 
Ma}% when he transferred it to John C. Scher- 
merhorn, and the paper was by them pub- 
lished under the firm name of Gray, Mill & 
Schermerhorn. George S. Mill was a Scotch- 
man and a printer, educated in the printing- 
house of "William Blackwood & Sous, Edin- 
burgh. Schermerhorn was also a printer. 
Diu'ing this period, John H. Koatley was the 
editor of the paper, his connection begin- 
ning in August, 1868, and ceasing on the 
31st of March, 1870. 

Mr. Chapman was elected County Treasm-er 
on the Republican ticket, in the fall of 1869; 
was re-elected in 1871, but was defeated in 
his candidacy for a third term, in the fall of 
1873, by Perry Rue. His Democratic oppo- 
nent, in 1869, was E. A. Huber. The Nonpa- 
reil was organized into a joint-stock compa- 
ny in 187U. Mr. Gray andlNIi-. Mill retired, 
their interests being adsorbed by Mr. Chap- 
man. Thomas P. Treynor, then Postmaster, 
and Spencer Smith, the brother-in-law of Mr. 
Treynor. The corporation was called the 
Nonpareil Printing Company, and under that 
name the business of the paper has ever since 
been conducted. The office was removed at 
once from the two-story brick building, on 
the south side of Broadway, known aa the 
land office, and where part of the Everett 
Block now stands, to the building now u.'ied 
as a book store by Bushnell & Brackett, on 
Pearl street. During a porticm of 1870. 
Charles Aldrich, of Marshalltown, was the 
editor at a salary. He was succeeded by W. 
W. Maynard, also a salaried employe, with 



19-2 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



no other interest in the business. At his 
death, in the winter of 1874-75, he was suc- 
ceeded by S. W. Moorehead, who had been 
the publisher of a weekly newspaper in 
Southwestern Iowa, had acted as business 
manager of the Nonpareil for a season, and, 
with W. R. Vaughan, in November, 1872, had 
started the Daily Globe, an evening Demo- 
cratic paper, and sold the same in a short 
time to Jacob Williams. 

The summer of 1866 was one of intense 
political excitement. President Johnson, on 
the 22d of February, from the steps «f the 
White House, in response to a serenade, 
made a sensational speech by which he sev- 
ered his connection with the Republican 
party, and, in August, the famous ' ' Peace 
Convention" was held in Philadelphia. J. D. 
Test and A. V. Larimer were chosen to repre- 
sent this Congressional district in that body. 
W. W. Maynard was the editor of the Non- 
pareil. He never let slip an opportunity to 
sting a political opponent and with sarcasm 
reeking from every pore, he published a bo- 
gus dispatch f)urporting to come from Test 
at Philadelphia, saying that he would be at 
home in a few days, and would bring Presi- 
dent Johnson with him. This stroke of wit 
at Test's expense was the laugh of the town 
fcH- a day or two, but Test's own pungent pen 
was always a match for Maynard's gall. 

During the month of November, 1866, a 
special election was held upon the question 
of authorizing a city loan of 160,000, to es- 
tablish a market house, improve the streets 
and provide a fire department. Under the 
market-house provision, the city bought nf 
Judge Riddle the brick building now known 
as the city building, at the southeast corner 
of Glen avenue and Broadway, it having 
been used as Green, Weare & Benton's bank- 
ing-house up to 1857, and the consideration 
being $7,000. 



One of the landmarks of Council Blufts 
disappeared on the 1st of December, 1866. 
This was the old Cottonwood jail that had be- 
come historic from the early days of the Mor- 
mon immigration. A prisoner by the name 
of Pilling was in t'oe old prison when it took 
fire in the night, and when the alarm was 
given the fact that he was there, was careless- 
ly overlooked, and he was roasted to death. 
During the week preceding Christmas, the 
ladies of the Episcopal Chiu-ch held a fair 
and festival at Biuhop's Hall, at which they 
realized §1,000. The large brick dwelling- 
houses of Dr. McMahon, in the southwestern 
part of the city, and of Jitdge Cassady. on 
Washington avenue, were erected. 

William Turner was the member of the 
Board of Supervisors from Kane Township 
when that body assembled, in Jamtary, 1867. 
The Council Bluffs & St. Joseph Railroad 
was completed to the MissDiu-i State line, 
and all the shares of the county in that road 
were assigned at that meeting to Willis 
Phelps, in consideration of that completion. 
The board also resolved to pay a large amount 
of swamp land orders that had been issued 
by Judge Sherman, and the issuance of 
which, in part, occasioned his removal from 
office. This course of the board was far from 
being approved by the tax-payers. The issu- 
ance of bonds to the M. & M. R. R. Co. was 
also restrained by the District Court. An 
intensely bitter feeling was engendered by 
the charge, and rttmor that the board had 
contracted with several lawyers to seciu'e the 
injunction for a fee of $38,000; but if such 
an agreement was ever made, it was not car- 
ried into effect in any way, for the reason 
that other citizens than those charged with 
complicity in the matter took it in hand and 
pushed the suit to a satisfactory conclusion. 

Regular trains began to run on the Chicago 
& North- Western in February, but heavy 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



193 



snows between that and spring frequently 
interrupted railway travel on that line. The 
first movement was then made to secure a 
county poor-house and a poor- farm, but the 
credit of the county was strained as much as 
it could then bear, in the building of the 
new court house, and the poor- farm project 
was postponed. Another institution, how- 
ever, localized at Council Bluifs, had taken on 
shape. The State was using temporary 
quarters at Iowa City in maintaining an in- 
stitute for the deaf and dumb. Col. Sapp, 
as a member of the House from this county, 
backed by leading citizens, and exercising 
excellent judgment, secured a f)reliminary 
appropriation for the erection of suitable 
buildings for such an institute at Council 
Bluffs. The resistance to the project was a 
bitter one, but the claim that the western part 
of the State had not received projjer con- 
sideration in the distribution of the State in- 
stitutions had great influence in finally de- 
ciding the result. 

The ultimate future of Council Bluffs was 
foreshadowed in the action of those at the 
head of the Union Pacific Railway enterprise. 
Thomas C. Diu-ant, the Vice President of the 
corporation, on behalf of himself and other 
officers of the company, bought 1,200 acres 
of land in the western part of the city, in- 
tended to be utilized for railroad purposes in 
the future. How was not definitely settled 
or determined, but it was evident that in the 
expansion of railway business, a wide scope 
would be required on both sides of the river 
when it was once bridged. This is the same 
tract of land now used by the Union Pacific 
as their transfer grounds and the magnificent 
union depot for themselves and the Ijwa 
roads. 

At the spring election, Judge Street was 
elected Mayor, the opposing candidate being 
Col. Babbitt. A. J. Bump was again chosen 



Marshal, and Samuel Haas was among the 
new Aldermen elected. D. C. Bloomer was 
again chosen President of the School Board. 
Wheat sold in the market here at that elate 
at $2 per bushel, corn at 85 cents, and flour 
from §5 to -SB per 100 pounds. 

William and Patrick Lawn, of Mills 
County, were asleep as guests of the Farmers' 
Hotel, on Broadway, kejjt by Peter Bechtelle, 
on the night of the 13th of June, 1867. Be- 
fore daylight the next morning, a mob of un- 
known persons came into the city, waked up 
the sleeping men, compelled them to go with 
them, and just inside of the Mills County 
line, they were hung until dead. Their 
bodies were brought here and buried in the 
Catholic Cemetery. They were merely sus- 
pected of being guilty of crime. No oppor- 
tunity was given to vindicate themselves. 
Both men had served in the Union army, and 
their comrades in Council Bluffs, on each 
succeeding Decoration Day, have reverently 
and devoutly decorated their graves. "V^'. W. 
Maynard retired from the Nonpareil, and was 
succeeded by S. T. Walker, who, in conjunc- 
tion with I\Ir. Chapman, was its publisher. 
Council Bluffs Lodge, No. 49, of Odd Fel- 
lows, was revived and re-organized at this 
period, and has ever since flourished. The 
Empire Block stood on the south side* of 
Broadway, between Main and Pearl streets. 
On the 24th of June, this block, consisting 
of a series of handsome three-story brick 
buildings, was totally destroyed by fire. 
There was no fire department in existence at 
that date, and nothing could be done to save 
the property. The loss was estimated at 
§100,000. The type, press and material of 
the Nonpareil were totally destroyed, as well 
as the Young Men's Library. Only a few of 
the books of the latter were saved. This 
disaster terminated the usefulness of the li- 
brary, and for a number of years no effort 



194 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTi'. 



was made to supply its jilace. The Pierce 
Street Schoolhonse and the Court Street 
School Building were erected during the 
siummer, at a cost of about $12,000. The 
latter building was placed west of the track 
of the North-Western Eailroad to the trans- 
fer. The Germans organized a society, and 
erected a handsome brick school building, 
just south of the city building, and on the 
west side of Glen avenue. Rev. George L. 
Little diunng the same time erected a large 
brick building, on Sixth avenue, between 
Main street and Sixth street, for a young 
ladies' seminary, and the institution was con- 
ducted as such until the spring of 1870, when 
it was abandoned for want of patronage. It 
subsequently became the property of J. F. 
Evanw, President of the First National Bank, 
and by him transferred, after changes in 
construction, into a handsome private resi- 
dence for his own use. 

The first Turn-Verein but-door exhibition 
was given in August. Athletic exercises, un- 
der the auspices of this society, were a nov- 
elty, and attracted an immense crowd both 
by themselves and the excellent instrumental 
and vocal music. Omaha sent a large dele- 
gation, and the festivities were truly charac- 
teristic of the Fatherland. In the gymnastic 
exercises, John Epeneter drew the first prize, 
and Henry Lehman, of Omaha, the seond. 

This was what is called a " grasshoj)per 
season." They came in clouds from the 
southwest, and literally covered the fields 
and grounds throughout the valley, eating 
up and devouring all kinds of vegetation, and 
fairly making a desert of one of the most 
promising agricultiu-al regions of the West. 
They were not simply the grasshoj^per, but 
the locust of the plains, the same which vis- 
ited the region again in 1873 and 1874. 

Excursions of another and less detrimental 
kind also occurred diu-ing the same summer. 



The opening up of the new railroads, the inva- 
sion of the plains of Nebraska by the Union 
Pacific, invited and brought sight -seers, land 
speculators and adventurers of high and low 
degree in large numbers. One or two mass 
excursions of business men and Eastern edit- 
ors became the guests of the people of the 
city, and the latter went fairly wild in their 
hospitality. Among new enterprises was the 
establishment of a German newspaper, which 
first saw light as the Frie Press, under the 
direction of Messrs. Wenbore & Worden, in 
September. The paper had a splendid out- 
look in starting. The German business men 
in the town gave it substantial encourage- 
ment, and the large German farming element 
in Pottawattamie and Mills Counties were 
liberal in its support. It afterward changed 
hands, and for quite a number of years bare- 
ly existed. In 1880, it passed into the 
hands of a gentleman by the name of Peiffer, 
from Oregon, who. having character, ability 
and capital, placed the paper on its feet, and 
it is now again on the road to prosperity. 

The election for State officers and a mem- 
ber of the Legislature, in October, was a 
spirited one. Col. Babbitt was nominated 
by the Democrats for Representative, and 
Maj. Joseph Lyman by the Republicans. 
Judge Casady was the Democratic candidate 
for State Senator, in a district composed of 
Pottawattamie, Mills and Fremont Counties. 
Maj. A. R. Anderson, of Fremont County, 
received the Republican nomination for the 
State Senate. Pottawattamie and Fremont 
Counties gave majorities for Casady, and 
elected him, and Col. Babbitt defeated Maj. 
Lyman in the race for Representative. Will- 
iam Porterfield, the Democratic candidate for 
County Treasurer, and Perry Reel, the candi- 
date of the same party for Sherifl', were also 
elected. Col. Samuel Merrill, the successful 
Republican candidate for Governor, had a 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



195 



minority of the votes in the county as against 
Judge Charles Mason, of Burlington, the 
Democratic candidate. The same season 
witnessed the ei'ection of a series of brick 
buildings extending from Pearl to Main 
streets, and including Bloom's Opera House, 
the last being by Gen Dodge and Sol Bloom, 
and the others by Samuel Haas and John T. 
Stewart, and used by Stewart & Haas, and 
afterward by the Stewart Bros. , as a whole- 
sale grocery house, by John T. Baldwin, and 
by Mrs. Martha Knepper, the widow of Sam- 
uel Knepper, deceased. The Stewart & Haas 
building was at once tilled with groceries and 
heavy goods. On the 9th day of November, 
the central supports in the cellar gave way, 
and the entire building fell in. A number 
of persons were within it at the time of the 
fall, but, though bui'ied in the ruins, they 
escaped almost unhiu-t, and were soon extri- 
cated. The building was re-erected at once, 
but only to the height of two stories, as it 
DOW remains. 

The Council Bluffs & St. Joseph Railroad 
was open and ready for business as far south 
as Hamburg, in Fremont County, within a 
mile and a quarter of the MissoiU'i line, on 
the 17th of December. The Directors of the 
road at that stage were Willis Phelps, E. W. 
Bond. W. M. Carson, G. M. T. Davis. Hor- 
ace Everett, J. P. Casady and L. W. Babbitt. 
Christmas night, 1867, was celebrated in the 
new court house by a dance gotten up by 
John Hammer and F. T. C. Johnson, the 
contractors, and a grand supper given in 
honor of the near comjjletion of the edifice. 
In this way it was joyously dedicated, the 
citizens generally joining in the festivity. 
The next day. the citizens ware treated to the 
spectacle of the crossing of the river by the 
first locomotive, on a temporary bridge sup- 
ported and stayed by the strong ice of the 
Missouri. After that each season, when tho 



river was firmly frozen, and until the stream 
was permanently bridged by the existing 
magnificent iron structure, a temporary 
bridge was used to transfer trains to the west 
bank with the greatest facility, from fall un- 
til spring, and until the ice began to move. 

On New Year's night, another fire devas- 
tated a portion of the city. This time it as- 
saulted a row of wooden buildings, on the 
south side of Broadway, and east of the junc- 
tion of Bancroft street. In the absence of a 
proper place for a County Clerk's ofiice, one 
of those wooden buildings in that quarter 
was used for that pur^jose, and was totally 
destroyed with a great jiortion of the records; 
not all, however. The fire was evidently the 
work of an incendiary, and suspicion attached, 
for years, to the names of several well-known 
citizens, as implicated, but no proof was ever 
reached as to the real culprit. 

Considerable excitement prevailed in this 
section over a bold robbery, consisting of the 
blowing open of the Harrison County safe on 
the 20th of February, ISGS. On the 27th of 
the same month, that of Mills County was 
dealt with in the same way, and lai'ge 
amounts of j^ublic money in both instances 
secured. The party suspected were traced to 
Council Bluffs, where Michael Rogers, a man 
of considerable means and local celebrity, 
was arrested, together with five others. 
Rogers was arrested in his own house here, 
and in a stove many thousands of dollars of 
paper currency were found. He had at- 
tempted to destroy it by tire, and failed. 
There was a disposition to lynch the prison- 
ers, but moderate counsels prevailed, and 
they were taken to the Sidney Jail for safe 
keeping, there being none here or at Glen- 
wood, or at Magnolia, that was deemed safe 
for that purpose. In a week or so afterward, 
they all escaped, and Rogers was never again 
heard of, except incidentally, as being in 



190 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



refuge in Canada. Subsequent developments 
showed that, for some years, he had been the 
head and front of a gang of counterfeiters 
and robbers, whose operations extended over 
many States and Territories, 

The annual election for city officers was 
held on the 10th of March, 18(58, and result- 
ed in the choice of Thomas Tostern for May- 
or. The school election was held on the 
same day, and Mr. Bloomer was again chosen 
President of the School Board. Col. Bab- 
bitt, while being a useful member of the 
Legislature, made a humorous point in favor 
of Council Bluffs, by introducing a joint 
resolution asking Congress to relocate the 
capital of the United States at Council 
Bluffs. On the 5th of April, the Broadway 
Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated, 
the dedicatory sermon being preached by the 
Kev. Dr. Eddy, of Chicago. The Odd Fel- 
lows, on the 26th of April, celebrated the 
fortj'-ninth anniversary of the establishment 
of the order. The street parade was one of 
the most attractive ever seen on the streets 
of Council Bluffs, and is still referred to by 
members of the order as a memorable event. 
The addresses were delivered in the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and a grand banquet at 
the new court house. 

The 3d of May witnessed the establishment 
of a new daily newspaper, called the Daily 
Democrat, under the management of Alf S. 
Kierolf & Co. Mr. Kierolf was a native of 
Kentucky, and was a sensational political 
writer after the manner of Brick Pomeroy, 
under whose tuition he had acquired the 
" redhot " style of journalism. The paper 
was published in the interests of Democracy, 
and had for its office the old land office, on 
Broadway, where the Everett Block stands. 
A bitter rivalry existed between it and the 
Bugle, then again under the editorial control 
of Col. Babbitt and David Sheward, the lat- 



ter of whom had the questionable honor of 
having been a Fort Lafayette prisoner diu-ing 
the war. This rivalry neutralized the suc- 
cess of the Democracy of the county the year 
before, and created a personal feud in the 
party that did not disappear for years. Per- 
sonal journalism was can'ied to a bitter ex- 
treme by these two papers. The Democrat 
ceased to exist in a few weeks after the de- 
feat of Seymour for President, an 1 the elec- 
tion of Gen. Grant. Mr.. Kierolf went to 
Missouri, and thence to Louisville, Ky. He 
was subsequently a member of the Kentucky 
Legislatui'e, but he paid the penalty of his 
highly nervous temperament by an early 
death. He was a man of most generous im • 
pulses, thoiigh his journalistic belligerency 
indicated totally the contrary. 

A special election was held on the 25th of 
June, appropriating $20,000 of the §60,000 
loan for the purpose of pui'chasing a steam 
fii-e engine. A Silsby steamer was pur- 
chased, and Bluff City Engine Company or- 
ganized to manage the steamer. The new 
engine arrived on the 17th of Sejjtember. 
An engine-house was erected in the rear of 
the city building, on Glen avenue. F. T. C. 
Johnson was made the first Chief of the tu'e 
department, when that body was once organ- 
ized. The Des Moineo Conference of the 
Methodist Ef)iscopal Church was held here, 
beginning its sessions on the 20th of August, 
with Bishep Simpson as the presiding officer. 
The first anniversary of the city Young 
Men's Christian Association was held on the 
6th of September, and the Rev. George L. 
Little was re-elected President. 

The political campaign was of an unusual 
heated character. Club rooms were opened 
by both parties. The Seymour and Blair 
Club met at Barhop's Hall, and meetings 
were held at least once a week diu'ing the 
campaign. The Grant and Colfax Club hired 



HISTORY OF rOTTAWATTAMIE COUIS'TY. 



197 



au untinishod room in Rice's Block, west of 
Gleu avenue, and as the campaign waxed 
warm meetings were held each night. At 
these, D. 0. Bloomer, John W. Chapman, 
AVilliam Hale, of Glenwood, now Governor 
of Wyoming, Frank Street and other Repub- 
lican talkers, made stirring speeches. The 
club was a regular tanner's organization, and 
in pai-ade the members wore tanners' aprons, 
glazed caps and carried torches in their pro- 
cessions. F. W. Palmer, the present Post- 
master of the city of Chicago, was the Re- 
publican candidate for Congress. His home 
was then at Des Moines. He was also the 
editor and principal proprietor of the State 
Register. His Democratic opponent was P. 
Gad Bryan, a distinguished lawyer of In- 
dianola, and a good stumper. Iq Septem- 
ber, a joint discussion was had at Council 
Blufifs between these two candidates. Each 
party vied with the other in making a dem- 
onstration, and the two processions organized 
for the occasion were simply immense. No 
collision occurred between the marching 
masses. The meeting was held in the after- 
noon, one of the mo.st beautiful of the many 
delightful days of that glorious autumn. 
The sun went down behind the Nebraska hills 
before the debate closed, and the general ver- 
dict was that both the contestants had acquitt- 
ed themselves most deservingly. The debate 
was reported in full for the Nonpareil by the 
writer of this paragraph, and published ver 
batim in the next morning's issue. 

An amusing incident of the campaign was 
a wager between Judge S. H. Riddle, an ar- 
dent Democrat, and Capt. J. P. Williams, a 
no less enthusiastic Grant supporter. It was 
that in case of Grant's election, Riddle should 
don a tanner's apron, take a torch, wear a 
glazed cap, and march by the side of Will- 
iams in a jollification procession. Williams 
stipulated to do the same with Kiddie in case 



of Seymour's election. The election of Grant 
was celebrated in a grand demonstration at 
night. Riddle kept his pledge, and when 
marching at the head of the column, by the 
side of Williams, the wildest enthusiasm and 
the best of good feeling prevailed, and pre- 
vented every thought of unpleasantness in the 
presence of political defeat. During the 
campaign, on the 22d of October, a grand 
free dinner was given by the Republicans, to 
which came people far and near. Broadway 
and other streets were handsomely arched, 
and wagons were fitted up and bevies of 
young ladies decked out to represent the 
States, to form part of the handsome proces- 
sion. 

The summer of 1868 was an exceedingly 
active one in the way of improvements. The 
President of the United States fixed, by proc- 
lamation, the township in Pottawattamie 
County in which the eastern terminus of the 
Union Pacific should be located, but the pre- 
cise point where the bridge should be located 
when the time should come to build it was a 
matter of more than ordinary interest. Two 
sites were examined, and the river sounded 
within the city, and another four miles south, 
at Child's Mill. Gen. Dodge, the Chief En- 
gineer of the road, eventually determined 
upon the one where the bridge now is, and 
the announcement of that selection was made 
to the people on the 2d day of April, and the 
occasion made one of demonstration and a 
manifestation of groat joy. An impromptu 
mass meeting was held in front of the Pacific 
House, and abundance of speech -making 
took place and cannon were fired in honor of 
the result. This was not obtained, however, 
without some important concessions. Johu 
T. Baldwin, Horace Everett and Mayor Tos- 
terin had been constituted a committee to visit 
New York and negotiate with the officers of 
the Union Pacific with reference to a dona- 



198 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



tion to the company. An agreement was 
made that $205,000 in the bonds of the city 
should be donated to the railroad company, 
provided they would locate the bridge at the 
point selected by Gen. Dodge, and also pro- 
vided they would erect suitable passenger 
and freight depots within the limits of Coun- 
cil Bluffs. Five thousand dollars of this 
amount of bonds was to be applied to the se- 
curing of the right of way over the lands of 
private persons in the city. AVhen the Union 
Pacific was subsequently completed, in 1869, 
and the bridge built over the river at a still 
later date, inducements of an extraordinary 
character were offered by the business men 
of Omaha, and the county of Douglas, in Ne- 
braska, to the company to locate their eastern 
terminal facilities in that city, and an im- 
mense union depot was erected there for the 
pui-pose of carrying out that design. The 
litigation which terminated favorably to 
Council Bluffs in that matter and settled the 
terminal question, belongs to a later period 
of these annals, and at its more appropriate 
place will receive the requisite attention. 

July, 1868, marked the completion of the 
Council Bluffs & St. Joseph Railroad. This 
gave Council Bluffs another outlet to the 
East, the new road connecting with the Han- 
nibal & St. Joseph Eailroad at St. Joseph, 
Mo. 

Gen. Grant, then the chief of the army, 
and candidate for President, accompanied by 
Gens. Sherman, Sheridan and Frank P. 
Blair, who had been on a visit to western 
military posts, crossed from the west side of 
the river, and were conveyed to the depot of 
the St. Joseph Railroad, on the 30th of July, 
to take the train south. An impromptu re- 
ception and a cordial welcome were given 
these distinguished officers by the people of 
the city, regardless of party feeling, which 
otherwise then ran exceedingly high. 



No year witnessed greater efforts to im- 
jirove the condition of the public schools than 
that of 1868, and to keep them. at a proper 
pace with the advance, advantages and growth 
of the city. Mr. Adam Armstrong, a gradu- 
ate of the Springfield. Ohio, College, was 
engaged as the first Superintendent of the 
city schools. He had selected this as his 
profession, and with the requisite experience 
already acquired in other fields, he proceeded 
to re organize the public sch lols of Council 
Bluffs on an enduring basis. The first step 
was in grading them. The high school was 
organized, and conducted first in the eastern 
part of the city, and then in the Washington 
Street building until the erection of the high 
school building on the bluff, on Glen avenue 
in the year following. Twelve teachers were 
employed for the jDublic schools in this year. 
The year closed with great prosperity in busi 
ness. Some of the most important buildiags 
erected during the fall were the brick build- 
ing now occupied by D. Maltby as a grocery 
store, and then owned by Cnpt. A. L. Deming ; 
and the three-story brick at the southwest 
corner of Broadway and Main streets, by Offi- 
cer & Pusey, for the Pacific National Bank, 
and an Odd Fellows' hall on the third floor. 
J. M. Phillips, Mrs. Knepper and John Kel- 
ler and John Bennett also erected handsome 
two-story business houses during the season, 
on the south side of Broadway, between Main 
street and Banerpft street. 

One of the first of a great series of law- 
suits, involving the liabilities of cities for 
injuries to passers on the sidewalks, was tried 
at the December term of the District Coiu't 
before Judge Day. George Schidele was 
the owner of the lot, and had let the contract 
for a two-story brick building, in 1867, and 
which now constitutes the second one from 
the west side of what is known as the Non- 
pareil Block. All west of that was then va- 



HISTORY OF POTTAAVATTAMIE COUXTY. 



199 



cant lot, and persons living on the north side 
of Indian Creek, going by Center or Sixth 
Street Bridge, took a path leading across 
this vacant tract as a sort of a cut-oflf. It 
was claimed that no proper guards or protec- 
tion were thrown around this excavation 
made for the Schidele building, and Henry 
Rowell, or " Hank " Rowell, as he was called, 
a man given to over indulgence in liquor, 
when on his way home, and while attempting 
to find his way across this vacant lot, fell in- 
to the open cellar at night and shattered his 
leg, and became a permanent cripple. He 
brought suit against the city for negligence 
and against John P. AVilliams, contractor, 
and Schidele, as the owner of the building, 
and in the trial of the cause, a verdict was 
obtained against the city for 88,000. Clin- 
ton & Sapp represented the claimant, and S. 
J. Hanna, as City Attorney, the city. The 
bonds of the municipal corporation were is- 
sued subsequently in payment of the judg- 
ment. The city never, in any way, under- 
took to recoup itself against the contractor, 
and the owner, whose own negligence was 
the primary cause of the injmy. 

The act of the Legislature of 186S, creat- 
ing Circuit Courts, to supplement the juris 
diction of the District Courts, and to increase 
the judicial facilities of the State, went into 
effect on the 1st day of January, 1869. 
Judge Douglass, who had been elected one of 
the Circuit Judges for this,, the Third Dis- 
trict, opened court for the first time on the 
8th day of February, and proceeded to re- 
organize the probate business of the county, 
it having, under the old system of adminis- 
tration, fallen into great confusion and un- 
certainty. 

Several incidents of a jaeculiar character 
occurred during this month out of the ordinary 
way. A noted courtezan by the name of 
" French Moll " kept a bagnio in the western 



part of the city, and had as one of her inmates 
an attractive looking woman by the name of 
" Indian Moll." It was no uncommon thing 
for miners and AVestern men, with money, 
when on their way East, to stop in Council 
Bluffs for a few days. Of the latter class 
was a young man of about twenty-five, by the 
name of Bernard. He was a tall, athletic 
specimen of his race, and, though clad in 
frontier garb, was exceedingly handsome in 
face and person. Ha fell into the toils of 
these two women, and having some $7,000 or 
18,000 in gold, was considered a proper and 
desirable victim for them. They plied him 
with wine until he had actually lost his wits, 
and when in this state they procured a car- 
riage, and aided by a notorious scamp by the 
name of Bill Strope, they went to a magis- 
trate with a marriage license, procured by 
Strope late in the evening, and the stranger 
and Indian Moll were married. Upon recov- 
ering himself the next morning, aad realizing 
his attitude, he contemplated his situation 
with intense disgust, and, brooding over the 
matter all that day, Saturday, he went to his 
room at the old hotel on Broadway, between 
the Revere House and Pearl street, locked 
himself in and took a dose of strychnine, and 
when discovered by the servants, by his agony 
and groans and contortions, he was too far 
gone for medical aid to be of service, and in 
that condition died. 

The other incident was of another charac- 
ter, and iUu.strates the methods to which a 
person addicted to forbidden stimulants will 
resort, in the extremity of their desires. 
Gen. Champ Vaughan, of Kansas, a bright 
newspaper man, a politician of some note 
and a soldier of a very fair record in the civil 
war, visited Council Bluffs. He was here 
only a short time, when his associates, among 
them the writer of these annals, discovered 
that he was the slave of chloroform, and 



200 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY 



seemed powerless to resist its use and abuse 
as an ordinary stimulant, as an intoxicant. 
To prevent this, they visited all the drug 
stores in the city, and forbade the sale or gift 
of it to him. This embargo made him des- 
perate, although he had no idea from what 
source the inhibition came. His wit'' were 
equal to the emergency. Going as a total 
stranger to Dr. Woodbury, the dentist, he 
complained of an excrutiating tooth ache, and 
desired to have the teeth extracted. The 
dentist could find none that indicated the 
seat of the torment, but Vaughan pointed 
them out, and insisted that they must be 
drawn. Dr. Woodbury complied, but the 
would-be patient would not submit to the 
operation until a liberal dose of chloroform 
was administered, and under that influence 
two teeth were taken out that were as sound 
and faultless as the moment they had reached 
maturity. That was simply the price paid 
by the victim of a pernicious habit for a mo- 
ment's indulgence. 

During this month, the city was shrouded 
in gloom by the death of one of its oldest 
and most highly regarded citizens. Col. J. 
D. Test. He made a visit to Chicago and 
died there on the 25th of February. His 
remains were brought home on the North- 
western train, on Sunday, and met at the 
def>ot by an immense concourse of citizens. 
The Odd Fellows and the tii-e department 
turned out to do them honor, when deposit- 
ed in their final resting-jjlace. His wife had 
preceded him a few yeai's before, and he left 
as sole surviver. Miss Carrie Test, a daughter, 
who having afterward become the wife of A. 
T. Elwell, of the United States Express Com- 
pany, also died after a very brief married life. 

At the city election on the first Monday in 
Ajjril, D. C. Bloomer was chosen Mayor, and 
F. A. Burke, City Recorder, Mr. Treynor 
declining to be a candidate, he havins; been 



appointed Postmaster by President Grant. 
John B. Lewis, J. B. Atkins, the druggist. 
John T. Oliver, L. L. Spooner, John Hunt- 
ingdon and L. Vi. Babbitt were also chosen 
Aldei'men at that election. A new code of 
ordinances was prepared, under the super- 
vision of L. W. Ross, but not published un- 
til 1870. 

Another important law suit was disposed 
of against the city, in the early part of this 
year. Mr. Collins was the bookkeeper in 
the wholesale grocery establishment on 
Broadway, near the junction of Bancroft 
with the former street. About dusk, his wife 
was coming down the south side of Broadway 
toward the store, and when within fifty feet 
of it fell and fractui-ed her thigh. The al- 
leged cause was the negligence of the city in 
not keeping that sidewalk free from ice, and 
the fact was that at the moment of the injury 
a slight snow was falling, which wholly con- 
cealed the dangerous condition of the side- 
walk. The unfortunate lady lay all winter 
at her home, on Vine street, and suffered un- 
told agony, and was also permanently injured 
and made a cripple by the accident. Suit 
was brought against the city, the case was 
taken to Mills County on a change of venue, 
and the case there tried, with a verdict against 
the city in the sum of $15,000. In an ap- 
peal to the Supreme Court, the judgment was 
afiirmed, on the condition that the claimant 
should submit to a reduction of the amount 
of the verdict to §13, 165, the original amount 
of damages being regarded by that court as 
excessive. These terms were accepted by 
Clinton, Hart & Brewer, who represented 
Mrs. Collins, and the. judgment \yas paid by 
public bonds voted, at a special election or- 
dered by the City Council for that pur- 
pose. 

W^ W. Maynard ceased to be Postmaster 
on the 9th of May, and being succeeded by 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



201 



Mr. Treynor, the office was removed from the 
one-story building just west of Atkin's drug 
store to the room beneath Bloom & Nixon's 
Opera House, where it has ever since re- 
mained. Among the famous literary people 
who visited Council Bluffs during this season 
were Bayard Taylor, John G. Sase, Albert 
D. Richardson, and Charles Carleton Coffin, 
of the Boston Journal. The latter was on 
his way home from a journalistic tour of the 
world, and came east from San Francisco 
overlaud. Bayard Taylor was here on a visil 
to his old schoolmate of Kennett Square, 
Pennsylvania, ex-Mayor Junius M. Palmer, 
and spent Sunday in the city. The German 
people had a temporary beer garden in the 
eastern part of the city, near Col. Babbitt's 
place, and in the afternoon the distinguished 
poet and traveler manifested his cosmopoli- 
tanism by joining in the dance and drinking 
beer according to the custom of the Father- 
laud. 

An important industry was set in motion 
in the early part of the season, one that has 
since grown to mammoth proportions. The 
new brick brewery of Conrad Geise, on the 
north side of Ujsper Broadway, was built the 
year before, and commenced business in the 
early part of 1869. It has expanded diu-ing 
the interval until its product, in 1881, was 
15.000 barrels of beer, and the malting es- 
tablishment turned out for sale and shipment 
70.000 bushels of malted barley. Mr Geise 
started business without any capital, except 
his intelligent energy and thorough knowl- 
edge of the business, and has in the interval 
pushed the enterprise to the foregoing vast 
results. 

The want of adequate hotel facilities began 
to press during the early part of this year. 
Mr. Palmer, J. L. Foreman and throe or four 
other prominent citizens, met two or three 
nights diu'ing Febniary, 1809. in the old 



storeroom of J. H. Warner, amid stacks of 
floar stored there, to concert measures for the 
building of a new hotel, at some point on 
Broadway east of the city building and west 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was 
finally agreed that the property owners in 
that vicinity should raise $10,000 as a dona- 
tion to any parties who should undertake to 
build a large hotel of the requisite capacity. 
The money was raised, and the site of the 
present Ogden House selected, and a contract 
entered into with A\'illiam Garner, Charles 
Baughan and John Hammer, by which they 
obligated themselves to erect a hotel, cover- 
ing exactly the space of the present building, 
three stories in height, with an additional 
mansard story. As soon as spring opened, 
work on the new enterprise began, and was 
as rapidly pushed forward as the season 
would permit. Great quantities of rain fell 
I during the summer, and the laying of the 
I corner-stone was delayed until the 12th of 
May. This was made a gala day by the peo- 
ple. For months, the Chicago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Railroad Company, having the 
franchise and the right of way of the old M. 
& M. Company, were pushing their road down 
the Mosquito Valley, to make the third Iowa 
road entering the city of Council Bluffs. All 
the civic societies, the tire department and a 
ereat concourse of citizens turned out to wel- 

o 

come the arrival of the first train over the 
Rock Island road. A terrific rain storm came 
on as the dense crowd, on the bottom east of 
the St. Joe depot, awaited the arrival of the 
train ; but the torrents caused no abatement 
of the enthusiastic welcome which greeted 
the decorated engine as it came whirling in- 
to sight through the gorge where the Mos- 
quito finds its way to the Missouri River. 
When the enthusiastic congratulations were 
concluded at the temporary depot of the Rock 
Island, the procession came back to the site of 



■2m 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



the Ogden House, and there Mayor Bloomer, 
as master of ceremonies, lowered the immense 
corner-stone to its place, after depositing 
coin and the usual relies, and accompanied 
by an appropriate address. The day closed 
with a ball at the Pacific House, and the elite 
of the city and a host of railway officials and 
visitors made the most of it. 

The Council Bluffs Post, a German paper, 
was started in the same month by S. Mader, 
a competent newspaper man, and the publi- 
cation of the same continued by him for a 
coujale of years, when he removed to Omaha. 
During the same summer, Julius Silversmith 
came to this side from Omaha and started a 
Democratic evening paper, called the Times, 
the office being located in one of the one- 
story wooden buildings now occupied by the 
Everett Block, on Pearl street. One of his 
employes during this period, as city editor, 
was A. C. Buell, afterward famous as the al- 
leged libeler of Senator Zacli Chandler, of 
Michigan, editor of the AVashington Capital, 
and involved in some way as a newspaper 
Dian in connection with the Star Route trials 
of 1882. Buell had also been a soldier dur- 
ing the civil war. having served in the Army 
of the Potomac, in Battery D, of the Fourth 
United States Artillery. Silversmith after- 
ward sold the paper to B. F. Montgomery, 
by whom it was published until the close of 
the memorable Grant-Greeley campaign of 
1872, Mr. Montgomery, though an ardent 
Democrat, having attended the Baltimore 
Convention, and having urged the endorse- 
ment of Greeley by that body. 

During this summer, the Center Street 
Schoolhouse was built, opposite the present 
C. , B. & Q. depot, and the Washington Avenue 
School building was enlarged, at a cost of over 
$5,000. On the 13th of May, Council Bluffs 
Lodge, No. 49, of the Odd Fellows, occupied 
their new hall in the third story of the new 



building at the corner of Broadway and Main 
street. On the 1st of -Tuly, a public instal- 
lation of its officers took place at Bloom's 
Opera House, the exercises being conducted 
by Grand Master William Sharp, of Ottum- 
wa. Humboldt Lodge, No. 174, was organ- 
ized by the Germans in October, 1869, and 
Hawkeye Lodge, No. 184, a lodge in English, 
was instituted. Twin Brother Encampment 
was chartered October 20, and duly instituted. 
John Beresheim was elected a member of 
the Legislature at the fall election of 1809, 
his Democratic competitor being Robert Per- 
cival. John W. Chairman, the present editor 
of the Nonpareil, was elected County Treas- 
urer for the first term. He had, up to that 
date, held the position of Assistant Assessor 
of Internal Revenue, having succeeded F. A. 
Bui'ke in that office. On the 28th of October, 
a disastrous fire occm'red, which swept the 
south side of Broadway, from the Demiug 
Building, near Bancroft street, to Atkins' 
drug store. During the same month, the east 
side of North Main street was devastated, the 

' fire carrying away a number of buildings, 
among them the residence of Dr. Osborn. 
The three-story west end of the Pacific House 
was finished this season, and Dr. Bragg and 
the Ballantyne brothers took charge of the 
house, as lessees of ]\Ir. Bayliss, the owner. 
Gen. Dodge and John Beresheim, during 
that summer, began the erection of their tine 

I residences. A beginning was made, in the 
fall of 1868, upon the Deaf and Dumb Insti- 
tute, but no great amount of work was done 

I until 1869, when the contractor, William R. 
Craig, of Nebraska City, advanced the 
building with considerable rapidity, the east 
wing and the center building being the first 
completed. William AVard, of Council 
Bluffs, was the directing architect. The plans 
were altered so as to involve a gi-eater ex- 
penditm-e than was permitted by the appro- 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



203 



priation, and, when the contractor came to 
obtain his pay for this outlay, he was con- 
fronted with the objection that the changes 
were imauthorized by law. He was subjected 
to expensive law-suits on the part of material 
men. and absolutely financially ruined by the 
enterprise. He danced attendance in the 
courts and at the various Legislatures for 
years, in the hope of obtaining redress. Suits 
were brought against the Trus'ees as individ- 
uals, to make them personally liable, but de- 
cided adversely to the claimant and the ma- 
terial men behind him; and at last the Leg- 
islature, in its session of 1878, made some 
amends for the delay, by an appropriation, 
that the creditors, whose claims, with accu- 
mulated interest, absorbed it all, leaving the 
contractor, Craig, nothing except the satis- 
faction of being released from the pressure of 
this debt. The ninety-six acres of land on 
which the building stands, about two miles 
from Broadway, were purchased in 18(37, by 
the citizens, and donated to the State as an 
inducement to locate the institution at this 
point. 

The street railway was licensed in the early 
part of 1869, and, during the summer, it was 
constructed, the work being finished in De- 
cember. The track was constructed down 
Broadway, at the foot of which, at the river, 
was a ferry lauding, and this continued to be 
the western terminus of the track until the 
railroad bridge over the Missouri was fin- 
ished, when the track was shifted over to the 
present transfer grounds at the Union Pacific 
Depot. Masonry was in a lioiu'ishing condi- 
tion here at this time. Excelsior Lodge was 
constituted in the winter of 1868-69, and Star 
Chapter about the same time. In December, 
1869. Ivanhoe Commandery of Knights Tem- 
plar was organized. The great social event 
of the winter was the ojjeuing of the Ogden 
House. The building was finished, and 



was the handsomest and most complete hotel 
between San Francisco and Chicago. The 
ownei's of the bi:ilding, out of compliment to 
the late William B. Ogden, of Chicago, whose 
energies had contributed to such a great ex- 
tent in the development of this section of the 
country through the completion of the North- 
western Railway, called their hotel the Og- 
den House. A. J. Cutting, of Ohio, and 
William Porterfield, who was about to retire 
from the County Treasurer's office, became 
the lessees of- the new hostelry, and furnished 
it in the most elegant manner, and, on the 
22d of December, threw open its doors to one ' 
of the most brilliant assemblies that ever met 
under any roof on either side of the Missouri 
River. Guests were present from far and 
wide, and a banquet, the like of which had 
never been seen in Western Iowa, was given 
in honor of the occasion. Among those who 
paid tribute in eloquent speeches on the occa- 
sion were Judge Newman, of Burlington, and 
Dr. George L. Miller, of the Omaha Herald. 
It was an event of which all classes of citi- 
zens were proud. 

On the 4th of December, 1869, the fourth 
railroad was added to those already here, it 
being the Burlington & Missouri River, which, 
taking a route almost directly across the 
State, made a junction with the Council 
Bluffs & St. Joseph Railroad sixteen miles 
south of the city, ran its cars here on the 
track of the latter road, and so jointly used 
that facility until the B. & M. was consoli- 
dated, leased, and, in a sense, absorbed, by 
the Chicago, Burlington & Qiiincy, and then 
afterward the same means of getting into the 
city were used, to the present time. 

On the 5th of March, 1870, the Pottawatta- 
mie County Agricultural Society was organ- 
ized, with Thomas J. Evans as President. 
Forty acres of land were leased from Col. 
Cochran, about half a mile west of the North- 



204 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Western depot, and on the south side of Broad- 
way, for fair grounds. One of the most suc- 
cessful agricultural exhibitions was held that 
fall ever held in the West. The weather 
was admirable. For a year and more, Capt. 
A. L. Deming, President of the First National 
Bank, was suffering from Bright's disease of 
the kidneys. He spent a portion of the win- 
ter in Philadelphia, in the hope of a cure, 
but, coming home, he expired on the 28th of 
March, and his remams were borne to Fair- 
view Cemetery by the most extensive cortege 
that ever followed the remains of a citizen of 
Council Bluffs. He was universally esteemed, 
and his loss to the bxisiness community uni- 
versally deplored. M. L. Deming, his 
brother, was made President by the stock- 
holders of the bank, and S. Farnsworth, who 
has ever since been Cashier, having acquired 
an interest in the bank in the winter of 1868, 
continued in that official relation to the insti- 
tution and the public. The bank was then 
located at the southeast corner of Broadway 
and Main streets, having shortly before that 
been removed from the small two- story build- 
ing of L. Zeuhmiiellen, west of the J. M. 
Phillips building. 

This summer, the high school building, on 
the hill overlooking the western part of the 
city, was authorized and commenced. The 
six acres of ground upon which it stands had 
been secured for school purposes many years 
before. Many persons were dissatisfied, as 
they still are, with it for the location of a 
high school, and the decision of its location 
at that point would have been otherwise, but 
the school election day, whon the question 
was submitted in March, was an exceedingly 
stormy one, snow falling all day, and only a 
few electors attended the polls. As it was, 
the proposition only carried by five or six 
votes, and, during the summer, the building 
was erected, at a cost of §45,0U0. 



The Council passed an ordinance, on the 
30th of March, 1870, authorizing the Coun- 
cil Bluflfs Gas Light Company to lay down 
pipes in the street for the purpose of lighting 
business places, the streets and dwellings, at 
a maximum rate of $4.50 per 1,000 cubic feet. 
About that date, the Nonpareil narrowly es- 
caped destruction by fire again. The brick 
building occuiiied by it stood inward from 
Broadway about fifteen feet. In front and at 
the inner edge of the sidewalk stood two small 
one-story buildings used as shops of small 
tradesmen, each one flanking the approach to 
the Nonpareil office. The paper was in type 
for the morning edition, and the forms nearly 
made up, ready to go on the press. John H. 
Keatley, the sole editor of the paper at that 
date, and the compositors, had gone home, 
when, about 3 o'clock in the morning, when 
the mercury was ten degrees below zero, and 
a hea\'y wind blowing, a fire broke out in one 
of the small buildings in front of the print- 
ing office. The alarm was at once given, but 
the water froze in the hose, and, only for the 
timely assistance given by the Phcenix Hook 
and Ladder Company, the whole side of 
Broadway would have been swept away. The 
windows were all taken out of the printing 
office, all the type, forms and material re - 
moved, and t^tacked up in the rear, out of 
reach of danger, and nothing was left in the 
building except the heavy and immovable 
press, which was allowed to take its chances. 
As soon as the danger was passed, enough 
of type was collected with the aid of a lan- 
tern, an account of the fire was written, with 
the window closed by an old blanket held to 
its place by Ben Allen, the veteran printer of 
Council Bluffij, the same put into type, and, 
without an hour's delay, the paper appeared 
to its patrons on the street, the same as if no 
calamity had threatened the office. 

The original. license granted to the Nebras- 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



203 



ka Ferry Company, mention of which was 
made at the commencement of these annals, 
was about to expire. A desperate fight oc- 
ciuTed in the City Council over the question 
of a removal. The opposition was a bitter 
one, as against the alleged monopoly of the 
transfer business, but, after an acrimonioiis 
conflict, the license was granted for three 
years, upon the annual payment of a fee of 
$1,000 into the city treasury. The Union 
Pacific bridge was completed before the ex- 
piration of the new term, and the value of 
the ferry fanchise was greatly impaired. In 
fact, as soon as the end of the three years 
came, the ferry business by boat was wholly 
abandoned, and the steamers employed in 
that traiBc sent away, the business being ab- 
sorbed by the car ferriage of the Union Pa- 
cific. 

After one of the most bitter tights on so 
unimportant an office as that of Mayor, J. M. 
Palmer was again elected in the spring of 
1870, his competitor being Mayor Bloomer, 
the Piepublican candidate, Palmer being an 
independent. The railroad bridge over the 
Missouri River was virtually commenced in 
the spring of 1870. Gen. William Sooy 
Smith, who had been an officer in the West- 
ei'n Army during the civil war, had underta- 
ken some preliminary work in the sinking of 
the caissons in 1869, but the work was sus- 
pended until resumed again under T. E. 
Sickles, General Superintendent of the Union 
Pacific, and a railway civil engineer of more 
than ordinary ability. The plans under which 
the work went forward were those devised by 
Gen. Dodge, before his resignation as Chief 
Engineer of the load. 

A calamity of a peculiar kind visited the 
Congregational society of Council Bluffs dur- 
ing the latter part of .Ipril. Their new and 
handsome chm-ch edifice on Center street was 
inclosed, and ready for inside furnishing. 



A hurricane visited this region about 11 
o'clock at night, and blew terrifically but no 
material damage was done in the city to any 
other building except to this chm'ch, which 
was literally blown to atoms and totally de- 
molished. It was afterward rebuilt, but not 
a stick of timber or a board belonging to the 
former building could again be used. 

In May, while Congress was in session, a 
bill passed the House of Representatives 
providing for the charter of a company to 
build a railroad bridge to take the place of 
the one begun by the Union Pacific Railroad 
Company. As soon as this intelligence was 
received, the fieople of Council Bluffs took 
the alarm, and saw in the project an effort to 
make the actual eastern terminus of the Union 
Pacific in Omaha, the provision, of course 
being that the bridge should be operated in- 
dependently of the railroad. They regarded 
it as a scheme to cut off so much from the 
eastern end of the railroad. Thus taking 
the alarm, handbills were issued, and an im- 
mense mass meeting was called at the south 
west corner of Pearl street and Broadway, on 
the afternoon of the 24th of June, 1870. 
Denunciatory speeches were made by Col. 
Sapp, Judge Larimer and others. Judge 
Baldwin and Gen. Dodge defended the proj- 
ect, and explained it, but the explanation 
failed to satisfy the people, and strong reso- 
lutions were passed condemning it, and Col. 
Sapp authorized to convey the same to Wash- 
ington, to endeavor to arrest the measiire in 
its passage through the Senate. Senator Har- 
lan caused the bill to be amended, providing 
that the bridge corporation might borrow 
money on the structm-e, issuing its bonds 
therefor, and providing that the mortgages on 
the main line of the road should not attach 
to the bridge property, allowing it to collect 
tolls to pay operating expenses, and creating 
a sinking fund to discharge indebtedness, 



206 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



but providing that, notwithstanding all these 
concessions and advantages, the Union Pa- 
cific should still operate its road, in conjunc- 
tion with the bridge, as one continuous line. 
This latter clause was satisfactory to the peo- 
ple of Council Bluffs, on their theory that 
President Lincoln had located the eastern 
terminus of the road in Council Bluffs. 

The brick residence of John W. Eoss, on 
the point of the bluff just north of the Wash- 
ington Avenue School building, then consid- 
ered the finest residence in Council Bluffs, 
was accidentally destroyed by tire on the 7th 
day of May. 

June 3, the Congressional Convention of 
the Republican party was held here. The 
candidates were F. W. Palmer and John A. 
Kasson, both of Des Moines. The prelimi- 
nary conflict was a most bitter one. Twenty- 
three counties were represented. Palmer was 
the member from the district, and on the 
fijst ballot he was renominated, in a vote of 
sixty to twenty. 

Charles Austin and James M. Bell, both 
printers in the DaUy Times office, had a 
quarrel on the afternoon of the 20th of June. 
Bell was sober, but Austin was quite drunk. 
Just about sundown, they renewed the quar- 
rel. Between the two occasions. Bell had 
stated to comrades that if .Austin interfered 
with him again he would kill him. Austin 
was near the sidewalk in front of the Times 
ofiSce on Pearl street when the second alter- 
cation began. Bell drew his revolver, and 
Austin began to retreat, when Bell fired, the 
ball striking Austin in the forehead and pen- 
etrating the brain. He was soon in the 
hands of surgeons, and Bell was placed in 
jail. The ball lodged in the brain, yet the 
wounded man lived five days, and at last suc- 
cumbed. Bell was tried for murder at the 
July term of the District Court, the State 
being represented by District Attorney Mil- 



liard and Keatley & Hench, and the defend- 
ant by B. F. Montgomery, A. V. Larimer and 
J. E. Eeed. The trial occupied a week, the 
time being mostly taken up with the exami- 
nation of medical experts; and, the jury hav- 
ing found a verdict of manslaughter, the de- 
fendant was sentenced to the penitentiary 
for eight years. He was pardoned by the 
Governor at the end of two years. 

The Second Methodist Chiu'ch was organ- 
ized in December, and a chapel built on 
Eighth street. The society flourished for a 
couple of years, and then the chapel was 
abandoned, and the building eventually sold, 
removed and transformed into a dwelling 
house in the southwestern part of the city. 

The first Unitarian society was also organ- 
ized this year, and a brick building pur- 
chased for a chapel, on the west side of North 
Main street, near the bridge. The society 
maintained its existence and organization for 
about five years, the Eev. Mr. Fitzgerald be- 
ing its first pastor. It at last went to pieces, 
and the building was sold, and is now the 
Kelley Marble AVorks. 

In August, the Iowa editorial excursion 
visited Council Bluffs and spent the day here, 
the guests of the people, and a dinner given 
them at the Pacific House. Hon. J. M. Pal- 
mer welcomed them in appropriate terms, and 
John P. Irish, of the Iowa City Press, re- 
sponded eloquently on behalf of the mem- 
bers of the editorial convention. The census 
of the city, as taken under the auspices of the 
United States, showed 10,020 inhabitants. 

All the railroad lines between Kansas City 
and Council Blufis were that year consolidat- 
ed under one corporation, thereafter known 
as the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council 
Bluffs Railroad Company. George L. Brad- 
buiy, now the General Manager of the Peoria 
& Evan.svillo Eailroad, had charge of the in- 
terests of the new corporation at this end of 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



309 



the line. The first steps were also taken to 
build what is now known as the Wabash line 
to St. Louis. This was in the incorporation 
of the St. Louis, Council Bluffs & Omaha 
Railroad Company. The object was the con- 
struction of a short line from St. Louis by 
the way of Brunswick and Chillicothe, Mo., 
so as to enter this county diagonally. Gen. 
J. H. Hammond was the most active promot- 
er of this enterprise, and visited Council 
Bluffs several times to secm-e co-operation. 
When the panic of 1873 came, the line was 
in operation to Chillicothe. and there rested 
until 1S70. In the latter year, the spirit of 
railway building revived all over the couutry. 
A new corporation was formed, called the St. 
Louis & Council Bluffs Railroad Company, 
under the auspices of Jay Grould and the 
Union Pacili& The counties in Iowa through 
which the line passed voted aid by taxation 
liberally, and in 1878 the road was in opera- 
tion to this city. As soon as the track was 
considered fit for general traffic, the consoli- 
dation of the Wabash lines took place, and 
the road ever since has been operated under 
that management. 

The Congressional District was so over- 
whelmingly Republican at this date that the 
nomination of a candidate on the part of the 
Democrats was only a matter of form. A 
few of the latter in a small mass convention 
nominated B. F. Montgomery, of Council 
Bluffs, who stumped the district in opposition 
to F. W. Palmer. The result was the usual 
one. 

The building of the bridge over the river 
attracted more attention than any other enter- 
prise at that moment. To ordinary persons, 
the idea of thus spanning so treacherous a 
stream ns the Missouri River was almost re- 
garded as absurd. To the engineers in 
charge, it had passed out of the domaiu of 
mere experiment. The process will always 



be interesting. Adequate soundings had de- 
termined that solid rock lay beneath seventy- 
five feet of mud and water. To reach this, 
and to lay a solid foundation for the super- 
structure of the bridge, immense hollow iron 
cylinders, eight feet in diameter, and twelve 
feet in height, were placed upright, projier- 
ly capped with an air tight iron covering, 
the air exhausted, and the cylinders forced to 
their places through the soft earth by tbe 
natural atmospheric pressure. When two 
cylinders were thus set side by side and some 
distance apart to form the basis of one of the 
eleven piers constituting the foundation of 
the bridge, a second cylinder was placed so 
that when the exhausting process went on 
the latter would go to its place on top of the 
second, and so on until the requisite height 
was reached to place the bridge itself above 
high water mark. lu that way the hollow 
pillars were set in pairs, and then filled in 
with concrete masonry, consisting of brok- 
en rock solidfied with water lime, forming an 
endurable basis for the immense structure de- 
pendent upon it. The pairs of pillars were 
united with massive iron bracing and stanch- 
ions. The piers bear an enormous weight 
of wrought and cast iron in the shape of a 
truss superstructure constituting the bridge 
proper. No wood is used except for the ties 
upon which the railroad track is laid. The 
structure hangs in air seventy feet above the 
water. The character of the shore on the 
Council Bluffs side required a long and high 
grade as an approach. This was built by 
laying a narrow guage railroad from the 
point of entrance to the bridge to the bluffs 
in the southern part of the city, and night 
and day for over a year trains were engaged in 
conveying earth for this " dump," excavated 
with steam shovels. The entire structure was 
regarded as of sufficient endurance to resist 
both the action of wind, water and ice, yet 



206 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



but providing that, notwithstanding all these 
concessions and advantages, the Union Pa- 
cific should still operate its road, in conjunc- 
tion with the bridge, as one continuous line. 
This latter clause was satisfactory to the peo- 
ple of Council Bluffs, on their theory that 
President Lincoln had located the eastern 
terminus of the road in Council Bluffs. 

The brick residence of John W. Ross, on 
the point of the bluff just north of the Wash- 
ington Avenue School building, then consid- 
ered the finest residence in Council Bluffs, 
was accidentally destroyed by tii'e on the 7th 
day of May. 

June 3, the Congi'essional Convention of 
the Republican party was held here. The 
candidates were F. W. Palmer and John A. 
Kasson, both of Des Moines. The prelimi- 
nary eontiict was a most bitter one. Twenty- 
three counties were represented. Palmer was 
the member from the district, and on the 
first ballot he was renominated, in a vote of 
sixty to twenty. 

Charles Austin and James M. Bell, both 
printers in the Dailij Times oflSce, had a 
quarrel on the afternoon of the 20th of June. 
Bell was sober, but Austin was quite drunk. 
Just about sundown, they renewed the quar- 
rel. Between the two occasions. Bell had 
stated to comrades that if -A-ustin interfered 
with him again he would kill him. Austin 
was near the sidewalk in front of the Times 
office on Pearl street when the second alter- 
cation began. Bell drew his revolver, and 
Austin began to retreat, when Bell fired, the 
ball striking Austin in the forehead and pen- 
etrating the brain. He was soon in the 
hands of sargeons, and Bell was placed in 
jail. The ball lodged in the brain, yet the 
wounded man lived five days, and at last suc- 
cumbed. Bell was tried for murder at the 
July term of the District Court, the State 
being represented by District Attorney Mil- 



liard and Keatley & Hench, and the defend- 
ant by B. F. Montgomeiy, A. V. Larimer and 
J. R. Reed. The trial occupied a week, the 
time being mostly taken up with the exami- 
nation of medical experts; and, the jury hav- 
ing found a verdict of manslaughter, the de- 
fendant was sentenced to the penitentiary 
for eight years. He was pardoned by the 
Governor at the end of two years. 

The Second Methodist Church was organ- 
ized in December, and a chapel built on 
Eighth street. The society flourished for a 
couple of years, and then the chapel was 
abandoned, and the building eventually sold, 
removed and transformed into a dwelling 
house in the southwestern part of the city. 

The first LTnitarian society was also organ- 
ized this yeai", and a brick building pur- 
chased for a chapel, on the west side of North 
Main street, near the bridge. The society 
maintained its existence and organization for 
about five years, the Rev. Mr. Fitzgerald be- 
ing its first pastor. It at last went to pieces, 
and the building was sold, and is now the 
Kelley Marble Works. 

In August, the Iowa editorial excui'sion 
visited Council Bluffs and spent the day here, 
the guests of the people, and a dinner given 
them at the Pacific House. Hon. J. M. Pal- 
mer welcomed them in appropriate terms, and 
John P. Irish, of the Iowa City Press, re- 
sponded eloquently on behalf of the mem- 
bers of the editorial convention. The census 
of the city, as taken under the auspices of the 
United States, showed 10,020 inhabitants. 

All the railroad lines between Kansas City 
and Council Blafi'swero that year consolidat- 
ed under one corporation, thei'eaf ter known 
as the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council 
Bluffs Railroad Company. George L. Brad- 
bury, now the General Manager of the Peoria 
& Evansville Railroad, had charge of the in- 
terests of the new corjaoration at this end of 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



the line. The first steps were also taken to 
build what is now known as the Wabash line 
to St. Louis. This was in the incorporation 
of the St. Louis, Council Bluffs & Omaha 
Railroad Company. The object was the con- 
struction of a short lino from St. Louis by 
the way of Brunswick and Chillicothe, Mo., 
so as to enter this county diagonally. Gen. 
J. H. Hammond was the most active promot- 
er of this enterprise, and visited Council 
Blufl's several times to secure co-operation. 
When the panic of 1873 came, the line was 
in operation to Chillicothe. and there rested 
until 1S76. In the latter year, the spirit of 
railway building revived all over the country. 
A new corporation was formed, called the St. 
Louis & Council Bluffs Railroad Company, 
under the auspices of Jay (iould and the 
Union Pacilic. The counties in Iowa through 
which the line passed voted aid by taxation 
liberally, and in 1878 the road was in opera- 
tion to this city. As soon as the track was 
considered fit for general traffic, the consoli- 
dation of the Wabash lines took place, and 
the road ever since has been operated under 
that management. 

The Congressional District was so over- 
whelmingly Republican at this date that the 
nomination of a candidate on the part of the 
Democrats was only a matter of form. A 
few of the latter in a small mass convention 
nominated B. F. Montgomery, of Council 
Bluffs, who stumped the district in opposition 
to F. W. Palmer. The result was the usual 
one. 

The building of the bridge over the river 
attracted more attention than any other enter- 
prise at that moment. To ordinary persons, 
the idea of thus spanning so treacherous a 
stream as the Missouri River was almost re- 
garded as absurd. To the engineers in 
charge, it had passed out of the domain of 
mere o-tiwrimeut. The process will always 



be interesting. Adequate soundings had de- 
termined that solid rock lay beneath seventy- 
five feet of mud and water. To reach this, 
and to lay a solid foundation for the super- 
structure of the bridge, immense hollow iron 
cylinders, eight feet in diameter, and twelve 
feet in height, were placed upright, proper- 
ly capped with an air tight iron covering, 
the air exhausted, and the cylinders forced to 
their places through the soft earth by tbe 
natural atmospheric prossiu'e. When two 
cylinders were thus set side by side and some 
distance apart to form the basis of one of the 
eleven piers constituting the foundation of 
the bridge, a second cylinder was placed so 
that when the exhausting process went on 
the latter would go to its place on top of the 
second, and so on until the requisite height 
was reached to place the bridge itself above 
high water mark. In that way the hollow 
pillars were set in pairs, and then filled in 
with concrete masonry, consisting of brok- 
en rock solidfied with water lime, forming an 
endurable basis for the immense structure de- 
pendent upon it. The pairs of pillars were 
united with massive iron bracing and stanch- 
ions. The piers bear an enormous weight 
of wrought and cast iron in the shape of a 
truss superstructure constituting the bridge 
proper. No wood is used except for the ties 
upon which the railroad trafik is laid. The 
structure hangs in air seventy feet above the 
water. The character of the shore on the 
Council Bluffs side required a long and high 
grade as an approach. This was built by 
laying a narrow guage railroad from the 
point of entrance to the bridge to the bluffs 
in the southern part of the city, and night 
and day for over a year trains were engaged in 
conveying earth tor this '' dump," excavated 
with steam shovels. The entire structure was 
regarded as of sufficient endurance to resist 
both the action of wind, water and ice. yet 



210 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



on the 28tli day of August, 1877, a singular 
fatality visited the two spans on the Council 
Bluflfs side of the river. A terrific rain 
storm set in in the night time; but elsewhere 
than at the bridge, the wind accompanying 
rain, was of only an ordinary character, but 
in its whirl in some way the two spans were 
wrested from their foundations and hurled 
into the river. Traffic was suspended for 
about a month, until a temporary wooden 
structure replaced these spans, and the wooden 
spans eventually yielded to iron again. In 
the meantime, the transfer of the immense 
traffic of the Union Pacific took place at 
Plattsmouth by the way of the Chicago, Bur- 
lington & Quincy route and the Burlington 
& Missouri of Nebraska. 

The Odd Fellows Grand Lodge of Iowa 
was held at Council Bluffs that year, the ses- 
sion commencing October 26, and extending 
over two days. On the evening of the second 
day, the fraternity gave their visiting breth- 
ren a grand banquet. The Odd Fellows Pro- 
tective Association of Council Blnffs was or- 
ganized the same year, with F. A. Burke as 
President. This was intended as a mutual 
benefit or life insurance association to the 
extent of SI, 000, to be paid at the death of 
the member to the party named in the bene- 
fit It has flourished ever since. The mem- 
pership is limited to 1.000, and assessments 
are made of |1 10 upon each member when 
a death oecurrs to make the necessary pay- 
ment. The funds are always in the treasury 
to pay the nest loss, but the assessment is 
made, notwithstanding, to replace the funds 
so appropriated. None but Odd Fellows in 
good standing are eligible. Experience has 
demonstrated that it is one of the noblest and 
most efficient charities ever organized. The 
institute for the deaf and dumb had so far 
progi-eseed that it was ready for the recep- 
tion of pupils at the fall term, and the 



] school was removed from Iowa City, in ac- 
cordance with the intention of the Legisla- 

I ture. The wholesale gi-ocery store of E. P. 
Snow, on Broadway near Bancroft street, was 
discovered on fire on the morning of Novem- 
ber 8. The fire was extinguished before the 
building was destroyed, but the latter was 
seriously damaged, and many of the goods 
entirely destroyed or rendered worthless. The 
effect of the fii'e was to cripple Mr. Snow's 
business energies, and to impair his capital to 
such an extent as to disable him from con- 
ducting one of the most important business 
enterprises of the city. The High School 
Building was comjaleted so that it could be 
used by the 18 th of November, and on that 
day it was formally dedicated by being occu- 
pied, and by appropriate ceremonies, in which 
Gov. Merrill and State Superintendent Kis- 
sell took part, and made addresses. 

This year, the Council Bluffs Agi-icultural 
Works went into Of)eration, their establish 
ment being a set of wooden buildings located 
on the east side of North Main street, south 
of the bridge, and adjoining it. The business 
of manufactiu'ing plows and cultivators was 
carried on at this point with eminent success 
for several years. In a year or two after the 
establishment of this corporation, what was 
known as the Power Company, an incorporated 
association, began the erection of a large brick 
building in the vicinity of the Rock Island 
freight depot, designed to furnish steam 
power to individuals engaged in manufact- 
ures. When the building was completed, it 
became the property of the Agricultural 
Works, and their establishment, buildings 
and business were transferred to that point. 
They were well under way, and had a career 
of prosperity before them, when on Thanks- 
giving night, 1877, the brick factory took 
fire, and was totally destroyed, except the 
bare walls, and these have remained gaping 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



211 



ruins ever since. No serious effort has ever 
been made to revive the industry. 

An interesting farmers' institute was held 
in the court house in Council Bluffs during 
the first week in January, 1871. The fai-m- 
ers of the county seemed to be spui'red up to 
an unwonted interest in their necessary in- 
dustry, and the movement thus begun cul- 
minated eventually in the Grange organiza- 
tions all over the country. Prof. Welsh, of 
the State Agricultural College at Ames, took 
an active part in the proceedings of the insti- 
tute, and its work that session left a healthy 
influence upon the farmers who were present. 
That winter, however, was characterized by 
a serious depression in the wheat markets at 
this point. It was quoted and sold at 55 
cents per bushel, corn realizing 25 cents. 

Congress having authorized the holding of 
two terms of the United States District Court 
each year at Council Bluffs, the first term was 
opened by Judge James M. Love, the United 
States Judge for the district of Iowa, on the 
I8th of January. Col. W. F. Sapp was Unit- 
ed States District Attorney, and Gen. George 
W. Clark, of Des Moines, United States Mar- 
shal. The court was opened in the court 
house owned by the county, leased for that 
purpose, and has been held in that building 
ever since. Jiu-isdietion has been added to 
the United States District Court thereby giv- 
ing it power to try civil causes the same as 
the United States Circuit Court, and the great 
bulk of its business is civil causes either 
originally brought in that court or transferred 
from the State Courts. The Foreman of the 
first United States District Court grand jury 
ever held in Council Bluffs was Thomas Offi- 
cer, the senior member of the banking house 
of Officer & Pusey. 

The Northivesiern Odd Fellow, a monthly 
journal or periodical devoted to the interests 
of that order, was begun in February. 1871, 



by W. R. Vaughan, with D. C. Bloomer as 
editor. It continued to appear for a year and 
more, and was then discontinued. Gen. • 
Hammond, in the interests of the St. Loiiis 
& Chillioothe Railroad, made his appearance 
here about the same time, and met the moat 
prominent business men of the city in con- 
sultation, with reference to inducements to 
be given him in behalf of the railroad com- 
pany to establish its machine shops at this 
point. Nothing ever came of the negotiation, 
for before the project could be matured and 
definitely fixed, the franchise of the railroad 
company passed into other hands, and what- 
ever opportunity was involved was lost. It is 
a serious question now whether it was ever 
possible for Council Bluffs to secure those 
improvements. 

The great Jefferies lottery will not soon be 
forgotten. Through that Council Bluffs got 
the benefit of more advertising everywhere 
than it ever received before. Mr. Jefferies 
during a long residence in the city had ac 
cumulated considerable real estate, among it 
a handsome new residence. To dispose of it, 
he organized a vast lottery scheme, and tickets 
were sold in almost evei'y city and town in 
the United States. A grand musical festival 
constituted part of the scheme, and the 22d 
of February, 1871, was fixed upon as the day 
of the drawing and the concert. All the 
halls in the city were devoted to the concert, 
but the drawing did not take place for several 
weeks later. The whole number of tickets 
sold was 20,000, at $1 each. The drawing 
was conducted fairly, and no complaint was 
heard in that respect. The event was one, 
however, of intense excitement, and the city 
was filled with strangers interested, in the 
drawing. The receipts of taxes for school 
purposes up to the close of the fiscal year in 
March were $70,360.31, and the expenditures 
for the year previous, §05,707.14, of which 



312 



HISTOEY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY 



$41,610.62 was devoted to the erection of the 
high school building. 

Council Bluffs, since the destruction of the 
Young Men's Library by tire, as stated al- 
ready, felt the want of such an institution. 
The Odd Fellows of the city had created a 
library, but this was not accessible to the 
general public, D. C. Bloomer, A. W. Street, 
Horace Everett and other enterprising citizens 
includiag many ladies, undertook the organ- 
ization of the Public Library Association. 
Horace Everett made a liberal donation of 
books, which formed the nucleus of the col- 
lection, and this, gradually expanded, often 
under the most serious difficulties, until it 
merged into the Free Public Library sustained 
at public expense, in April, 1882. D. C. 
Bloomer was again elected Mayor, and F. A. 
Bui'ke, City Recorder. W. H. M. Pusey 
was chosen one of the Aldermen from the 
Fourth Ward, on the direct issue of reform- 
ing the finances of the city, and elevating 
the standard of its credit. The Council was 
fully in harmony with this desire, and that 
body set earnestly to work to raise the value 
of city warrants and thus ecomonize the pub- 
lic expenditures. There were outstanding a 
large amount of city warrants, for the payment 
of which there was no cash in the treasury 
and none in prospect. Some of the earlier 
issues of city bonds were also maturing, and 
had to be met. A special election was held 
in Augiist to determine 
should be refunded, and 
standing warrants should 
first proposition carried; 
feated. 

The annual Diocesan Convention of the 
Protestant Episcopal Church of Iowa was held 
in St. Paul's Church May 30, Bishop Lee pre- 
siding, and about thirty clergymen also being 
present. St Patrick's Benevolent Society 
was also organized abput the same time, and 



whether |25,000 
whether the out- 
be funded. The 
the last was de- 



has ever since, under the auspices of the 
Catholic Church, constituted one of the most 
admirable and efficient charities of the city. 
The State Dental Association held its annual 
meeting at Council Bluffs in June. Some of 
the sessions were held at the Ogden House, 
and others in the court room. Dr. E. I. 
Woodbury was chosen President for the ensu- 
ing year. During the same month. Rev H. 
P. Roberts resigned the pastorate of the Con- 
gregational Church, and was succeeded by 
the Rev. H. S. De Forest. The Rev. John 
Chamberlain resigned the rectorship of the 
St. John's Parish of the Protestant Episcopal 
Church in the same month, and in December 
following the Rev. T. J. Brooks was installed 
in his stead. 

The delegates to the Democratic State Con- 
vention at Des Moines were J. P. Cassady, 
Robert Percival, B. F. Montgomery and David 
Dunkle. The delegates to the Republican 
State Convention, Capt. C. V. Gardner, A. E. 
Steinmetz, Leonard Kirscht, Dr. S. H.Craig, 
L. W. Ross and Eugene A. Street, son of 
Frank Street. The delegation had been in- 
structed to urge the nomination of John H. 
Keatley as the Republican candidate for Lieu- 
tenant Grovernor. These instructions were 
loyally carried out, and by their efforts his 
name in the balloting, amid five candidates. 
was second on the list, Dr. Bullis carrying off 
the nomination by a bare majority. At the 
fall election, John Beresheim, the Republican 
candidate for Representative, was elected, and 
George Doughty, Democratic candidate for 
Sheriff, over Philip Armour, present Postmas- 
ter; John W. Chapman, Republican, was re- 
elected Treasui'er over Vigo Badolett, Demo- 
crat. 

Bock's Garden, attached to Bock's Brewery, 
on Pierce street, and Horn's Park, west of 
the North-Western depot, were diu'ing this 
summer favorite Sunday resorts. Mr. Bloom- 



HISTORY 1)1' i'UTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



313 



er, the Mayor, made strenuous efforts to close 
those institutions, as in violation of the Sun- 
day ordinance, but being inadequately sus- 
tained by public opinion, the effort failed. 

One thousand dollars of the bonds for 
right of way for the Union Pacific were issued 
in -the spring of 1871, under the authorization 
of 1868. In July, Gen. Dodge, on behalf of 
the company, requested the additional $4,000 
to enable the company to comjalete the right 
of way, and the Council thereupon directed 
that they should be sold by the Mayor, and 
the proceeds applied to the appropriate pur- 
pose. 

In this connection must not be forgotten a 
singular phenomenon, no other than the fa- 
mous " Potter Christ," as he called himself. 
During his life, he was a noted character 
upon the streets. At this date, he was a man 
of some seventj' years of age; was heavy set 
and of stout build, with long, gray, venerable 
locks, and not altogether of an unpreposses- 
sing appearance. He had come to this sec- 
tion with the Mormon emigration, and in 
brooding over religious subjects had become 
a monomaniac. He fancied himself the Mes- 
siah of a new dispensation, had fits of ecstasy, 
indulged in prolonged fasts and vigils, and 
cultivated the spirit of prophecy. The 
vagaries of his mind were regarded by him as 
inspiration, and were written down in a 
rhapsodical jargon, and some of them printed 
in slips and pamphlets. He was not without 
those who believed in his divine mision, but 
most people regarded him with pity. He 
had selected the 2d of August, 1871, as the day 
on which he would ascend into heaven. Clad 
in white robes, surrounded by half a dozen 
nearly demented followers bearing a banner 
eabalistically inscribed, he rode through the 
streets, surrounded by jeering and hooting 
crowds, preaching the advent of the day of 
judgment, and the necessity for immediate 



repentence. The boisterous mob soon ended 
his efforts at demonstrating the truth of his 
prophesies, and his followers removed him in 
a short time to the outskirts of the city, where 
he disrobed, and gave up the fruitless enter- 
prise. He died in a year or two afterward in 
great poverty and wretchedness. 

The annual session of the Iowa Teachers' 
Association was begun at Council Bluffs Au- 
gust 29, 1871, the meeting lasting three days, 
and the business sessions being conducted in 
Dohanny's Opera House. Spencer Smith, 
business manager of the N'onjjareil, and for 
many years the efficient Secretary of the city 
School Board, delivered a welcome address, 
responded to by Prof. Fellows, of the Iowa 
University. Col. John VV. Ross, who was 
then the manager of the Ogden House, gave 
the teachers of the State in attendance a com- 
plementary banquet. 

Among the natural curiosities abounding in 
this vicinity, is what is called Spoon Lake, 
on the grounds of the Union Pacific Rail- 
road, in the western part of the city. It is 
almost circular in shajse, and very deep in 
many places. From the northern side ex- 
tends a narrow, cui'ved arm resembling the 
handle of a spoon, the lake itself resembling 
the bowl or cup of the sjaoon. The lake has 
no surface outlet and the only apparent inlet 
is when the banks of Indian Creek or the 
Missouri River overflow, and the surplus 
water thus finds its way into this small lake, 
which is now used as a source of water 
supply for the Union Pacific depot, and for 
the use of their machinery and engines on 
this side of the river. Small fish, such as 
yellow perch, ^liave from time immemorial 
abounded in the lake, but on the 28th of July 
a singular phenomenon presented itself. 
It was just at the close of a very heavj' rain 
shower. Immense quantities of Missouri 
River fish made their appearance in the lake. 



214 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



such as enormous cattish weighing twenty 
and thirty pounds, pickerel of great size, and 
buffalo fish three or four feet long. Hun- 
dreds of pounds of these large fish were easily 
captured, and for many days the circumstance 
was simply the wonder of the locality. Some 
were of the opinion that the bottom over- 
flowed in the night time during the prevail- 
ing storm, and the fish thus had access from 
the river. Others, again, surmised that they 
came by the way of some vmderground chan- 
nel. Floods since have failed to repeat the 
exhibition, and the mystery is still unsolved. 
Council Bluffs was honored in September 
by a visit from President Grant. The citizens 
without regard to party took carriages, and 
gave his party a view of the city. The day 
was one of the finest in autumn. Arriving 
at the Ogden House, after a tour of the city, 
the President gave an informal recej^tion. 
The public schools were dismissed, so as to 
give the pupils an opportunity to take the 
hero of Vicksburg and of the Wilderness 
campaign by the hand. For hours a constant 
stream of sight- seers streamed through the 
corridors of the hotel. At the close of the 
reception. Mayor Bloomer and the leading 
citizens conducted the Presidential party in 
carriages to the St. Joseph depot, where they 
took the evening train south. 

The news of the great fire in Chicago fell like 
a death knell upon the surprised citizens of 
Council Bluffs. They had full intelligence of 
the disaster the next morning, and proceeded 
at once to organize for the relief of the stricken 
city. A public meeting was at once called, and 
committees organized, and a depot established 
under the superintendence of the late Thomas 
Elder, one of the foremost citizens of Coun- 
cil Bluffs in all matters of charity. E. L. 
Shugart was charged with the proper distri- 
bution of the supplies, and the relief in 
money thus collected. The real value of ihp 



contribution made by Council Bluffs cannot 
now be definitely known, but it is enough to 
say that rich and poor gave liberally and 
cheerfully. One of the most eloquent polit- 
ical speakers Council Bluffs ever had was 
John C. Turk, who was a brother-in-law of 
William G. Crawford, the Clerk of the Courts. 
Mr. Turk was a Democrat, and a tine lawyer 
and had been carefully educated for his pro- 
fession in his native State, Ohio. He was 
universally beloved. A sudden illness over- 
took him in the fall of 1871, and in a few 
days death closed his eloquent lips forever. 
His wife was a sister of Mrs. Crawford. The 
same family was visited by death again in a 
few weeks, on the 14th of November, when 
Mr. Crawford succumbed to consumption, 
which for years had been gradually wasting 
him away. He was a native of Ohio also, and 
at an early age emigrated to Eastern Iowa. 
When Nobraska Territory was organized, he 
settled there, and served for two years- as a 
membei' of its Legislature. He came to 
Council Bluffs in 1860, and formed a law 
partnership with Judge Street. He was a 
War Democrat, and held the ofiSces of City 
Recorder, Recorder of Deeds and Clerk of 
the District Court. He was succeeded in the 
latter office by Capt. J. W. Robinson, who 
was appointed to till the vacancy, but failed 
to get the nomination of his party, and re- 
tired to give place to R. Bryant, a nephew of 
Judge Bryant's. Robinson was afterward ap- 
pointed Register in Bankruptcy, and at the 
close of that system went to Leadville and 
Silver Cliff, in Colorado, to engage in min- 
ing enterprises, where he has ever since lived. 
Bryant served one term as Clerk, and was 
succeeded by F. H. Warren, who served two 
terms, and was himself succeeded by S. D. 
Street, son of Judge Street, and who is now 
entering upon his second term. All these 
incumbents were Repiiblicans. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



215 



On the 1st of November, a manufacturers' 
association was formed for the purpose of 
giving proper encouragement to the establish- 
ment of manufacturing industries. Gen. Q. 
M. Dodge was made President; G. W. Lin- 
inger, now of Omaha, Vice President; S. 
Farnsworth, Cashier of the First National 
Bank, and E. L. Shugart, Vice President of 
that bank, Secretaries, and Col. H. C. Nutt, 
Treasurer. The association representing 
great capital and influence, did a good work 
in the direction of their object. The Patrons 
of Husbandry also organized a Grange during 
the same month, the leading members of 
which were Capt. D. B. Clark, Wooster Fay, 
Col. Babbitt, H. C. Raymond, and H. A. 
Terry, nurserymen, and J. A. Sylvester. 
Their grange meetings were held on Pearl 
street in the second story of one of the build- 
ings between Broadway and First avenue. 

The most prominent event at the close of 
the year 1871 was the death and burial of 
Maj. M. L. McPherson, the District Attorney 
of this district. Maj. McPherson had lived 
at Winterset for many years, and at the 
breaking-out of the civil war, entered the 
service, and discharged the arduous duties 
of Brigade Quartermaster in the armies of the 
West. In 1860, he was a candidate for the 
Republican nomination for Congress against 
Mr. Kasson, but Gen. Dodge succeeded in the 
nomination, as stated in his biographical 
sketch. Toward the close of 1869, Maj. 
McPherson removed to Council Bluflfs, as a 
wider field for the practice of his profession 
— that of a lawyer — but Bright's disease of 
the kidneys had already set in and seriously 
impaired his health. He was elected District 
Attorney of this district in 1870, over Judge 
Morseman, his Democratic competitor, of 
Page County. Some months before the fall 
term of the District Court in 1871, he went 
to Si Louis in the hope of relief, leaving 



Capt. D. W. Price to discharge the duties of 
his office at that term. Medical aid was of 
no avail, and on the 29th of December Maj. 
McPherson died in St. Louis, and his re- 
mains were brought here, and the funeral 
services were held in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, of which society he was a member. 
Col. D. B. Dailey was appointed to fill the 
vacancy caused by the death of Maj. McPher 
son. At the next election. Col. Dailey was not 
a candidate. His law partner, L. W. Ross, 
was a candidate for the nomination of Dis- 
trict Judge, an ambition that was not grati- 
fied, through the success of Capt. J. R. Reed 
in carrying off the nomination and Col. Dailey 
waived his claims in favor of Mr. Ross. 

The Pacific House met with a serious loss 
on the morning of the 11th of January, 1872. 
The new west wing took fire in one of the 
upper rooms, and before the fii'e department 
could get to work, owing to the intensely 
cold weather, that part of the structure was 
a mass of ruins. A heavy gale was blowing 
at the time, and it was with the greatest 
difficulty that the whole block, including 
Officer & Pusey's bank, was saved. Omaha 
sent one of her steam fii-e engines, but the 
flames were subdued by the time it reached 
here. The heavy loss sustained by Mr. Bay- 
liss, the owner of the building, ever after- 
ward crippled his energies and resources, 
ami when he died it was in comparative 
poverty. Sylvanus Dodge, the father of Gen. 
Dodge, died on the 24th of December, 1871, 
and on the 1st of February, 1872, Nehe- 
miah Baldwin, the father of John T. Bald- 
win, and Judge Baldwin entered upon the 
duties of Register of the United States Land 
Office, to which he had been appointed as 
the successor of Mr. Dodge. The Iowa Leg- 
islature was in session. The Union Pacific 
bridge was completed, and in running order. 
It paid no attention to Council Bluffs, and 



216 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



regarded Omaha as its actual if not its legal 
terminus. The people of Council Bluffs 
were justly apprehensive that the Iowa roads 
would cross their trains, and meet the Union 
Pacific on the west bank of the river. In- 
deed, the Kansas City road, that it had been 
so largely aided with Council BluiTs money, 
and when had virtually absorbed the great 
swamp land fund of the county, were taking 
steps to carry out that design. That course 
once taken, the rivalry of business would 
have forced the other roads to follow the ex- 
ample of the Kansas City company. A bill 
was unamimously passed by both houses of 
the Legislatui'e prohibiting the Iowa roads 
from running their trains into Omaha. A 
test case was made in the Circuit Court of 
this county before Judge Stockton by injunc- 
tion, and decided against the company, but 
the latter having appealed to the Supreme 
Court, the decision of Judge Stockton was re- 
versed, and the Iowa statute declared un- 
constitutional, as beyond the power of the 
State to regulate commerce between the 
States, thai authority being vested wholly in 
Congress. There was only a partial attempt 
to carry out the design of the railroads be- 
tween that date and the final determination 
of another question by the Supreme Court of 
the United States, in which the Union Pacific 
and certain citizens of Council Bluffs, ship- 
pers, were immediately interested. That 
case properly comes under its own date and 
heading. A meeting of all the General Super- 
intendents of the Iowa roads centering in 
Council Bluffs was held here on the 12th of 
March, and in resjDonse to the evident feel- 
ing of the people of Iowa, as manifest 
through its Legislature, as well as through pub- 
lic opinion otherwise expressed, they arrived 
at the conclusion not to run their trains into 
Omaha, and so notified the officers of the 
Union Pacific at the same time. The Unioa 



Pacific adhered to its own resolution, and re- 
fused to come to this side. The transfer busi- 
ness between the terminus of the Iowa roads 
and the so-called terminus of the Union Pacific 
was conducted by a sort of stub corporation 
and train until the Supreme Court of the 
United States finally settled the question 
that the actual and legal eastern terminus of 
the Union Pacific was in Council Bluffs and 
not in Omaha. The Union Pacific, however, 
erected a platform a little southwest of the 
present Union Pacific depot and a frame hotel, 
which was kept by ex-Mayor Palmer until it 
was destroyed by fire several years afterward. 
They also erected long freight sheds, and the 
Iowa roads built tracks and platforms so as 
to connect with the platform and track of 
the Union Pacific. The spring city election 
of 1872 was a hotly contested one. Dr. N. 
D. Lawrence was the Republican candidate 
for Mayor, and Sam Haas the nominee of the 
Democrats. Lawrence was elected by a ma- 
jority of 142 votes. One feature of the city 
campaign was the publication of the Daily 
Star, an evening Republican paper, by W. 
R. Vaughan, edited by John H. Keatley. 
During the canvass it kept the town in com - 
motion, and every evening was eagerly sought 
after, it being impossible to supply the de- 
mand for copies. John H. Keatley at that 
date was Chairman of the County Republi- 
can Committee. He had decided, in view of the 
fact that Grant would probably be the candi- 
date that year again for the presidency, to take 
part in the Liberal Rej)ublican movement 
which culminated in the nomination of 
Horace Greeley at Cincinnati. To that end, 
he sent his resignation as such Chairman to 
W. W. Mayuard, editor of the Nonpareil, 
with his reasons for so doing, and the re- 
quest that they be made known. No other 
attention was paid to the matter, except l)y a 
three-line editorial announcement that such 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, 



2t7 



resignation had been made. W. F. Sapp was 
a candidate for the Republican nomination 
for Congress. Tlie Noiqiareil espoused the 
canse of James W. McDill, of Union County. 
The contest became a bitter one. and on the 2d 
day of July, 1872, W. R. Vaughan began 
the publication of the Daily Republican, ad- 
vocating the claims of Col. Sapp. as a Council 
Bluffs man. A complete new printing ou fit 
was procured in Cincinnati, and one of the 
most perfect printing offioes established ever 
organized in the city. Col. Sipp was de- 
feated in the convention; the paper was 
published as a daily until some time that 
autumn, and before the election ceased, ex- 
cept as a weekly, in the interests of the 
farming community. As such it existed for 
a yeai' or two. Out of it grew an exceeding- 
ly bitter controversy between "Mr. "^^aughan 
and Capt. D. B. Clark, who was at the head 
of the grange movement in the county at that 
time. Mr. Clark charged in the columns of 
the N'onpareil that Mr. Vaughan, in procuring 
subscriptions to the stock of the Farmers' 
Publishing Company, under whose auspices 
the Weekly Republican was claimed to be 
conducted, had practiced a fraud upon the 
subscribers. This led to a libel suit for 
damages by Mr. Vaughan against Clark and 
the Nonpareil Printing Company. Judge 
Reed, in submitting the case to the jury, in- 
structed them, among other things, that if 
they found that the communication published 
by Clark was in good faith, whether true or 
false, it was priviledged, and Vaughan could 
not recover, and the verdict was against the 
latter. Early in the same summer, an effort 
was made to found a religious journal in this 
city that would occupy the field of Methodism 
in the Northwest, and accordingly the Council 
Bluffs Christian Advocate was established by 
the Rev. Joseph Knotts and the Rev. P. P. 
Breaee. After a time, it too disappeared as 



a fruitless speculation. The United Brethren 
Church also established an organ of their so- 
ciety about the same time, and, after publish- 
ing it for two years, it failed for want of sup- 
port. 

A musical event occurred on the 2d of May 
at Dohany's Opera House that had a marked 
influence upon the career of a Council Bluffs 
young lady, Miss Fanny Kellogg, the now 
famous prima donna. She came to this city 
in her childhood, with her father and mother. 
Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Kellogg, and her half 
brother, E. F. Burdick, and grew up here, 
and here received her education. She early 
di8j)layed remarkable musical talents, and 
these were as carefully cultivated as circum- 
stances would permit. She was always de- 
servedly jjopular, and a benefit for her was or- 
ganized, in which she was assisted by Mi-s. 
George L. Everett and other musical ama- 
teui's. The opera house was crowded to over- 
flowing, and the result was a forecast of her 
future success. Since then, she has earned 
fame as a songstress. In the summer of 1882, 
she returned again, after several years of 
absence, and received a magnificent ovation. 
On the 28th of November, she paid anoth- 
er visit to her old home, singing to an im- 
mense audience at Dohany's Opera House, 
the scene of her first triumph, and at the 
head of the incomparable Kellogg-Brignoli 
combination, under the direction of Bach- 
ert. The event was marked by the pre- 
sentation by Miss Kellogg to each of her 
audience, her old friends and admirers of a 
vignette portrait of herself on the rich pro- 
gramme, as a souvenir of her early friend- 
ship. 

Council Bluffs was visited by the Iowa Press 
Association on the 14th of June, while on 
their way to Salt Lake, on their annual excur- 
sion. At ih.& annual commencement of the 
high school this year, held on the 14th of 



218 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



June, six young ladies graduated: Hattie 
Williams, Mary Warren, Lizzie Oliver, Ida 
Kirkpatriek, lugeletta Smith, Verna liey- 
nolds. The 4th of July, 1872, was celebrated 
amons: other things with a magnificent and 
attractive horse trot. The crowd was a large 
one, 2,80() tickets having been sold. There 
was also a tine picnic and celebration in Glen 
Dale. 

As soon as the result of the Liberal Repub- 
lican convention at Cincinnati Was known in 
the nomination of Horace Greeley for the 
presidency, and his endorsement by the De- 
mocracy at Baltimore, a large Greeley and 
Brown club was formed, with headquarters 
at Barhop's Hall. A very large number of 
persons who had hitherto acted with the Re- 
publican party in the city, joined in tjie 
movement, and took part in the active work. 
Among these was M. P. Brewer, a young 
lawyer of decided talent, and a public speaker 
of considerable power. Mr. Brewer was 
made President of the club, he having up to 
that time acted as a Repulilican. The mem- 
bers of the club, dming the canvass, expressed 
their appreciation of his zeal and talents in 
the presentation of a handsome gold-headed 
cane suitably inscribed. With the termina- 
tion of that campaign, Mr. Brewer's connec- 
tion with the opposition to the Republicans 
ceased. Another notable local event in con- 
nection with that campaign occurred during 
the summer. In August, the Liberal Repub- 
lican State Convention and the Democratic 
State Convention met (m the same day in Des 
Moines, the Democrats in Moore's Hall and 
the Liberal Republicans in the coiu't house. 
A joint meeting was held in the court house 
yard at Des Moines, where the two parties 
fraternized. Cassius M. Clay, of Kentucky, 
was present, and delivered an eloquent ad- 
dress. When it came to nominate a candi- 
date for Congress in this district in opposi- 



tion to McDill, Republican, the Democrats and 
the Republicans of the district fraternized in 
a convention at Council Bluffs, and unani- 
mously nominated W. H. M. Pusey, a Demo- 
crat. Mr. Pasey accepted the nomination in 
an eloquent speech, and the necessary steps 
were taken to conduct, an active canvass in 
his interests. After a lapse of several weeks, 
and after announcements of appointments for 
him had been made, the Central Committee 
were notified of his resolution to withdraw. 
He took this course, he said, because in ac- 
cepting the nomination he had not consulted 
his absent partner in business, Mr. Officer, 
and when the fact of the nomination had been 
made to the latter, he presented the alterna- 
tive of a dissolution of a banking firm of 
nearly a quarter of a century's duration or 
an abandonment of the canvass, and the 
second alternative had been resolved iipon. 
This led to the calling of a meeting of the 
Central Committee at the Pacific House.. 
Col. W. P. Hepburn, now a Republican 
Congressman fi'om Iowa, was Chairman, and 
J. S. Stidger, of Rod Oak, now a Republican, 
was a memberof that committee. After can- 
vassing the situation for an entire day, the 
committee placed the name of W. W. Merr'itt, 
of Red Oak, on the ticket, in opposition to 
McDill, and these two candidates conducted a 
joint discussion throughout the district. The 
antecedents of Mr. Merritt were Republican. 
He never again resumed his Republican party 
relations, and is now a Democrat. One of 
the most devastating fires that ever visited 
Council Blutfs occurred in the afternoon of 
the IGth of August, on Main street, in the 
furniture store of Joseph A. Eno, a little south 
of First avenue. Part of the building had 
been the brick Congregational Church, extend- 
ing to Pearl street. Three other buildings 
were destroyed at the same time. A series 
of important suits in the United States Dis- 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY 



219 



trict Court grew out of this fire. Eno saed 
on his policies oC insurance, but the insur- 
ance companies denied his right to recover, 
among other grounds that there had been a 
fraudulent "raising" of hia invoices after the 
fire occurred, in order to increase the amount 
of his loss. No clue to the origin of the fire 
was ever reached, and it was attributed to 
spontaneous combustion of rags and oil used 
about the building in cleaning furniture. 
The cases were tried several times to a jury, 
but after disagreement they wholly disap- 
peared from sight, and Eno returned to New 
Jersey, his former home, a financially ruined 
man. 

A bold bank robbery occurred on the 5th 
of August, in which about $20,000 of paper 
currency were taken from the first National 
Bank. The money was in the bank safe. 
It was intact at the time the bank opened, 
and when last seen by Mr. Farnsworth, the 
Cashier, at 10 o'clock. Visiting the vault at 
5 o'clock that afternoon, he discovered that 
the money was stolen. A side door led from 
Main street to an alcove in the bank, and from 
that to the vault door it vvas only a step. No 
other explanation of the theft could be given 
than that, while the back of the Cashier was 
turned in waiting on a customer, some adept in 
the business took the money. No trace of 
either thief or money was ever found. The 
banking house of Officer &Pusey was raided, 
and about $5,000 taken a year or two after- 
ward, and about in the same way, and no 
clue to either money or thief was ever found. 
As an incident of the political contest of 
that year, and a protest against partyism, the 
Kev. Joseph Knotts started a weekly newspa- 
per, called the Council Ulufts Independent, 
with the printing office of the same, in one 
of the lower rooms of the Ogden House. He 
also announced himself as an independent 
candidate for Congress, and traversed the 



district for several months in a still-bunt 
canvass, but, before election day, his name 
disappeared from among the list of contest- 
ants. In a few mouths, he received an ap- 
pointment from the President to one of the 
northern States of Mexico, where he was 
about to engage in silver mining, which he 
has since prosecuted with remarkable success. 
The District Fair was held here on the 17th, 
18th, 19th and 20th of September, on the 
grounds of the Pottawattamie County Agri- 
cultui-al Society. The district embraced all 
the country from Des Moines to the Missoiu-i 
River. The affair was a faihu-e, in part due 
to bad weather, and in great part to bad 
management. Col. John Scott, of Story 
County, delivered the adch-ess, and a uni- 
formed militia company from Des Moines gave 
a fancy drill. 

One of the characteristics of the poltical 
campaign was a speech in the interest of 
Grant and Wilson, by IMi-s. Matilda Fletcher, 
the noted and eloquent lecturer. She was at 
home here again, among her own people, and 
the novelty of a woman on the stump attract- 
ed an immense audience. Mrs. Fletcher be- 
gan her career as a lecturer in the winter of 
1868. Her husband was a teacher in the 
public schools, and in failing health. His 
wife resolved that the bm-den should be shared 
by herself. Being a woman of considerable 
talent, of indomitable will and courage, she 
resolved to prepare a lectm-e and deliver it. 
To this end her friends approached the writer 
. of these annals, who was then editorially con- 
nected with the Nonparcn, to create as favor- ■ 
able an impression as possible of her talents, 
in order to give her a fair start Burhop's 
Hall was selected as the place of her debut. 
The curtain rose on seats almost empty, but 
woman's will was sufficient for the occasion. 
She had resolved, and there wat, no deviating 
from her purpose. For over one hour she 



220 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY, 



spoke eloquently, and, ignoring the paucity 
of lier audience, not a half-dozen in all, she 
went thi'ough the ordeal with as much nerve, 
and more, than if the house were packed. 
Justice was done her effort. It deserved com- 
mendation. It was above the ordinary plat- 
form address. Her career was marked out 
for her. She took the field in earnest, creat- 
ing, as she went, new lectures, one of them, 
" Men and their AYhims, " as rich in substance 
as ever adorned the lecture platform. When 
she came to Council Bluffs in a year or so 
afterward, with the fame and reputation as- 
sured, people here were eager to hear her. 
She had realized what Disraeli had said 
when hooted at in Parliament daring his 
maiden speech — " The time will come when 
you will hear me." Her husband died while 
employed in one of the departments at Wash- 
ington, and since then his eloquent widow 
has kept her place among the talented and 
deserving women of this ceutuiy. 

The Eoman Catholic girls' school, St. 
Francis' Academy, was erected this year, and 
opened under the auspices of the Sisters of 
Charity, on Buckingham street. It is one of 
the largest and most complete edifices of the 
kind in the State. The winter was memora- 
ble for another condition of things, in this, 
that it was visited by what was known as the 
epizootic among the horses. For several 
weeks, not an animal appeared upon the 
streets to perform any kind of labor. The 
ground was hard frozen and free from snow, 
and goods were handled and delivered with 
hand-barrows. The absence of vehicles 
di'awn by horses during that time produced a 
sort of desolate silence, and the streets were 
as weird as they well could be imagined. 

The greatest sensation of the early j)art of 
1873 was a three card monte case, that occu- 
pied public attention and the police coiu-ts 
for some days. Rev. W. E. Mosher was liv- 



ing in Story County, along the line of the 
North- Western Railroad. Council Bluffs was 
infested at that date by a gang of scoundrels 
known as three card monte men, men who 
played a game with three cards, which were 
marked, so that a stranger betting on the 
game was sure to become a victim. The con- 
gregation of Mr. Mosher concluded to pay 
his salary by donations of butter, and in that 
way he accumulated several hundred pounds 
that he concluded to sell in Council Bluffs. 
Taking the train, and having shipped the 
same by freight, and having received a bill 
of lading for his merchandise, he came to 
this city about 9 o'clock at night. Being a 
stranger, he fell into the hands of a hotel 
runner, and was conducted to a hotel on 
lower Broadway, where the three card monte 
men made their headquarters. "After loiter- 
ing around the hotel office for some moments, 
he strolled into the adjoining saloon, under 
the same roof, and had his attention attracted 
to a game of cards going on at a table. It 
turned out to be three card moute, and the 
participants were of that profession, alter- 
nately winning and losing, to act as a decoy 
to the unwaiy. He soon had a desire to en- 
ter into the game, and, having no money, he 
staked his bill of lading for the butter against 
the chances of the cards in the hands of the 
unscrupulous manipulators, and in a trice he 
had lost, the winner pocketing his bill of lad- 
ing, and the game ended. The police, after 
a day or two of strife, succeeded in secui-ing 
to him his lost rights; but the sensation it 
caused, the exposure it involved, and the dis- 
grace, was more than he could bear, and he 
went home dazed and half a maniac, a ruined 
man, and in a few months died with grief. 
Among those who plied their nefarious busi- 
ness here as three card monte men at that 
time was the notorious Canada Bill, the most 
expert gambler in the West. He was a tall, 



HISTORY or POTTAAVATTAMIE COUXTY. 



'J21 



ungainly, sallow, stoop-shouldered individ- 
ual, and went about with a slouch hat drawn 
over his face, and spoke with the twang of a 
Texas cattle drover, and, assuming this role 
when acting as a capper for his gang, never 
failed to secure his victim. At one time he 
exhibited to the writer of these annals a roll 
of currency amounting to $11,000, which he 
carried in his pocket. He had one redeem- 
ing quality, and that was in charity. No 
suffering or destitute person ever applied in 
vain to the sympathies of Canada Bill; and 
even he became an object of charity, for, in 
about a year after his last exploit in Council 
Blufis, came the telegraphic newspaper in 
telligence that Canada Bill had died a pau- 
per in the almshouse at Reading, Penn. 

Dr. N. D. Lawrence was again elected 
Mayor at the spring election of 1873. Judge 
Riddle was also chosen President of the 
School Board. That season, the Washington 
street school grounds were embellished by a 
handsome stone wall in its front, most effect- 
ually increasing the attractions of the sur- 
roundings. On the 31st of May, Beriy & 
Smith, having purchased the press, type and 
materials of the Independent, began the pub- 
lication of the Daily Tribune, an independent 
newspaper, biit it only endured a few months, 
and then went the way of many others. On 
the 3lBt of May, the United States Land Office 
was forever closed here, and the records re- 
moved to Des Moines, and the land district 
abolished. 

Council Bluffs was now approaching a cri- 
sis in her fate. Her newspapers and citizens 
claimed that the le^al eastern terminus had 
been tixed by the proclamation of President 
Lincoln within the city limits. The Omaha 
papers and people contended that the Presi- 
dent had simply declared that the initial 
point should be located on the western bound- 
arv of Iowa, and that was in the middle of 



the river, and that its obvious construction 
meant, to avoid absiu-dity, that the road 
should begin on the fii-st solid ground west of 
that imaginary line between the two States. 
The Union Pacific was in accord with the 
latter view. There was no proper tribunal 
where that question could be settled by the 
process of mandamus. Omaha had sent her 
representatives to Washington to guard 
against any unfriendly legislation by Con- 
gress on this point. Judge A. V. Larimer 
was in Washington at the same time, looking 
after the interests of Council Bluffs in the 
same matter. Hon. George W. MeCrary, the 
member of Congress from the Keokuk Dis- 
trict, now United States Circuit Judge, was 
friendly to the claim of Council BluS's, and 
in a position to render important service. 
An appropriation bill was pending, and in 
charge of Mr. McCrary, of the proper com- 
mittee. Favoring the suggestion to give the 
United States Circuit Court of Iowa jurisdic- 
tion, in mandamus, in cases concernine the 
Union Pacific Railroad Comjiany, he per- 
mitted Judge Larimer to write, at the close 
of the last section of the appropriation bill, a 
clause of three lines, giving that court such 
jurisdiction, in such cases, and the same 
passed the House as a " rider " to the bill. 
The " rider " escajjed attention when the bill 
passed the Senate, and it became the law un- 
der date of March 3, 1873. 

That was the first step toward securing the 
desired end. The next was to avail the rem- 
edy thus placed within reach of the citizens 
of Council Bluffs. It was the hazard of a 
long law-suit, attended by great expense, 
against a corporation with millions of rev- 
enue. Judge Larimer, aided by Col. Sapp, 
was equal to the emergency. Sam Hall and 
J. W. Morse were engaged in the business of 
retail grocers on Main street, in the city of 
Council Bluffs, and, in the way of ordinary 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



trade, were shippers of produce to the West 
over the Union Pacific Railroad, but, in the 
conduct of their business, were compelled to 
transport their merchandise to Omaha by or- 
dinary land eaiTiage and feiTiage, before it 
would be received by the Union Pacific for 
transportation to its destination. In this 
they were subjected to the same obstructions 
as all other local shippers from Council Bluffs 
were. Judge Larimer procured them to offer 
the Union Pacific a shipment west in Council 
Bluffs, and, failing to accept the consign- 
ment, he prepared to test the validity of their 
claim that they were not boimd by law to op 
erate their road as one continuous line, in- 
cluding the bridge transfer, from ^Council 
Bluffs to Ogden, their western terminus. 
Hall and Morse were neither in a condition 
to make the fight alone, nor had they the dis- 
position to hazard all they had m such an at- 
tempt, one from which others better able had 
shrunk. Judge Larimer assumed all the risk 
of the conflict, and indemnified Hall and 
Morse against any possible loss or damage. 
To secure the costs and to comply with all 
necessary orders in the mandamus case, he 
prevailed upon Peter Bechetele, the public- 
spirited proprietor of the Farmers' Hotel, to 
become sui'ety in thousands of dollars, in the 
bond required in that class of cases, also in- 
demnifying ill'. Bechetele against loss. 
With these preliminaries arranged, he set 
about collecting all the evidence necessary to 
make out a case. Judge John F. Dillon, 
then Judge of the United States Circuit Court 
at Des Moines, after examining the petition 
prepared by Judge Larimer and Col, Sapp, 
and after argument, in which the Union Pa- 
cific was represented by the Hon. A. J. Poj)- 
pleton, made an alternative order in manda- 
must either to operate their road to and from 
Council Bluffs as one continuous line, or 
show cause why the same should not be done. 



Id answering this order, the railway company 
set up the order of President Lincoln, made 
on the 7th day of March, 1864, and their 
construction upon it as really establishing 
the " initial point " within the limits of the 
city of Omaha, and not in Council Bluffs. 
This fileading was answered by Hall and 
Morse, and ujion that issue the case was 
heard by Judge Dillon. At this stage of it, 
at the instance of the city authorities of 
Council Bluffs, the Hon. John X. Rogers, of 
Davenport, was called into the case on behalf 
of Hall and Morse. The city authorities had 
no power, under the city charter, to employ 
counsel for such a purpose, but the matter 
was of such public importance that the irreg- 
ularity was most cheerfully condoned by the 
people, especially in view of the final result. 
After examining the whole case. Judge 
Dillon decided adversely to the Union Pa- 
cific, and made the wi-it of mandamus abso- 
lute, compelling them to operate their road ac 
cording to the claim of Council Bluffs. From 
this order the Union Pacific appealed to the 
Supreme Coui-t of the United States. The 
accumulation of business in that court prom- 
ised an indefinite prolongation of the contro- 
versy pending the appeal, but, recognizing 
the highly important character of the issue, 
not only to those locally concerned, but to 
those who furnished the traffic for so imjjort- 
ant a 'series of highways, the case was taken 
out of its order, advanced on the docket, and 
argued and heai'd far in advance of any pos- 
sibility had it been allowed to take its own 
course. The case was decided by the Su- 
preme Court in October, 1875, Justice Strong 
reading the opinion of the court affii'ming 
the final order made by Judge Dillon, and a 
second time and for all time to come, estab- 
lishing as law the claim made in the begin- 
ning by the citizens of Council Bluffs. The 
only dissenting Judge was Bradley, who read 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



223 



a short opinion, viewing the case from the 
standpoint of the Union Pacific, adhering, 
in his judgment, to the theory that, inasmuch 
as the western boundary of Iowa is in the 
middle of the channel of the Missouri River, 
the President must have meant to locate the 
" initial point " of the railroad on the first 
solid gi-ound west of that changeable and 
changing demarkation. 

In obedience to that order, the Union Pa- 
cific at once proceeded to carry it out. Then 
began the erection of their handsome and 
substantial passenger depot and hotel, on the 
1,200-acre tract secured for railroad pui-poses 
years before, and the Iowa roads, acting in 
concert, proceeded to co-operate with the 
Union Pacific. The wide gap of space be- 
tween the Transfer and the central part of 
the city at once began to be occupied, until 
now it is, in fact, one continuous city. The 
City Council, in liquidating the claim of Mr. 
Rogers for professional services, paid him 
$5,000 oiit of the city treasury. Neither 
Col. Sapp nor Judge Larimer received any 
compensation, nor asked for it, for their share 
in the work. As soon as the decision was 
announced and the intelligence reached Coun- 
cil Bluffs, it was hailed with manifestations 
of intense joy. A platform was erected at 
the intersection of Bancroft and Broadway, 
an immense meeting was held, cannon were 
fired, congratulatory speeches made, and res- 
olutions passed of the most grateful charac- 
ter, commendatory of all who had aided the 
result. 

The annual conference of Latter-Day Saints 
was held again, in September, 1873, in the 
grove at Parks' Mill. Joseph Smith, Jr., 
presided over its deliberations, and the at- 
tendance was the largest ever had at any of 
their meetings. 

On the 2Gth of August, a tragedy occurred 
in Garner Township, resulting in the death 



of a young farm hand named Charles Gran- 
ville. He and an old citizen named Thomas 
Davis, a man of intensely high temper, were 
threshing at Mr. Garner's, and engaged in an 
altercation. Mr. Davis had a knife in his 
hand, with which he was opening bundles, 
and, in the fracas, he cut out the bowels of 
3'oung Granville and killed him. Mr. Davis 
was tried for murder, and convicted of man- 
slaughter, and sentenced to the penitentiary 
by Judge Reed for six years, but, after serv- 
ing about two years, he was pardoned by the 
Governor. 

Council Blufls, like every other city in the 
country, felt the effects of the monetary panic 
in 1873. The effect of it was to suspend im- 
provements. The grasshoppers had devas- 
tated large sections of the surrounding coun- 
try, and made special inroads in Nebraska in 
quarters otherwise specially tributary to 
Council Bluffs. Real estate was stagnant. 
Hard times pressed heavily upon the poor 
and those dependent upon labor for subsis- 
tence. Heavy drafts were made upon those 
who were able and willing to dispense char- 
ity, and at no time in the history of the city 
were there so many pressing calls for that 
kind of assistance. The banks here in ope- 
ration at that time were the First National, 
the Pacific National, the Council Bliiffs Sav- 
ings Bank, and the banking house of Officer 
& Pusey. Neither of these institutions suc- 
cumbed to the general pressure. ' Their con- 
servatism saved them from the worst features 
of the panic — suspension of payments. Not 
for one moment, during the height of the 
panic, when banks everywhere else, almost, 
were posting notices of suspension, did the 
Council Bluffs banks indicate any purjaose of 
wavering. 

On the 18th of November, 1873, Council 
Bluffs, or those having a taste for such events, 
enjoyed a sensation in the shape of a prize 



224 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



fight, preparations for which were made in 
Omaha, and the details of which were to be 
carried out in Mills County, near Pacific City, 
and near the south line of Pottawattamie 
County. The prize ring contestants were the 
noted fighters, Tom Allen and Ben Hogan. 
For several days the rumor gained ground in 
sporting circles in Omaha, where the pugil- 
ists were quartered, that they intended to 
cross over into Iowa, pass through this city, 
and fight in this State. Sheriff Doughty and 
other well-disposed citizens resolved to pre- 
vent the conflict, and Gov. Carpenter was 
notified of the facts. Council Bluffs had a 
piece of artilleiy here, a twelve-poundei', left 
over from the civil war, and this was in 
charge of an artillery company, on paper, of 
which Charles E. Provost was the nominal 
Captain. Late on the night of the 17th, he 
began telegraphing the Governor, and re- 
ceived an order to take his gun to the transfer, 
meet the train with the pugilists and their 
friends as they came to this side of the river. 
He had the gun di'agged with horses that 
night, and unlimbered on the platform, but 
not an ounce of ammunition or a man to serve 
it. The Governor also sent the Olmstead 
Zouaves, a militaiy company from Des Moines, 
to assist in preventing a breach of the peace. 
Sheriff Doughty and the militaiy, a little 
after daylight on the morning of the 18th, 
stood shivering on the bleak platform for an 
hoiu' or more, in anxious expectation of the 
arrival of the train. It came in sight at last, 
as the smoke and steam from its engine 
curled up over the great iron bridge, and the 
military and the excited spectators were on 
tiptoe for the event. The pugilistic party 
were on a train of the Kansas City road; the 
military were told off into squads and board- 
ing parties; their arms were loaded and fixed 
for a deadly assault; but the train merely 
slacked up as it came along side of the plat- 



form. Sheriff Doughty got aboard, but, be- 
fore he could make his errand understood, 
his voice 'was di-owned by a terrific yell, 
steam was put on, and the train pushed ahead 
with swiftness, leaving the military a gaping 
crowd on the platform. 

Upon aiTiving opposite Pacific City, on the 
level bottom land, the train discharged its 
mob, and preparations were made to begin 
the fight, The ring was fonned, the stakes 
driven and the rope stretched, when a Mills 
County Constable came up to stop the fight. 
Several of the stoutest of the sjiectators took 
the officer and pitched him over the fence into 
an adjoining field, and he was glad to have 
even so much of an ob.struction between him 
and them. The battle began, and, after sev- 
eral rounds, the friends of the respective par- 
ties broke into the ring, the fight became gen- 
eral in a row. and the disgraceful affair ended 
without a decision on the part of the princi- 
pals. 

At the spring election of 1874, AV. C James 
was elected Mayor. H. H. Field, E. L. 
Douglass, J. B. Lewis, John Hanthorn, E. 
L. Shugurt, W. A. "Wood, George Tabor and 
Horace Everett constituted the City Council. 
Henry A. Jackson was elected City Marshal. 
The importance of the office had considerably 
diminished, owing to the fact that the col- 
lection of the city taxes had been taken from 
that officer and transferred to the County 
Treasmer, Perry Reel, who had been elected 
to that office in the fall of 1873, and was the 
incumbent, having defeated Mr. Chapman, 
who was seeking a third election. The most 
active principle in politics in this section at 
that date was the effect of the Granger law, 
as it was called, by which fares and tariffs 
were limited in railway transportation. The 
anti -monopoly movement, the fall before, had 
so far swept the State that they were able to 
dictate the organization of the House at Des 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



227 



Moines, and the law which was the result of 
that success was going through the crucible 
of experiment. The Congressional campaign 
was not without interest at the same time. 
The Eepiiblicans of the district nominated 
James W. McDill without any contest. The 
anti-monopolists, however, took control of the 
Democratic nomination, and Fremont and 
Mills Counties, practically dictated the nom- 
ination of Anson Bood at their conven- 
tion at Council Bluffs. The nomination was 
received with derision and profound dissat- 
isfaction by many who, the year before, had 
labored for and earnestly hoped for a change. 

After the retirement of Col. John W. Ross 
from the management of the Ogden House, 
the owners of the building, Messrs. Garner, 
Baughan and Hammer, undertook to keep it 
open, with Mr. Baughan as the direct mana- 
ger. A little before daylight un the 13th of 
October, 1874, the building took fire from 
some cause, in one of the inner rooms, on the 
upper floor, and by dawn the structure was a 
gapin'g mass of ruins. The lofty walls stood 
for a month or so, when a gale of wind blew 
the east one to the ground, crushing, in the 
fall, two small brick buildings which stood 
beneath it. The ground and brick ruins 
were sold by Garner, Baughan and Hammer 
to John T. Baldwin, and, in 1S76, with the 
aid of a donation of about .? 10,000 from the 
citizens, he rebuilt the edifice, on the plan on 
which it now exists, avoiding the mansard 
roof, which, in the late fire, prevented the 
firemen from reaching the exposed part of 
the building in time to save it. 

Among the auxiliaries devised in 1871 to 
aid the prosperity of the city, was the organi- 
zation of the Merchants' Exchange Club, 
with Horace Everett as its first President. 
This organization was perfected on the (3th of 
April, 187-1. A suite of rooms was rented in 
the west end of Everett's Block, on Broad- 



way, for the meetings of the club, and they 
were kept open day and night, for visitors 
and members. Some of the most important 
measures affecting the city and its interests 
were here discussed during the existence of 
the club for two years. It finally fell into 
desuetude; it failed to excite interest; and 
in the end, it yielded up its life. One of the 
meetings was signalized, in August, 1875, by 
a banquet, on a Saturday night, at which 
there flowed a considerable quantity of cham- 
pagne. The speech-making of the occa.^ion 
was of the richest imaginable character. 

The winter of 187-1 was one of steady gain 
in growth and prosperity, and the spring 
opened hoiaefully. In March, 1875, Council 
Blufi"s lost one of its oldest and most esteemed 
citizens in the death of Dr. P. J. McMahon. 
He had lingered with disease all winter, and 
at times there were faint hopes of his recov- 
ery, but at last the announcement was made 
that he to whom thousands were indebted for 
■ their lives, was no more. On one of the bright 
Sundays of early spring, his remains were 
borne to Walnut Hill Cemetery by a long 
concourse of his brother Masons, and of citi- 
zens who revered him for his rugged and 
manly virtues. The Masonic services at the 
grave were impressively rendered by N. F. 
Story, the "Worshipful Master of Excelsior 
Lodge. 

The annual city election in 1875 was an 
exceedingly quiet one. C. B. Jacquemin. the 
senior member of the jewelry firm of C. B. 
Jacquemin & Co., a Republican, was chosen 
as Mayor. AV. P. Wightmao, F. O. Gloasou, 
Peter Bechtele and Henry H. Metcalf were at 
the same time elected Aldermen. 

One of the most noted events, aside from 
the decision of the Union Pacific question, 
that summer and fall, was an extensive flood 
that deluged the city on the night of the 31st 
of May. The rain set in about half past G 



228 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



o'clock in the evening, and continued for over 
four hours. Every glen poured its contents 
into Broadway, which, in turn, emptied itself 
in torrents into Indian Creek, or swept in 
great swales, off southward to the flat lands 
below the city. The house of James N. Eiley 
was struck by lightning, in the southern sec- 
tion, near the bluffs, and. before the alarm of 
fire could be heard above the raging storm, 
the house and its contents were in ashes, and 
the frightened inmates barely able to seek 
shelter from the flood elsewhere. One of the 
most important and expensive law-suits in 
which the city ever engaged, resulted from 
this flood. A culvert led across Broadway, 
near the residence of William Powers. This 
had been obstructed in the laying of a gas 
main along that street, and, when the torrents 
came down the gorge, the sewer overflowed, 
the tide swept across the street, over his lots, 
and drove a huge stone wall with impetuosity 
into the creek, making it a more pile of ruins. 
It cost the city about SI, 800 to satisfy the 
claimant for his damage, growing out of a 
matter of neglect that might have been 
avoided by a few hours' work. 

The impulse given to business after the re- 
sult of the Union Pacific decision was a 
healthy and steady one. Preparations were 
at once made for a building boom in the 
spring of 1876— an impulse that has not 
abated from that day to this. Dui-ing the 
long controversy, doubt lingered in the minds 
of the most hopeful, and] retardedj some of 
the most necessary enterprises, but, now that 
the long-drawn agony was over, there was a 
steadiness of purpose and a confidence that 
never was equaled before. One of the evi- 
dences of this was the erection of the hand- 
some block at the corner of Broadway and 
Pearl streets by Horace Everett, and the 
Whitney building, occupied by the Metcalf 
brothers; and the Keller & Bennett block, -at 



the southwest corner of Bancroft street and 
Broadway. Residence building also was 
stimulated beyond precedent, and has known 
no abatement since that hour. Two impor- 
tant fires took place that winter — one the de- 
struction of the original Transfer Hotel and 
its surroundings, and the other the burning 
of the fm'niture factory of John Chase, and a 
row of buildings on North Main street, on the 
north side of Indian Creek. Fortune merely 
saved a great portion of the city on the latter 
occasion. The hand engine owned by the 
city had been sold and removed. The steamer 
was at the foundry, taken apart, and no fire 
appliance, in one of the coldest nights that 
ever blew, was available except the apparatus 
of Phcenix Hook and Ladder Company, which 
was admirably served. 

As the time for the election in the spring 
of 1876 approached, there was a disposition 
manifested to take the election of city ofiicers 
out of politics. With that in view, a mass 
convention of citizens was called for the coiu-t 
house, about thi-ee weeks before the election, 
on the first Monday in April. Leading citi- 
zens took part in its deliberations. A com- 
mittee was appointed, of which John T. Bald- 
win was Chairman, to select candidates on a 
citizens' ticket. No other nominations had 
yet been made. The committee reported, for 
Mayor, E. L. Shugart, and the recommenda- 
tion was ratified without a dissenting voice. 
Both the Globe and the Nonpareil indorsed 
the action of the convention, and, for the inter- 
vening three weeks it seemed as if no other 
choice would be presented than to ratify at 
the polls the selection made in the mass con- 
vention. On the Friday evening before the 
election, which was to occm- on the Monday 
following, a petition, signed by over three 
hundred laboring men, was presented to John 
H. Keatley, asking him to become the oppo- 
sition candidate. Assent was given, and, 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



S39 



■when the polls were closed on Monday even- 
ing, it was found that Mr. Shugart was beaten 
-by a majority of 438 votes, after one of the 
most hotly contested elections ever held in 
the city. The Aldermen elected at the same 
time were Lewis Hammer, M. Keating, C. E. 
Scott and W. C. James. E. W. Jackson was 
elected City Marshal, and G. A. Holmes 
•chosen City Attorney by the City Council, 
through the casting vote of the Mayor, the 
contest being between Mr. Holmes, Democrat, 
and W. S. Williams, Republican. 

W. F. Sapf) was nominated by the Repub- 
licans at their convention held in Council 
Bluffs, for Congress. The early spring and 
summer were devoted by him and William 
Hall, of Mills County, to a preliminary fight 
in their party for the nomination, but on the 
first ballot Sapp was declared nominated. L. 
R. Bolter, of Harrison County, was nominated 
by the Democrats, and the two contestants 
entered upon a long series of joint discussions 
throughout the district, closing the campaign 
the night before the election by an immense 
meeting at Dohany's Hall. A few days before 
that, the Nonpareil appeared with a detailed 
statement of charges of gross immorality 
against Mr. Bolter. The charges were so 
bold, and expressed in such harsh terms, that 
many Republicans, holding Col. Sapp re- 
sponsible for their currency, voted against 
him. Both candidates occupied the " fiat 
currency " platform, and leaned to greenback- 
ism in all their discussions. The majority 
was too large for Mr. Bolter to overcome, un- 
der the circumstances, and he was beaten in 
the race. 

This being Centennial year, the 100th an- 
niversary of the signing of the Declaration of 
Independence, the citizens of Council Bluffs 
j)ut forth extraordinary efforts to celebrate 
the Fourth of July. The display was the 
finest then ever seen in the city. The fire 



department, St. Patrick's Benevolent Society 
and many other civic societies, and the Coun- 
cil Bluffs Light Artillery, under Capt. J. W. 
Ropelje, paraded and marched to the park, 
where the ceremonies took place and the ad- 
dresses were delivered. At night, a magnifi- 
cent exhibition of fire-works was given by the 
fire dej)artment from one of the lofty bluffs 
south of Broadway. 

The City Council, during the summer, un- 
dertook to control and manage Indian Creek, 
by entering upon the constrwction of what is 
known as the Olive Street Ditch, from Stew- 
art's packing house southward beyond the 
Rock Island round-house. The contracts for 
the work were made and the improvement en- 
tered upon, wnen a series of injunctions were 
begun by the owners of lots contiguous to 
Olive street to restrain the city from inflict- 
ing permanent damage on those properties by 
the digging of the water-way. Deterred by 
the formidable character of the claims pre- 
sented, the Council canceled the work aad 
settled with the contractors for work already 
done. 

The spring election of 1877 was also a 
memorable one. John T. Baldwin was nomi- 
nated by the Republicans, and W. R. Vaugh- 
an ran as an independent Democrat. Large 
sums of money were spent on both sides to 
secure a victory. Bands of music were hired, 
and paraded the street all day long, and the 
most intense excitement was manifested by 
the majority of the voters. The election of 
Mr. Baldwin was secured by a large majority. 
His term of service in that office was charac- 
terized by one of the most perplexing ques- 
tions ever presented to the executive officer of 
a city. It was the year of the great railroad 
strike. The mob had destroyed millions of 
railroad property in Pittsburgh. Gov. John 
F. Hartranf fc, who had gone West through 
Council Bluffs on a pleasure trip, was hurried 



230 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



home by the call of a telegram advising him 
of the terrible emergency, and the train which 
bore him eastward through Council Bluffs 
went as swiftly as the wind. When intelli- 
gence reached this point of the work of the 
mob in Eastern cities, the lawless here began 
to organize to take advantage of the excite- 
ment and the fears of the people. The men 
who were the head and front of the offending 
here were not those who toil and are provi- 
dent, but are improvident. A gang of men 
came up from. the quarry work, along the 
line of the Kansas City road; young men 
who had no other object than excitement 
boarded incoming North-W astern trains, and 
made a mob's noise and a mob's demonstra- 
tion. At the depot they were joined by a 
hooting collection and a motley crowd, and, 
parading Broadway with torches and yells, 
they created apprehensions which their num- 
bers would scarcely justify. As a part of the 
programme, they demanded of Mayor Bald- 
win a supper at the Ogden House, and the 
Jack Cades at their head announced veng- 
ance for non-compliance. The mob encamped 
in the open air during that July night, in 
the park, and made the night hideous and 
terrible with their wild noises. With drawn 
pistols, they compelled engineers and firemen 
to abandon their locomotives, and put out the 
tires and patrolled the freight-yards to see 
that their orders were olieyed. 

The business men of Council Bluffs met at 
Rescue Engine House, on North Main street, 
that night, and organized a military company, 
and armed themselves with such weapons as 
were at hand, and held themselves in readi- 
ness for such an emergency as might arise. 
Twenty Spencer carbines hung in the armory 
of the Council Bluffs Light Artillery, at the 
headquarters of Phcenix Hook and Ladder 
Company, on upper Broadway, with three 
rounds of ammunition. The Governor, in re- 



sponse to the request of Mayor Baldwin, 
placed this squad of men under his control, 
and the latter kept the men at their quarters 
day and night to guard against the capture 
of the arms by the mob, should they attempt 
it, furnishing the men from the table of the 
Ogden House with subsistence. The City 
Council met and took into consideration the 
disturbed state of the city, and authorized 
the Mayor to increase the police force by spe- 
cial appointment. Sheriff Kahle, in aid of 
the Mayor, called out the posse, and, in the 
afternoon of the third day of the troubles, 
the court house was filled with the stanchest 
men in the city, many of them ready armed, 
to bring the crisis to a focus. Twenty men 
of the Light Aiiillery, with loaded carbines, 
marched to the public park and stacked arms 
to await the result of the deliberations of the 
citizens in the court house. The principal 
part of those who had engaged in the lawless 
demonstrations of the preceding days and 
nights were in possession of the St. Joe 
round-house, sullenly and partially awaiting^ 
events, and, in some respects, overawed by the 
earnest manifestations of the citizens. The 
result of a few moments' debate at the court 
house was the appointment of a delegation of 
citizens, at the head of which was B. F. 
Montgomery, to proceed to the St. Joe round- 
house and notify those there of the ultimate 
consequences of their conduct, and of the res- 
olution of the citizens to make quick and 
sharp work of any further riotous demonstra- 
tions. The deputation had its desii'ed effect. 
The meeting separated, subject to the call of 
the Sheriff in case hostility was resumed, but 
that evening the mob of lawless strangers 
melted away, and the railroad embargo 
ceased. 

The Aldermen elected in the sjiring of 1877 
were Henry Dawson, A. C. Graham, W. S. 
Pettibone and J. W. Kodifer. The ever-re 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



231 



curring question as to how to permanently 
bridge Indian Creek presented itself in the 
necessity for a new structure at Bryant street. 
It was demonstrable that the old system of 
piling, with an iron superstructure, was a 
failure. A new system was devised, under 
the direction of City Engineer Judson. It 
was the driving of piles side by side, at low 
water level, on each side of the stream, as a 
foundation for a stone arched bridge. Be- 
hind this, clay was rampped, and then, the 
top of the piling being cut to a level, upon 
this were placed heavy stone abutments from 
the top of which was sprung a single stone 
arch. This work was completed during that 
year, at a cost of about !?G,000, but there is 
every possible indication that the plan thus 
adopted is the only one of a durable charac- 
ter. It has justified the selection of a similar 
plan for the Madison street bridge this year 
(1882). under the supervisi()n of City Engi- 
neer Thomas Tostevin, and the work on which 
is now almost finished. 

At the city election in 1878, Dr. N. D. 
Lawrence was again elected Mayor, Mr. Bald- 
win having positively declined to alLjw the 
iise of his name again for that office. .Joseph 
Ross, John Epeneter, George H. Tabor and 
Geifirge H. Bicknell were chosen Aldermen at 
the same election. Mr. Bicknell, at the time, 
was the Superintendent of the landing of all 
the freight transferred from the Iowa rail- 
roads to the Union Pacific, and vice versa. 
The stimulus given the prosperity of the city 
by the favorable decision of 1875 kept even 
with the energies of the people, and there 
was no abatement of building, and public and 
general improvements. The St. Louis & 
Council Bluffs Eailroad^Company, occupying 
the route of the company which had under- 
taken, under the management of Gen. Ham- 
mond, to build a road fi-om St. Louis by the 
•way of Chillicothe, Mo., were pushing their i 



road, under the auspices of Jay Gould and the 
Union Pacific, to this point. In that connec- 
tion reference has already been made to the 
efforts of that company to secure the levy of 
a tax of about $180,000 as a donation from 
this city, and the causes which thwarted the 
plan. 

The Congressional contest in the district 
was conducted with some degree of interest 
The Greenback party held their convention 
at Council Bluffs in May, and nominated the 
Rev. William Hicks, of Montgomery County. 
The Republicans met at a later date, and re- 
nominated W. F. Sapp, he not having oppo- 
sition in his own convention. The Demo- 
crats met in convention at Council Bluffs in 
August, and placed John H. Keatley in nom- 
ination. Only a few joint discussions took 
place during the canvass between Sapp and 
Hicks, but the Democratic candidate, making 
a thorough canvass of the district, spoke only 
at such points as were designated to him by 
his Central Committee. Upon canvassing 
the votes, it was found that Sapp's majority 
over both the opponents was 329. Several 
weeks before the election, an effort was made 
to obtain the withdrawal of Hicks, alleging 
as inducement that, inasmuch as Gen. Wea- 
ver, the Greenbacker in the Sixth District, 
and Gillette, in the Seventh, had received 
the hearty indorsement of the Democrats, the 
Greenbackers should yield a clear field to the 
latter in this, the old Eighth. This arrange- 
ment could not be effected, and the campaign 
ended as it began. 

Fairs, festivals and theatrical entertain- 
ments constituted the amusements of the peo- 
ple during the seasons apjiropriate to such 
recreations. Council Bluffs was visited by 
some of the most talented jieople on the stage 
— Maggie Mitchell, Kate Claxton, John T. 
Raymond, Lawrence Barrett, and others of a 
like reputation throughout the country. 



232 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



Among distinguished lecturers were Henry 
Waxd Beecher and Eobei-t Ingersoll. 

At the spring election of 1S79, Col. Addi- 
son Cochran was elected Mayor, on the water 
works and what was known as the Union 
avenue issues. F. A. Biirke had been unin- 
terruptedly elected City Recorder from 1SG9, 
frequently having no opposition, his name 
being printed on both tickets; but at this 
election, R. C. Hubbard, now one of the edi- 
tors of the Nonpareil, an avowed Democrat 
in principle, became a candidate against Mr. 
Bui'ke, and succeeded in defeating him. The 
Aldermen elected at the same election were 
A. C. Graham, for a second term; G. H. 
Jackson, John H. Nicholas, and Jacob Will- 
iams, one of the editors of the Globe. This 
Council took steps, soon after its organiza- 
tion, to secure seventy-live acres of land in 
tne southeastern part of the city, in order to 
laj' out and improve Fairmount Park. By 
various decrees and negotiations, that end 
was accomplished. Earnest eflfbrts were also 
made in the direction of water works. It be- 
came evident that manufacturers could not 
be induced to seek location here unless an 
abundant supjjly of water was provided. A 
large sum of money was placed in the hands 
of the Mayor, and a committee, of which Ja- 
cob Williams was Chairman, for the purpose 
of obtaining the proper estimates of the prob- 
able cost of such an improvement, and J. D. 
Cook, an hydaulic engineer, was employed 
to carry out that design, and made an elab- 
orate report on the subject, which was printed 
and largely distributed. He estimated the 
cost, Ijringing the water from the Missouri 
River, the only feasible plan, at $350,000. 
The amount was startling and discouraging 
to many, and was certainly beyond the reach 
of the city, in its corporate capacity, ham- 
pered as it was by existing debt, and limited 
by the State constitution as it was in the 



matter of incurring farther liability. It be- 
came clear to all that the only reliance was 
upon private enterprise, under proper munic- 
ipal control. No definite plan was formu- 
lated during the year. The St. Louis & 
Council Bluffs Railroad was finished during 
the year, and in November a consolidation 
was effected, which constituted the road a 
material portion of the great Wabash system. 
By an ordinance, approved on the 4th of 
October, 1878, Union avenue was established 
from a point on Broadway, near its intersec- 
tion with Ninth street, diagonally to the 
Union Pacific Depot, an avenue nearly six 
thousand feet in length and 120 feet wide, to 
constitute the principal thoroughfare between 
the central part of the city and the Union Pa- 
cific Transfer. To provide funds for open- 
ing and improving this avenue, a special 
election was held in the early part of 1879, 
upon the question of the issuance of $25,000 
in the bonds of the city, and the prof)osition. 
was carried by a large majority. John T. Stew- 
art & Co., who owned a considerable number 
of ice-houses, standing on the line of the 
proposed street, objecting to the proposition 
to increase the indebtedness of the city for 
the improvement, sought to restrain the issu- 
ance of the bonds, on the ground that the 
limit of the city to contract debt had been 
reached, and alleging that the outstanding 
warrants must be included in any estimate of 
the city's indebtedness. This view was ac- 
cepted by Judge Reed in deciding the case 
in the District Court, and a perpetual injunc- 
tion was granted. The city appealed to the 
Supreme Court from this decision, but the 
latter court affirmed the order made. by Judge 
Reed and continued the injunction. A spe- 
cial levy was then made of taxes to cover th« 
expense of procuring the right of way and 
executing the work, and, in 1880 and 1881, 
nearly one-half of the necessary grading was- 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



331 



done. The condition of the finances of the 
city in 1SS2 made a suspension of the im- 
provement nocessaiy. Its resumption isouly 
a matter of time, as it has gone too far to be 
abandoned. 

The State Democratic Convention met at 
Council Bhiffs on the 30th day of May, 1879. 
The greater portion of the delegates arrived 
the evening before, and an immense mass 
meeting vpas held at the corner of Broadway 
and Bancroft streets, at which Judge Kin- 
ne, of Tama County, and Hon. W. A. Stovf, 
of Hamburg, spoke. The convention was 
called to order by Hon. Ed Campbell, Jr., of 
Fairfield, the veteran Chairman of the State 
Democratic Committee, and Hon. James Ha- 
german made temporary Chairman. Hon. 
A. C. Dodge, ex-United States Senator, was 
chosen permanent Chairman of the conven- 
tion, and delivered an interesting address, 
upon taking the chair. Among the leading 
members of the convention were W. W. Wit- 
mer, then editor of the Des Moines Leader, 
and Hon. John P. Irish, of the Iowa City 
Press. T. J. Potter, General Manager of 
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, 
was a delegate from Des Moines County, and 
was appointed on the Committee on Resolu- 
tions, and assisted in making the State plat- 
form. Col. Harry H. Trimble was nominated 
for Governor, and the gallant crippled sol- 
dier, Capt. Joseph Yeoman, of Fort Dodge, 
for Lieutenant Governor. The fire depart- 
ment of the city gave a grand parade in the 
forenoon, and attracted considerable atten- 
tion, and won the applaiise of the many vis- 
itors by their admirable appearance and dis- 
cipline. 

The spring election of 1880 resulted in the 
choice of \\'. C. James for Mayor a second 
time, though the terms of two incumbents in- 
tervened since he held the office last. Among 
the most prominent and valuable improve- 



ments inaugiu'ated in the early part of the 
year, was that of erecting a new three-story 
school building in the Fourth Ward, on the 
site of the old two-story brick, nearly oppo- 
site the Presbyterian Church, now known as 
the Bloomer School. In addition to the 
three principal stories is a large basement. 
It was not the desigrn to transfer the high 
school to that building, when it was first de- 
signed, but the public had conceived such a 
prejudice against the high school building, 
on the summit of the l)luflf, that when the 
Bloomer School was ready for occupancy, in 
September, 1881, it became necessary to as- 
sign the high school classes to those quarters, 
and to use it for high school purjMses, in ad- 
dition to making it award school proi:)er. A 
clock was also provided for the handsome bell 
tower 105 feet high, the bell which was for- 
merly in use at the Presbyterian Church be- 
ing the one used for strikingf the hour. 

The Republican Congressional Convention 
held in the court house here, was one of the 
most memorable political events of this lo- 
cality. The nomination of Col. W. P. Hep- 
burn, of Page County, was, after one of the 
most arduous of struggles, three days and 
nights having been spent in attempting to 
make a nomination. Robert Percival, of 
Council Bluffs, was made the Democratic 
candidate, and stumped the district, Mr. Pa- 
sey, elected in 1882, accompanying him, and 
also making some speeches. C. R. Scott, of 
Council Bluffs, was chosen a Garfield Dis- 
trict Presidential Elector, in 1880, Maj. An- 
derson of this Congressional District, also 
having been chosen one of the electors-at- 
large. Robert Perrival and Jacob C. Mor- 
gan were sent by the Democrats as delegates 
to the National Convention at Cincinnati, the 
former as a district delegate, and the latter 
was elected by the State Democratic Conven- 
tion, held in that year at Bm-lington. 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



At the spring election of 1881, W. B. 
Vaughan, as a Democratic candidate, was 
elected Mayor, over C. E. Scott and Col. D. 
, B. Dailey. F. A. Burke, former City Re- 
corder, and E. C. Hubbard were opposing 
candidates again for the same office, and Mr. 
Bmke was successful. 

At the meeting of the State Fireman's 
Association, in 1880, Council Bluffs was des- 
ignated as the place of next meeting, and the 
time, the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th of June, 
1881. The fire department of Council Bluffs, 
under the management of Thomas Bowman, 
B. Newman, P. Lacy, John N. Beckley, G. 
A. Holmes, the President of the dej^artment, 
and others of equal enterprise, made the most 
ample preparations for the event. Weeks 
were spent in preparing the grounds in the 
northwestern part of the city, adjoining the 
North-Western railroad track. Commodious 
buildings of all kinds were erected, and many 
acres of ground inclosed like a fair ground. 
The track upon which the trials of sjjeed 
during the tournament were to take place, 
was 300 yards in length from east to west 
and 60 feet wide, hardened, graded and 
rolled until it was one of the most perfect 
race tracks in the world. Every building in 
the city, almost, was decorated and draped 
with flags and bunting, and an immense tri- 
umphal arch was sprung from the four cor- 
ners at the intersection of Broadway and 
Main streets. The meeting of the State As- 
sociation was held at Burhoja's Hall on the 
7th. On the 8th occurred the grand parade. 
Forty-sis fire organizations, from various cit- 
ies and towns in the State, took part in this 
vast demonstration. The parade was under 
the direction of John H. Keatley, as Chief 
Marshal, and was more than a mile in length. 
Ten bands of music attended it, and it was 
witnessed by fully 30,000 jieople along the 
line of march. Among the distinguished vis- 



itors of the day were Hon. John H. G-ear, 
Governor of Iowa, who spoke eloquently to 
the State firemen, in the public park. The 
afternoons of eacli day of the tournament 
were taken up with hose races, trials of fire 
engines and appliances of all kinds, witnessed 
by many thousand people from the great am- 
phitheater within the grounds. A most bril- 
liant illumination closed the festivities of the 
second day. Balls were given by the Coun- 
cil Bluffs firemen to their comrades from 
abroad. Am^ng the victors in the lists were 
the Eescues, of Council Bluffs, of which the 
present Mayor, Bowman, was Captain, and 
the Bluffs City. Both teams took State 
prizes. The event closed without a single 
accident to mar its pleasures. At the elec- 
tion of officers of the State Association, Oscar 
Allen, of Marshalltown, President for the 
preceding year, gave place to Gen. Lyman 
Banks, of Muscatine, and Muscatine selected 
as the place of meeting for 1882. 

A great furor was created in transporta- 
tion circles during the latter part of the sum- 
mer by an attempt made by Mayor Vaughan 
to introduce what is known as the Herdic 
coach for street travel, in opposition to the 
street car lines. Peter Herdic, of Williams- 
port, Peun., visited the city in the interests 
of these coaches, and some six or seven of 
them were put on various lines of travel on 
principal streets, with fare at 5 cents, but 
when the fall rains set in, and the unjsaved 
streets became impassable for that class of 
vehicles, it was demonstrated that, with the 
streets in that condition, they were impi'acti- 
cable, and were abandoned. 

For several years, there was a supj)ressed 
wish to change the form of the city govern- 
ment by abandoning the old special charter, 
but no definite effort was made until 1881. 
A petition, containing the names of a requi- 
site number of voters, was presented to the 



HISTOUY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



235 



City Council, and, in obedience to the stat- 
ute, they appointed the 3d day of October as 
the day of a special election, on which the 
question of abandonment should be decided. 
The proposition carried by a handsome ma- 
jority. The City Council, owing to a claim 
that the polls had not closed at the proper 
hour, refused to canvass the vote, urging that 
it was no election. A writ of mandamus 
was sued out before Judge Reed, to compel 
them to count the votes, the suit being insti- 
tuted by George Keeline, at the instance of 
the friends of the measure, to operate the city 
under the general puljlic incorporation laws 
of the State, instead of under the old special 
charter, but before a final decision was 
reached, a compromise was effected, and an 
order made that the election for city officers 
should occur on the 7th day of March, 1882, 
for a term of two years. 

The 30th day of May, 1881, was strictly 
observed by the people of Council Bluffs as 
Decoration Day. Up to 1880, there had been 
no memorial services of the kind held in this 
city, although quite a number of veterans of 
the late war occupied unmarked graves in the 
various cemeteries here. There was no or- 
ganization of veterans to take charge of such 
ceremonies and tribute to the valiant dead. 
About the middle of April, 1880, as a pre- 
paration for Decoration Day, one hundred 
and twenty old soldiers met in the court 
house and organized the Pottawatamie Vet- 
eran Association, and took the necessary 
steps, in connection with the citizens, to 
properly celebrate the occasion. It was a 
bright Sunday. Thousands tiu-ned out to 
take part, and the people marched to Fair- 
view Cemetery, where a platform had been 
erected, with appropriate music, to decorate 
the graves, about a dozen in all. They were 
completely buried in masses of flowers be- 
stowed by loving and reverent hands. Hon. 



J. E. Reed and Maj. Lyman delivered elo- 
quent eulogies on the soldiers. 

The 30th day of May. 1881, Decoration 
Day, was again observed in an imposing 
manner, at the same cemetery, Col. W. F. 
Sapp. Col. Smythe, of Omaha, Rev. F. T 
Webb, of the Episcopal Church, and others, 
delivering appropriate addresses, and the 
tombs beinor again strewn with flowers. The 
Cemetery Association, the year before, had 
donated to the Veteran Association a hand- 
some plat of ground for the proper burial of 
such soldiers as died here in poverty and 
without friends. Several burials had already 
occurred iu that beautiful lot. Among the 
graves dacorated in 1881, which were not in 
the cemetery in 18S0, was that of the distin- 
gui.shsd physician. Dr. Henry Osborn, who 
had tilled an honorable place in the service 
of his country as a medical officer on the bat- 
tle-fields of the Western army. 

The sju-ing of 1881 was ushered in by what 
will always be known as the great flood. 
Heavier snows fell in the West, and espe- 
I cially in the Cpper Missouri country, than 
had been known for many years before. 
AVhen these began to melt, at the end of 
March, there were indications of an unusual 
flood. Intelligence came from Yankton, 
Sioux City and other points iu the North and 
Northwest, that there was an unprecedented 
rise in the river, and that cattle and houses 
had been swept away. Now and then a house 
from up the country swept past Council 
Bluffs, but no local alarm was created. On 
Friday night, the water of the Missouri was 
out of its banks in the northwestern part of 
the city, but no apprehension was felt by the 
citizens generally, although the city authori- 
ties felt the danger of the breaking of a dyke 
made by an old embankment of the North- 
western Railroad Company, extending to 
the river. 



236 



HLSTOKY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



The grounds west of the North W^estern 
track were much lower than east of it. This 
section of the city was then occupied by 
smaller residences. The dyke broke, the 
water came through, but not in any great 
rush, and gradually spread over the table- 
land, not disturbing the foundations of the 
buildings. It was late at night when the 
real alarm was given, and the scene was more 
appalling in appearance than in actuality. 
Numerous families were rescued in the night 
and taken to the court house, Dohany's Hall, 
Bloom & Nixon's, and other places, for safety 
and comfort. By daylight, the whole area 
from the North-AVestern track to the river 
bank, was an open sea, dotted with houses as 
islands. During the forenoon of Saturday, 
nearly all were in a place of safety, yet the 
water kept rising till it crossed the railroad 
track, covered all the south and west jiart of 
the city as far east as Ninth street, and 
wholly cut off all intercourse between the 
centra] part of the city and the transfer, ex- 
cept by boat. Until Wednesday of the next 
week, commerce between Omaha and Council 
Bluffs was wholly by boats. The water stood 
at the transfer platforms to the upper edge. 
Men made from $15 to $20 per day in carry- 
ing passengers in boats from the North-West- 
ern depot to the transfer. During the flood, 
scarcely a house was moved from its founda- 
tions. The water eventually fell about a 
foot, and people congratulated themselves 
that the crisis was over, but they were start- 
led, in a few days again, with the intelli- 
gence that the river was rising at Sioux City 
to a height equal to the former flood; and in 
a few hours, the water advanced over its 
fonner route, submerging the same portions 
of the city to a height of about two inches 
more than before. It stood at that stage for 
nearly a week, and then subsided, leaving 
one of the fairest portions of Council Bluffs 



a desolate waste, so far as mere appearances 
were concerned. Fences, outhouses and 
sidewalks were gone, entailing heavy loss 
upon individuals, ill able to bear it, and 
upon the public. Many families of the lab- 
oring classes were fed at the public expense, 
as their employment at the railroads was 
wholly interrupted. 

The 26th of September, 1881, was signal- 
ized in Council Bluffs by the observance of 
appropriate mamorial services, on the day of 
the funeral of President Garfield, at Cleve- 
land, Ohio. The day set in with a shower, 
but by noon it cleared off bright and clear. 
The entire city took part in the ceremonies. ' 
At noon, a salute was tired from a twelve- 
pounder, but during one of the discharges of 
the piece, the arm of Joseph Spaulding, an 
ex-soldier of the civil war, was torn off so 
that amputation had to be made at the shoul- 
der. He recovered otherwise from the acci- 
dent, and when the mail carrier system was 
established here, he was appointed by Mr. 
Armour, the Postmaster, in that branch of 
the public service. This was the second ac- 
cident through that piece within two months. 
"While it was being used at the Shenandoah 
Soldiers' Re-union, in the latter- part of Au- 
gust, James Matthews, of Council Bluffs, 
who was engaging in serving the gun, lost 
his hand by a premature discharge. The 
people of Shenandoah very generously pro- 
vided a large sum of money for the benefit of 
Mr. Matthews, whose circumstances justified 
such an act of charity. 

The civic societies, the post of the Grand 
Army of the Republic, and the Veteran Asso- 
ciation, marched in column to the Pearl Street 
Park, where appropriate services were held, 
among them the delivery of an eloquent eu- 
logy by John N. Baldwin, son of Judge 
Baldwin, deceased. 

Scarcely had the people left the park on 



HISTORY OF rOTTx\.WATTAMlE COUXTY. 



237' 



their way home from the ceremonies, when 
a terrific explosion was heard, the noise of 
the crash coming from the southwestern part 
of the city. Persons in the second stories of 
buildings, looking in the direction of the 
Eock Island depot, saw a huge column of va- 
por and smoke rise into the air at a great 
height, indicating the explosion of a steam 
boiler as much as anything else. Hundreds of 
squares of large French-plate glass, more than 
a mile from the Rock Island depot, on Broad- 
way and on Pearl and Main streets, were 
shattered to fragments, and the streets were 
filled in a moment with crowds of panic- 
stricken people. An earthquake seemed to 
be, to most of them, the only explanation. It 
was soon ascertained that a car load of dyna- 
mite had caught lire in the fi-eight yard of 
the Rock Island Railroad Company, and had 
exploded. The wreck made on the grounds 
was terrific. Box-cars constituting trains 
were split into kindling wood. The large 
brick round-house near by was totally de- 
molished, and some of the largest stone in 
the structure hurled immense distances. Oil- 
houses, dining-cars, machine shops and tool- 
houses were literally torn to pieces. Dwell- 
ing-houses, a quarter of a mile away, were 
rendered ruinous, and where the car stood a 
hole was scooped out of the earth more than 
a hundred feet in diameter and fifty feet in 
depth, the earth having deen thrown up in 
great blocks weighing many tons each. Sin- 
gularly enough, not a life was lost. Only a 
few moments before the disaster occurred, 
Jerome McClintock, in charge of the freight 
depaitment of the company, and aware of 
the car being on tire, notified the men in the 
yard and shops of the impending danger, and 
they abandoned the premises none too soon. 
Many suits have been begun against the rail- 
road company to determine its liabilities for 
the results of the explosion. Before winter 



set in, the railroad company had completely 
restored their destroyed buildings. 

The canvass for the election of officers of 
the city at the spring election, in 1882, was, 
without exception, the most active the city 
had ever known. Mayor Vaughan was a can- 
didate for re-election. He made a struggle 
to secure the delegates to the city Democratic 
Convention, but was defeated in his effort. 
He had at the same time been nominated by 
a large convention of the laboring men, and 
entered on a fierce strife for ratification at 
the polls. The Republican Convention 
nominated Dr. N. D. Lawrence, and the Demo- 
crats, Thomas Bowman, a young Democrat, a 
native of Maine, who came to Council Bluffs 
in 1867, and who had twice been elected 
County Treasurer by unprecedented majori- 
ties. Many Democrats, who were in sympa- 
thy with the labor cause, voted for Mr. 
Vaughan, thereby diminishing the chances of 
Mr. Bowman as against Dr. Lawrence. The 

! most intense excitement prevailed on elec- 
tion day. The result was that Mr. Bow- 
man defeated Mr. Vaughan by a majority of 
138 votes, and Dr. Lawrence by thirty-four 
votes. 

Diuring the summer of 1882, the Driving 
Park Association made especial efforts for its- 
fall meeting, to begin on the 18th of Sep- 
tember. A new art and agricultm'al hall was 
erected, at a cost of §0,000, the finest edifice 
of its kind in the West. It was built in the 
form of a cross, each arm of the same being 

1 150 feet long. In addition to the excellent 
mile track made the year before, the associa- 
tion constructed a half-mile track inside of 

i the other, and made the grounds most at- 
tractive in every respect. Arrangements were 
made for the holding of a county fair at the 
date of the fall meeting, and this was con- 
ducted with the most eminent success, owing 
to the admirable management of Dr. A. B. 



338 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



McCune, W. S. Pettibone, N. M. Pusey, L. 
C Baldwin, J. W. Peregoy, Directors of the 
association. The daily attendance during 
the four days' fair and races was about 20,- 
000 people, they coming from all parts of 
Western Iowa and Eastern Nebraska. The 
fair was a success, not only in numbers, but 
in disjjlay and financially. The art exhibi- 
tion under Mrs. N. M. Pusey, Mrs. J. B. At- 
kins and other ladies of the city, was the 
finest and most attractive ever seen in Coun- 
cil Bluffs. 

Following the fair, and beginning on the 
28th of September, was the re-union of the 
Veteran Association of Southwestern Iowa 
and Northwestern Missouri. The Driving 
Park Association gave the use of the fair 
grounds to the reunion. Through the aid of 
a bill introduced by Congressman Hepburn, 
the War Department loaned to the associa- 
tion 150 hospital tents, capable of sheltering 
over 2,500 men. A rain occurred on Wed- 
nesday night, the re-union beginning on 
Thursday, and laid the dust. The first morn- 
ing opened bright, clear and cool, and the 
fixst trains brought veterans by the hundred, 
and by night 3,000 of them were comfortably 
quartered in the camp. Col. John H. Keat- 
ley was the Commandant, aided by Col. D. 
B. Dailej-, Chief of Staff. Cen. G. M. 
Dodge, the former commander of the Six- 
teenth Army Corps, and the first Colonel of 
the Fourth Iowa, organized here, was on a 
visit home from New York, to meet the old 
regiment and to take part in the re-union. 
On the afternoon of the first day. the veter- 
ans were organized into two battalions, the 
one called the Wabash Battalion, under com- 
mand of Col. Ellis, of Vallisca, and the other, 
the Northwestern Battalion, commanded by 
Col. J. C. Cook, of Carroll. Both battalions 
gave handsome and interesting dress parades 
at 5 o'clock that evening, witnessed by many 



thousands of spectators. The veterans had 
not forgotten, in the fifteen years since the 
war closed, their military habits, and moved 
with a precision that was remarkable. 

On the second morning, at 9 o'clock, the 
column formed at the fair grounds, and 
; marched into the city for parade and review. 
Old, tattered and torn battle-flags were borne 
in the column, headed by the commandant 
and Gen. Dodge^ the reviewing officer. At 
the Methodist Church, the column counter- 
marched, and as Gen. Dodge passed it on 
return, he was received with respectful and 
pathetic silence, and many a gray-haired 
veteran wept at the spectacle, never again 
to be repeated. Gen. Dodge jilaced himself 
at the corner of Broadway and Bancroft 
streets, where the column passed, marching 
by platoons, and riding away when the last 
maimed veteran passed his gallant old com- 
mander, there was a feeling of sadness, not 
only in the men themselves, but in the more 
than 40,000 people who in dense masses 
lined the sidewalks for nearly two miles. It 
was a memorable day, the greatest Council 
Bluffs ever saw, and perhaps will never see 
its equal again. Congratulatory dispatches 
. and letters were also read in camp, before 
! the parade was dismissed from Gens. Grant, 
i Sherman, Sheridan and Howard. The after- 
noon was occupied by speeches from Col. 
Hepburn Maj. Anderson and others, to their 
comrades, and a sham battle between an 
armed post of the Grand Army of the Re- 
public from Carroll, and a cavalry company 
from Coburg, Iowa, under Capt. Kretchmer, 
and with a dress parade of both battalions in 
the evening. That night, the city was bril- 
liantly illuminated, in honor of the veterans, 
and Gen. Dodge, assisted by his daughter, 
Mrs. F. S. Pusey, gave the Fourth Iowa and 
other military guests, and his civilian friends, 
including Hon. A. C. Dodge, ex-United States 



HISTOKY OF rOTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



239' 



Senator of Iowa, a hospitable reception at 
his residence on Bluff street. The re-\inion 
closed on Satm-day, with farewell greetings, 
and the election of officers of the association 
for the ensuing year, and the fixing of the 
next place of meeting at Marysville, Mo. 



With this paragraph, the annals of Council 
Bluflfs close, at a point, too, in its history, 
and in an event which will not soon be for- 
gotten either by the writer or by those who 
witnessed this assemblage of the men who had 
gallantly fought tlie battles of the great nation. 




4%^ 



^40 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XXXII* 



KNOX TOWNSHIP— FIRST SETTLERS— FIRST MARRIAGE— FIRST WHEAT SOWN— MISSIONARY WORK 

—AVOCA— ORIGIN OF NAME— RAILROADS— CHURCHES— SOCIETIES— 

THE PRESS— BUSINESS INTERESTS, ETC. 

and settled near Newtown, on Section 22. 
Joshua Headlee is now dead. His son James 
removed to Han'ison County, and William to 
Butler County, Kan. The mother is a resi- 
dent of Avoca. Her two daughters also live 
in the same town. Joseph Headlee arrived 
in the fall of 1852. He now lives in Valley 
Township. George Headlee settled on the 
J. A. Sinclair farm, near Avoca, and his 
death, in 1854, was the tirst in Knox Town- 
ship. Jackson Headlee came about the same 
time and stayed until the war broke out, 
when he went into the military service as a 
"Union soldier, and died in the South. Where 
Joshua Headlee first settled is now the prop- 
erty of Cyrus True. 

Ira Baker and Thomas F. Davis airived 
and made a settlement in 1853. Baker dis- 
charged the duties of Justice of the Peace 
and of Township Clerk for several years. 
Joseph A. Bunnell came in 1852, but did not 
make a permanent residence, part of his time 
being spent in Shelby County for a few years, 
and he did not definitely locate until ]854. 
Josiah True, who is one of the leading citi- 
zens of the county, and who was one of the 
Democratic candidates for Representative in 
the Legislature in 1879, settled near where 
Avoca now is in November, 1857. Cyrus 
True came during the same month. Jona- 
than Hall, who now lives in Woodbiuy Coun- 
ty, settled in Lewin's Grove, but the date is 
not now remembered by the old settlers of 
the township. John lii'utzinger bought out 
the Joshua Headlee claim, and built a saw 



-X -rEXT after Kane, Knox Township is the 
_LN most important township in the coimty, 
inasmuch as it contains the largest town in 
the county after the city of Council Bluffs. 
Not only that, the main line of the Chica- 
go, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad passes 
through Avoca, and it is also the northern 
terminus of the Carson Branch, and the 
southern terminus of the Harlan Branch, of 
ihe Rock Island. Besides these considera- 
tions, a great portion of the township con- 
sists of the far-famed Nishnabotna Valley, 
one of the richest agricultural regions in the 
world. 

The tirst settler in Knox Township was 
Washington Lewin, who came in in 1851, 
and settled about a mile and a half east of 
where Avoca now stands, in what has since 
been called Lewin's Grove. Mr. Lewin sub- 
sequently changed his residence to Omaha, 
Neb. , and the tract of land that he occupied 
in 1851 has been divided into lots, and 
owned principally by H. Meredith. Lewin 
occupied a log cabin on the land. 

William Henderson, a bachelor, was the 
second settler, and located in Lewin's Grove 
in the fall of 1851. He opened out a small 
clearing in the timber, and the next year 
raised a light crop of corn. He lived on this 
land several years; was afterward married 
there, and died in the township. His widow 
is now a resident of Shelby County. 

Joshua Headlee and his two sons, William 
and James, came into the township in 1852, 

*By Col. Johu H. Keatley. 



KNOX TOWNSHIP. 



241 



mill on the West Branch of the Nishnabotna, 
on Section 21. This was the fu-st improve- 
ment of that kind made in Knox Township, 
and the second in the eastern part of the coun- 
ty. Krutzinger also connected a small grist- 
mill with his saw-mill. He was a man of 
some means. He was killed at Gleuwood, 
Mills County, in the fall of 1S56. He moved 
from that place in 1854, and built his mill the 
same summer. 

Jonathan Hall was also a man of some 
means and influence; acted as Justice of the 
Peace, and frequently practiced medicine 
among the needy settlers. Joseph Losh came 
to the township in 1854, jumped a claim 
where Avoca now stands, and built a cabin, 
but did not remain long, moving; farther 
down the river and building Losh's Mill, 
near Carson. Henry Brown bought out Losh's 
claim. He lived on it for quite awhile, and 
then sold it to J. A. Sinclair. Henry Peter- 
son. J. Wineland, John Wood, John Nelson 
and Joseph Crews came in about the same 
date and opened up farms. Buck Townsend 
arrived in the fall of 1855, and laid out the 
town of Wooster, in Section 21, in the winter 
of 1855-56, and opened a store on the town 
site. Samuel Perrin, of Council Bluffs, was 
the surveyor who laid off Wooster for Town- 
send. The original proprietors were Town- 
send and Samuel Knepper and Dr. S. M. 
Ballard, of Coimcil Bluffs, who had in view 
the railroad from the Mississippi to the Mis- 
souri River at that date. After from fifteen 
to twenty houses were built on their site, they 
found difficulty in the title, and, dissatisfac- 
tion having arisen, and John Krutzinger 
bought forty acres just across the line, and 
laid it out, calling the new site Newtown, "by 
which the spot has ever since been known, 
anything like a town having long since dis- 
appeared in the opening-up of railroads in 
■other directions. Newtown was the center 



of business in Knox Township until Avoca 
was laid out, as the result of the building of 
the Rock Island Railroad. Newtown had 
thi-ee stores at one time, and a blacksmith 
shop. The elections were held at that point, 
and nearly all the meetings in the township. 
The first frame schoolhouse in the township 
was at Newtown, and was erected by Cyriis 
True as the contractor. This was in 1858. 
But the first school was in a log cabin built 
by Joshua Headlee. This was not a public 
school, but was sustained by private subscrip- 
tion among the settlers, and was taught by R. 
M. Donahue. 

The first marriage celebrated in Knox 
Township was between George White and 
Miss Mary Townsend, the daughter of Buck 
Townsend, who laid out Wooster. The new- 
ly married couple went to Council Bluffs to 
live after they were married. The first birth 
in the township was a son to Josej)h Head- 
lee and his wife, in LS53. The tu'st preach- 
ing was in a log cabin, at a quarterly, held 
by the Rev. Moses Shinn, of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. The second mill built 
was on the Main Branch of the Botna River, 
by Seth Hunt & Sons. This was the first 
regular flouring-mill; but the machinery was 
afterward taken out and made a part of the 
Centennial Mills in Avoca. A parsonage 
was built at Newtown for the Methodist min- 
ister. John Wilson bought out Buck Town- 
send's store at Newtown, and discharged the 
duties of local Methodist preacher. The 
circuit extended for twenty miles in each di- 
rection from Newtown, the first circuit-rider 
as a preacher being Rev. Mr. Card. Dr. S. 
M Ballard, who was at one time Register of 
the United States Land Oifice at Council 
Bluffs, laid out a State road from Iowa City 
to Council Bluffs, and passed through 
Newtown, and is still known as the Ballard 
State road. The first bridge was on this 



243 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



road, across the Botna, and was constructed 
by James A. Sinclair. The post office was 
opened at Newtown by John Wilson, as Post- 
master. He was succeeded by Cyrus True. 
James A. Sinclair succeeded True. A steam 
saw-mill was brought up from Big Grove to 
Newtown in 1858, and operated there for 
some years. After Mr. Krutzinger's death 
at Glenwood, John Stickley, who now lives 
at Clarinda, in Page County, operated Krutz- 
inger's Mill. 

Tlie family of Woods was quite an impor- 
tant one at an early date in the township. 
John H. Wood now lives in Missouri. The 
family consisted of a widowed mother, and 
live brothers and two sisters. 

The first wheat sown was in the spring of 
1855, and the first threshing by a machine, 
in the harvest of 1856, on the farm of James 
A. Sinclair. The great distance the town- 
ship lay from railroads and the river, and 
especially from railroads, until the advent 
of the Kock Island in 1869, retarded the set- 
tlement of the township, although the soil is 
the most fertile in the State. 

The United Brethren Church began mis- 
sionary work among the settlers shortly after 
the Methodists, and organized a society, con- 
ducting their services in the schoolhouse at 
Newtown. They have now about iifty mem- 
bers, and their meetings are held at the 
schoolhouse at Pleasant Hill. Their pres- 
ent minister is the Rev. Mr. Jenks. They 
also have a Sunday school in connection with 
their church organization. The Rev. J. M. 
Dosch was the first pastor of the society. 
One of the original members is James A. 
Sinclair. 

The following sketches outline the cai'eer 
of some of the early settlors of the township, 
its pioneers. William Pierce came to Potta- 
wattamie County in 1855, and settled at Mac- 
edonia, and remained there about thi'ee years. 



when he removed up the river to where Han- 
cock, on the Carson Branch now is, and lived 
there for three years more. He returned 
then to Des Moines and stayed four years, 
and moved back again, settling in Avoca. 
While at Macedonia, he had a blacksmith 
shop, and kept the toll-bridge across the Nish- 
nabotua River for its owner, J. B. Stuts- 
man, and others, who had erected it and were 
operating it under a license. When he first 
came into the township, wolves were abund- 
ant and terribly annoying, howling all night 
long around his cabin; and deer could be 
easily shot at any time. Game of all kinds 
was then abundant. Mr. Pierce was born in 
Ohio in 1828, and lived in his native State 
until his removal to Iowa in 1855, following 
his trade as a blacksmith. He was married, 
in 1853, to Miss Elizabeth Brown, also a na- 
tive of Ohio. They have four children living 
— three sons and one daughter. In political 
sentiment and opinion, Mr. Pierce has always 
been a Democrat. His farm of eighty acres, 
near Avoca, is finely improved, and constitutes 
for him a comfortable home. When he 
went to where Hancock now is to settle, 
there was not a house on either side of the 
river from Big Grove to Newtown, a distance 
of eleven miles. In order to secure his claim 
of 120 acres of land, he had to borrow money, 
and was compelled to pay 60 per cent per an- 
nvim for the use of what he needed. He bor- 
rowed the amount from Ira Platner, of Coun- 
cil Blufis. Mrs. Pierce greatly assisted her 
husband, especially when they resided at 
Macedonia. The constant stream of emi- 
grants westward made the baking of bread 
for sale to them extremely profitable, her net 
receipts, some days, from that source, being 
as high as $5. When she kej)t toll-bridge at 
that point, a Mormon train came along, hav- 
ing with it about fifty hand-carts. She had 
not been given the rates of crossing for this 



KNOX TOWNSHIP. 



245 



kind of vehicle, and jumped at a conclusion, 
and charged them $2.50, the rate for a two- 
horse wagon being 20 cents. 

Another well-known and highly respected 
citizen of Knox Township is Cyrus True, al- 
ready mentioned in connection with a num- 
ber of early enterprises and improvemen s. 
He was born in Lincoln County, Me., Sep- 
tember 26, 1829, his father being Samuel 
True, of that county. The parents of Cjtus 
True removed to Bradford, Me., when he was 
only six years old: and when he was eighteen 
years old, he went to Bangor and learned the 
trade of carpenter and joiner. When twenty- 
three, he settled in New Haven, Conn., and 
lived for three years, and then went to Bos- 
ton, leaving the latter city and reaching his 
present home in 1857. He was married to 
Mrs. S. J. Hunter, also a native of North 
Yarmouth, Me. The route taken to reach 
this locality was to Alton, III. There they 
took steamboat to St. Louis; from the latter 
city they went by rail to Jefferson City, from 
Jefferson City to Fort Leavenworth by boat; 
and then again by boat to St. Joseph ; and 
from there to Council Bluffs by stage. Land 
was selling in the Botna Valley at that date 
for $5 per acre. Josiah True, the brother of 
Cyrus, who came at the same time, pm-chased 
400 acres where he now lives, in sight of 
Avoca. Cp'us bought no land at that time, 
but went to work at his trade. Josiah True 
went to Colorado during the Pike's Peak ex- 
citement, and engaged in mining for about 
five years, but came back to the county, and 
has since made Knox Township his home, 
having one of the tiaest homesteads in Iowa. 
Part of the summer of 1882 has been spent 
by him in Dakota, locating a ranch and en- 
gaging in the management of stock-raising in 
that quarter, but his permanent home is 
w))ero he settled in 1857. 

When James A. Sinclair arrived in Knox 



Township in 1855, there were only ten fami- 
lies of settlers in the township. He was born 
in Indiana in 1826, his father being William 
D. Sinclair. His mother still lives, at the 
great age of eighty years. His parents moved 
to Kentucky when he was twelve years of age, 
and he remained in that State until after he 
was married, in 1848, to Miss Martha Adkis- 
son, a native of Kentucky. He then emigrat- 
ed to Illinois, living in Warren County six 
years, when be came to Iowa and settled in 
Knox Township. He and his brother crossed 
the State with one wagon and six horses, 
bringing their families. They came by the 
way of Burlington, Mt. Pleasant and Fair- 
field. They had no idea of any particular 
locality for settlement — simply that they 
would come to Western Iowa. On the way, 
they met their father, who had been out pros- 
pecting. He turned back, came with them, 
stayed a few months, and, when he started 
East again, they were unable to hear what 
ever became of him. Trading at that date 
'^as all done at Council Bluffs, and the mill- 
ing at Macedonia, Mr. Sinclair has six chil- 
dren living — three sons and three daughters. 
He has a fine farm of 425 acres, his principal 
business being the raising of stock. He has 
always been a Republican in politics, and a 
consistent member of the United Brethren 
Church. He has an orchard of fifteen acres on 
his farm, doubtless the largest in the county. 
H. H. Peterson, whose pvost office is Avoca, 
is another Knox Township pioneer, who was 
born in Maine August 18, 1827, and is the 
son of William B. Peterson, who died when 
the son was eighteen years of age. He 
learned the tanner's trade, and, until his' fa- 
ther's death — the latter being a cripple — 
aided in his support. He came West, pass- 
ing through and stopping for a short time in 
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois; he finally landed 
in Iowa, where he was married. His was the 



2it3 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



first wedding ever celebrated in Greene Coun- 
ty, the bride being Miss Fannie Wood. On 
coming to Pottawattamie County, he found the 
public lands bad all fallen into the hands of 
speculators, and, going into Nebraska, was 
unable to find a homo to suit him, and re- 
turned to Knox Township and settled. In 
the spring of 1855, he bought 120 acres from 
Ira Platner, paying him $12.50 an acre, pay- 
ing Plainer also 60 per cent interest for six 
months. At the end of that time, he was 
able to borrow the money from Dr. S. M. 
Ballard for 40 per cent and pay off the Plat- 
ner debt. At the end of four years, he was 
out of debt, and had his farm all paid for. 
He was able to do this by stock - raising, 
which, at that date, with the great range of 
open country, was an exceedingly profitable 
business. His farm now consists of 265 
acres of as fine land as exists in Pottawat- 
tamie County, ninety acres of it being in cul- 
tivation, and the rest pasture and meadow. 
He has also a grove of young timber planted 
of seventy acres. He has six children living 
— two sons and four daughters. Mr. Peter- 
son is a Democrat in politics. 

Jacob Wineland, another old settler, was 
born in Pennsylvania in 1816, but moved to 
Ohio with his parents when he was a small 
boy. His father's name was John Wineland. 
He lived in Ohio until 1852, when be came 
to Iowa and assisted in the founding of 
Brooklyn, in this State. He bought the land 
to constitute his farm in Knox Township 
July 3, 1854. The only settlers now living 
in the township when he came are Joseph 
Bunnell, James A. Sinclair and Henry Peter- 
son. His wife, who was Miss Mary Ann Hain, 
was a native of Ohio, and the couple were 
married in that State. The pair have had 
four daughters and three sons; two of the 
daughters are married, and two of the sons. 
Mr. Wineland, before the organization of the 



Republican party, was a Whig, but when that 
party disappeared in the contest over the 
slavery question, Mr. Wineland assisted in 
organizing the Republican party, and has 
adhered to it ever since. He bought his land 
from James A. Sinclair for 15 per acre. He 
lived for a time in a kind of a tent, made by 
piling up rails for sides, and making a roof 
of the wagon cover. He then built a log 
cabin, with a ground floor. In order to get 
the Krutzinger Mill in operation, to get the 
use of it, Mr. Wineland and other settlers 
gave their assistance in labor for their board. 
About the time the mill was ready for opera- 
tion, a flood came and washed it off, and all 
the work had to be done over. He has now a 
fine farm of 450 acres, and a home in which 
to spend his declining years comfortably. 
When the first winter commenced after his 
residence here, he possessed only 25 cents in 
cash. He came through with ox teams from 
Ohio. He brought to Knox Township twelve 
sacks of flour, hoping that that would serve 
him until the new crop would be harvested, 
but the article was so scarce in the settlement 
that he had to lend it nearly all to his neigh- 
bors, and he and his family more than once 
suffered for the want of it. 

AVOCA. 

This history of Avoca necessarily grows 
out of that of Knox Township. It is the bus 
iness center of the township, and the place 
where its general elections are held. It is 
situated forty-one miles east of Council 
Bluffs, in the very heart of the Botna Valley, 
and at the confluence of the East and West 
Branches of the Nishnabotna River, Its ori- 
gin is due to the construction and completion 
of tho Rock Island Railroad through from 
Des Moines to Council Bluffs in the early 
part of 1870. The original town plat of 
Avoca was made in 1869, when the railroad 



KNOX TOWNSHIP. 



247 



reached that point. John P. Cook, of Dav- 
enport, and B. F. Allen, of Des Moines, laid 
out an addition in 1870; Davis' Park Addi- 
tion was added afterward; and the Old Race 
Track Addition, in the west part of the town, 
on the bottom. G. Deidrick, acting as agent 
for the citizens, made a purchase of ten acres 
for cemetery purposes in the north part of 
the town in July, 1877. Afterward, ten more 
acres were added to this; but live acres of 
the last ten were afterward conveyed to the 
Catholic Church for cemetery p.irposes. 

Meredith Addition also forms a part of the 
existing town plat. 

The original town was laid off by a town 
company in 1869, which consisted of John 
P. Cook, his brother, Ebenezer Cook, John 
F. Tracey, of the Rock Island Railroad Com- 
pany, and B. F. Allen, the Des Moines bank- 
er. Ebenezer Cook was at that time Vice 
President of the railroad company, and its 
Land Commissioner; and John P. Cook, who 
had been a Member of Congress from Iowa, 
was the Iowa solicitor of the company. The 
first building erected was by Julius Priester. 
In the winter of 1868-69, a building was 
erpcted where the Pacific House now stands, 
and was called the Botna Exchange, and this 
was the first building ever occupied in the 
town of Avoca. The railroad track reached 
that point in April, 1869. 

The old settlers called the town " Pacific," 
but in April, 1869, it was changed to Botna. 
An excursion of ladies and gentlemen came 
out by rail, and going to the hill where the 
public school building now is, looked up and 
down the beautiful valley, and the scenery 
recalling to one of the gentlemen Tom Moore's 
" Sweet Vale of Avoca," he quoted several of 
its lines, and, inspired by that circumstance, 
one of the ladies clapped her hands, with 
the exclamation, "That is it," and that be- 
came the name of the town. 



The first general store opened in the place 
was by Norton & Jones, in a building that 
stood where the Centennial Mills now are, 
and the store was opened in July, 1S60. 
They afterward moved to the northwest cor- 
ner of Elm and High streets. Norton is now 
in the hardware business at Oakland. Jones 
& Norton are also in the hardware business 
at Avoca. Abram Harris, who was afterward 
Mayor of the place, opened a meat market in 
March, 1870, buying out a man named Bee- 
die, who had undertaken the business first. 
Mr. Harris may be said to have actually 
opened out the first regular market in the 
town. He came to Valley Township in July, 
1869, and began opening up a farm, and 
since then has improved the second one in 
the same township. He lived, before coming 
into this section, at Ottawa, 111. ; was a 
Democrat in 1844, and voted for Polk and 
Dallas, afterward, the Whig and Republican 
tickets, and finally became a leader in the 
Greenback movement. 

John Acker, the oldest settler in the town, 
came in March, 1869, before the track was 
finished to Council Bluffs. He came by stage 
to Big Grove, and from there up to Avoca. 
There was not at that date enough lumber to 
be had to build a house, and sufficient to do so 
had to be brought by rail from Atlantic. As 
soon as he could get a building up, he went 
into the general hardware trade, his being 
the first business house on Elm street. At 
that time, there was a little grocery on the 
east side of the hill, and one hotel and two 
saloons in the entire town. The first Mayor 
after the town was incorporated was Milo H. 
Adams. The present Mayor is G. Diedrich. 
Capt. C. V. Gardner, who now lives at Dead- 
wood, Dak. , and has there been engaged in suc- 
cessful mining operations, and Thomas Led- 
wich, now of Harlan, opened the first Imuber 
yard in Avoca. C. V. Gardner also began the 



248 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



publication of the Avoca Delta, in 1870, hav- 
ing the composition and press work done 
outside, and the enterjirise being more of a 
real estate boom than a legitimate joui'nalis- 
tic enterprise. Shortly after, the railroad 
company began the regular operation of 
trains. Stephen Caldwell began buying and 
shipping grain at that point. When the post 
office was established and oj^ened, Thomas 
Ledwich was made the first Postmaster. Jo- 
seph B. Blake, one of the oldest settlers in 
the county, and for many years a resident of 
Crescent City and Council Bluffs, is the 
present Postmaster of Avooa. 

W. B. Peterson sold the land to John P. 
Cook upon which the town site company lo- 
cated the station, the tract consisting of 
ninety-five acres. Clarence M. Peterson was 
the first child born in the town, or where the 
town stands, that occurring on March 4, 
1869. His father lived on the site at the 
time. They had began to stake off the town 
a few days before he was born, and had not 
finished when the event occurred. 

The first public school building erected by 
the Independent School District of Avoca, 
after it was set off as such from the distinct 
township of Knox, was a two- story brick, 36 
x8(> feet, in 1876. An addition of the same 
height and same material, 36x64. was made 
in the year 1880. This building stands on 
the top of an elevation, giving one of the 
finest views in the State of Iowa, and the one 
which so rapturously inspired those who gave 
the existing name to this prosperous town. 

The first meeting of the City Council was 
held March 15. 1875. Milo H. Adams was 
Mayor, G. Diedrich, Recorder, and H. O. 
Seiffert, a member of the Iowa Legislature in 
1882: J. M. Jones, C. H. Norton, W. T. 
Mead and Stephen Jackson, Trustees. E. W. 
Davis, the banker, was appointed Treasurer, 
Orrin E. Beswick, Marshal, and John Cool, 



Street Commissioner. At the second meet- 
ing, March 17, a set of ordinances were adopt- 
ed. The present officers (1882), besides Mr. 
Diedrich, as Mayor, are F. G. Hetzel, Re- 
corder; E. W. Davis, Treasurer; and Coun- 
cilmen, H. O. Seiffert, N. E. Acker, D. Hig- 
bee, A. Sterling, P. Desmond and Charles 
Uhden. The Assessor is M. L. Hardesty; 
City Marshal, O. E. Beswick; Assistant, 
Thomas Hardie, and City Attorney, H. J. 
Chambers. 

Byron Bunnell built a house in 1870. In 
this building, he taught a school, and all the 
school taught in the town was here until the 
new brick building was fit for occupancy. 
All the religious services in the place and 
Sunday schools were held there until church- 
es were built for that pui'pose. In 1877, a 
frame school building, 24x40 feet, was erect . 
ed, on the south side of the railroad, for the 
use of the inhabitants of that part of the 
town. This was enlarged, in 1882, by a 
two-story adnition, 24x60 feet. 

In 1876, a three-story brick building was 
put up by Consigny & Wath, with the ca- 
pacity of 7,000 bushels for a steam flouring- 
mill. An addition has been added as a ware- 
house, making the capacity 12,000 bushels. 
This is what is widely known as the Centen- 
nial Mill, so called for the year in which it 
was completed and put in operation. 

The first religioiis services held in the 
place were in July, 1869, when the Rev. 
Charles W. Blodgett, of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Circuit of Big Grove and Harlan, 
preached in the temporary depot of the Rock 
Island road. In 1870, W. E. Hamilton came 
upon the circuit, and organized a class of 
four members, of which E. Fitch was made the 
leader. In 1871, Rov. E. C. Waynick was 
sent to take charge of the Avoca Circuit, just 
then created, and Avoca was made the center 
of the survev. In the same vear, a Method- 



KNOX TOWNSHIP. 



249 



ist Episcopal Suaday school was organized, 
with Mr. Fitch as its Superintendent. A. 
parsonage for the use of the circuit was com- ! 
pleted in 1872. The p-esent church edifice ; 
was built in 1874, and dedicated tu religious i 
services by Bishop Andrews. The pastor in | 
1882 is the Rov. D. C. Adams, and the so- I 
ciety has about forty-five members, and the 
average attendance upon the Sunday school 
is about fifty. 

The Rev. George Carroll, of the Presbyte- 
rian Church, preached at Avoca on the 24th 
day of July. 1870, and organized the society 
there at that date. The first pastor was the 
Rev. D. M. Hughes, who also had charge of 
the chiu-ch at Atlantic, and preached alter- 
nate Sundays, at the latter place and at Avoca. 
The church at the latter place was organized 
with thirteen members, consisting of Mr. 
and Mrs. F. Waterman, Mr. and Mrs. C. V. 
Gardner, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Halstead, Mi-, 
and Mrs. I. Culbertson, Miss M. E. Knowles, 
Mrs. H. Jones and Mrs. Annie Sharp. F. 
Waterman was the first Ruling Elder. In 
1871, a building committee, consisting of 
Rev. Mr. Hughes, F. Waterman, Thomas 
Ledwich, J. M. Halstead and C. V. Gardner 
were appointed. The church was begun in 
the fall of the same year, and finished and 
dedicated in July, 1872. The dedication 
sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Thomp- 
son, of Jamestown, N. Y. The services up 
to this time were held in the schoolhouse. 
Mr. Hughes severed his connection in the 
spring of 1873, went to New Mexico and 
died soon afterward. He was succeeded by 
the Rev. Andrew Herron, who was in time 
succeeded by the Rev. John Kennedy. The 
present minister is Rev. F. X. Miron; the 
membership is fortj- persons, and the Sunday 
school is attended by eighty pupils. The 
Rev. John A. Walker occupied the pulpit for 
some time during this interval, but trouble 



having arisen between him and the congre- 
gation, he went back to his native country, 
Ireland. 

The Catholic Church of Avoca was organ- 
ized by the Rev. Father McMenony, priest 
of St. Francis Church of Council Bluffs, in 
1876. It soon afterward passed into the 
charge of Father Edward Gaul, of Atlantic. 
At the organization of the church, there were 
only six Catholic families in the town, but 
now there are about three hundred persons 
who receive the administration of that church 
in Avoca and the surrounding country. A 
church was erected and dedicated in 187*3, and 
a large Sunday school is also conducted un- 
der the direction of the Bishop of the 
diocese. 

The First Congregational Church of Avoca 
was organized June 12, 1870. This was the 
fu'st church organized in the place. Rev. C. 
D. Wright was the first minister. The mem - 
bers were James M. Jones and his wife, J. 

C. Norton and his wife, E. W Pearl and his 
wife and the Rev. C. D. Wright and Nettie 

D. Wright. The present membership is 
seventy-five persons. The present church 
edifice was built in 1874 and 187-"), and dedi- 
cated May 23, 1875. A comfortable parson- 
age was bought by the society in 1880. The 
names of the different pastors who have had 
charge of the society since the Rev. C. D. 
Wright, are the Rev. George Hindley, Rev. 
J. G. Sabin and Rev. George G. Perkins. 
The Rev. J. G. Sabin simply supplied a va- 
cation of a year, taken by Mr. Hindley. 

A union Sunday school was organized im 
the south side of the railroad on the IGth i>f 
September, 1877; the first Superintendent was 
J. T. Hazen. It was organized under the 
auspices of J. S. Love, the missionary of the 
American Sunday School Union. It has a 
class of ninety members, with J. T. Nelton 
as Superintendent. 



330 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Avoea has a flourishing Iilasonic lodge 
called Mt. Nebo, No. 297. It has a member- 
ship of si.\ty-live. Only two deaths have oc- 
curred since its institution, that of Dr. 
Thomas E. Fowler, March 6, 1873, and E. 
Wolf, December 27. 1880. Both were bm-ied 
with the usual and customary Masonic honors. 
The present Master is J. C. Adams, and the 
Secretary, Fremont Benjamin. There is also 
a Royal Arch Chapter and an Eastern Star. 
The latter was organized January 29, 1879, 
under the title of Queen Esther Chapter, No. 
50. with F. Waterman, W. P.; ]\Ii-8. D. 
Hunt. \V. M. ; and Mrs. A. M. Gardner, A. 
M. Mt. Nebo Lodge was organized June 7, 
1871, with P. B. Hunt, as Master; Josiah 
True, Senior Wai'den; John Cool, Junior 
Warden; Daniel Hunt, Secretary, and R. G. 
Harlow, Treasurer. 

Delta Lodge, of the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows, was organized March 8, 1878. 
J. M. Jones was the first N. G. ; J. C. Het- 
zel. V. G. ; M. B. Nelson, P. S. ; F. M. Hoopes, 
R. S., and H O. Seiffert, Treasurer. 
They have an excellent hall in the second 
story of the building occupied by Weise as a 
di'ug store. The present membership is 
fifty-six, and one death has occurred since 
organization, that of M. B. Nelson. 

Avoca Lodge of the same order was insti- 
tuted April 19, 1871, where the work of the 
order is conducted in English. Its place of 
meeting is the same as that of Delta Lodge. 
Its present membership is sixty-four, and its 
present officers are : J . H. Arnold, N. G. ; L. 
H. Sanders, V. G. ; S. B. Richards, Secretary, 
and F. G. Hetzel, Treasurer. A. "W. Coff- 
man was the first N. G. ; Steve Jackson the 
first V. G.; O. H. P. Shoemaker, M. D., the 
first Secretary, and J. H. Ai-nold, the first 
Treasurer. Two deaths have occurred since 
the lodge organized, those of G. W. Hart and 
George Warner. 



The Avoca Delta, a Republican weekly 
newspaper, was established by Thomas Led- 
rioh and C. U. Gardner, the first number 
making its appearance January 1, 1870. 
One side of the' paper was printed at that 
time in Chicago, and the other in the office 
of the Hiirlau Herald, in Harlan, Shelby 
County. August 1, 1870, it changed hands, 
becoming the property of its present owner, 
J. C. Adams, who fitted up the office with new 
material and press. In 1873, the office was 
destroyed by fire, but the citizens of Avoca 
at once raised $550 and made it as a dona- 
tion to Mr. Adams, in order to enable him to 
regain his feet and resume the publication of 
his paper. The paper was also enlarged 
fi'om a six-column folio to a seven-column, 
and in fom'teen days from the date of the fire 
re-appeared. In January, 1882, it was again 
enlarged to a seven-column quarto. It is 
still Republican in political views, but has 
made the interests and welfare of the town 
its principal mission, in all instances seeking 
the establishment of manufacturing indus- 
tries as the permanent basis of prosperity. 
The Avoca Herald, a Democratic weekly 
newspaper, a nine-column, neatly printed 
and ably edited joiu-nal, was established by 

A. P. Cramer, in August, 1880, and it has 
continued to prosper from the date of its fu'st 
issue. Like the Delta, it adheres to the in- 
terests of Avoca with commendable and 
praiseworthy tenacity. 

The society of the V. A. S. was organized 
here on the 24th of May, 1880, with ten 
charter members. The first officers were: O. 

B. Nelson, Rector; Charles Uhden, Vice 
Rector; Peter M. King, Usher; F. K. Dab- 
ney, M. D., Scribe; H. B. Crofts, Speculat- 
or, and Rev. George D. Wright, Questor. 

In November, 1880, a German musical so- 
ciety was organized, called the Avoca Man- 
nerchor, witli a membership of twenty per- 



\^ 



KNOX TOAV'NSHIP. 



251 



sons. The President is Mayor Diedrich; the 
Secretary, Charles Uhden, and the Treasur- 
er. H. Hebbelm. 

The lire organization or department con- 
sists of a company composed of lifty-four 
meinliers, called the Red Jackets, and having 
a lirst-class hand engine. 

The Avoca Brewery was established by Ja- 
cob Kampf, in 1874, and has a capacity of 
about 800 barrels per year. The cost of the 
building, which is of brick, and the machin- 
ery' was about $20,000. 

The creamery is another institution of 
which the people are proud. It is owned by 
a jointstock company, and was put into 
operation in February, 1882. It collects 
milk fi'om a district of about fifteen miles in 
extent. 

The Harlan Branch of the Rock Island 
Railroad, north to Harlan, was built in 1878, 
and the Carson Branch, southward, down the 
valley, was put into operation in the early 
part of 1880. 

The favorable situation of Avoca in the 
very midst of one of the finest agricultm-al 
regions in the world, makes its business in- 
terests of the highest importance. Those 
engaged as leading merchants, carrying gen- 
eral f-toeks of goods, are G. Diedrich, O. B. 
Nelson, Charles Uhden and H. Stevens; in 
drugs, P. Weise, Maxwell & True; agricult- 
ural implement dealers. Hart & Co., T. O. 
Meredith and AV. H. Van Brunt; the lumber 
dealers are Ainsworth & Waterman and Seiff- 
ert &L Weise; hardware, C. H. Norton, and 
harness, Wilson. 

In 1870, the Rock Island Railroad Com- 
pany built an extensive hotel and railway 
dining-hall at the Avoca Station for the ac- 
commodation of their passenger trains. As 
soon as it was completed and ready for occu- 
pancy, John Jones, the former proprietor of 
the Pacific House at Council Bluffs, leased 



it, and for many years continued to manage 
it, until the railroad company modified and 
entailed its patronage by adopting the dining- 
car system. 

Among those who came as physicians were 
Dr. O. H. P. Shoemaker, an eclectic, who 
opened an office in the fall of l869. He re- 
mained until 1881, when he removed to Des 
Moines to take a professorship in a medical 
college there. Dr. J. H. Corman arrived in 
the winter of 1869, and died in March, 1881. 
He was of the regular, or allopathic school. 
Dr. H. S. Knowles, an homoeopathic, came in 
June, 1870, and is the oldest member of the 
medical profession in the place. Dr. B. L. 
Nye arrived in 1872, and died in March. 
1882. 

Personal mention may be here made of 
some of the citizens of Avoca, to whom ref- 
erence has not yet been made. H. W. Wil- 
son came from West Liberty. Iowa, to Avoca 
in 1874, and engaged in the harness and sad- 
dlery business. He came from Ohio to West 
Liberty in 18GH. He was bom in Ohio in 
April, 1847, and enlisted in Company F, of 
the One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Regi- 
ment of Ohio Infantry, in 1864, and served 
with the regiment in Kentucky, Tennessee 
and Alabama. He remained in the service 
until the war closed, and then came to Iowa. 
His father was Robert Wilson, an English- 
man; he is also a member of the Masonic 
Chapter and the lodge of Avoca. Mr. Wil- 
son was also Mayor of Avoca in 1879, 1880 
and 1881. He was married, in 1870, to Miss 
Emma Givens, of West Liberty, and of this 
marriage two daughters have been born — 
Myrtle and Mary. Mr. Wilson has prospered 
in business. 

H. Stephens came to Iowa in 1844, settling 
first at Davenport, then moving to Cedar 
Rapids, and from Cedar Rapids to Avoca. 
His business and trade are second to none in 



253 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



the West, and his experience as a merchant 
is a well worthy example. 

On April 10. 1870, Ainsworth & Water- 
man bought out the lumber stock of Gitchell 
& Tiehenor. In 1881, Mr. Ainsworth, Sr. . 
retired from business, and his son, C. H. 
Ainsworth, stepped into his place in the firm. 
Their sales amount to about $30,000 per year. 
His father. C. E. Ainsworth, was in the lum- 
ber trade at Moline, being a stockholder there 
in a manufactory. 

In May, 1882, John Ledwich, a successful 



lawyer of Avoca, started into operation wagon 
hubs, and has the establishment on a sound 
basis and a prosperous footing. He came 
from Victor, Iowa, and practiced his profes- 
sion until he began his manufactory. He is 
a native of Canada, and his parents were both 
born in Ireland and came to America in 1829. 
Messrs. Seiflfert & Weise, lumber merchants' 
began in July, 1877. Mr. Seiffert has lived 
in the county since 1874. They have branch 
yards at Hancock, Minden and other points 
on the Eock Island road. 



CHAP TEE XXXIIL* 



L.WTON TOWNSHIP— ORGANIZATION— NATURAL ADVANTAGES— BOUNOARV— FIRST SETTLER.S— 

RAPID IMPROVEMENT OF THE SETTLEMENT— ROADS AND BRIDGES— GOVERNMENT— 

POPULATION— MILLS— NEWSPAPERS— CHURCHES— SCHOOLS— SECRET SOCIETIES. 



TUNE 7, 1873, the petition of W. B. Cup- 
^ py, Thomas Ledwick, G. N. Eobinson 
and forty other citizens of Knox Township 
was presented to the Board of Supervisors of 
Pottawattamie County, asking that honorable 
body to divide Knox Township into two civil 
townships, and, on motion, the following res- 
olution was adopted : " Be it ordered by the 
Board of Supervisors of Pottawattamie Coun- 
ty, that Township 76, Eange 38, and Town- 
ship 77, Eange 38, be and the same is hereby 
organized into a civil township, to be known 
as the township of Layton." The first elec- 
tion was ordered held in the town of Walnut, 
on October 14, 1873. 

Layton Township was the last portion of 
Pottawattamie Coimty to attract the land agent 
and the settler. Why this was the case seems 
difficult of explanation. It was perhaps be- 
cause that j)ortion of the county was farthest 
from market. In the settlement of the new 
lands of Pottawattamie County, the two most 
important questions considered were fertility 

»By Frank M. Wright. 



of soil and facility of reaching market. None 
doubted the fertility of the soil of Layton 
Township, but it was a question of doubt as 
to whether the residents of that portion of 
the county would ever have the advantages 
of -a railroad. Layton Township is well 
adapted to agricultural pursuits, nearly the 
whole of the surface being a gently rolling 
prairie, of which but very little is xmtillable, 
yet, when the agents for Government lands 
had the choice of locating claims in almost 
any part of Pottawattamie or adjoining coun- 
ties, they ignored the natural advantages 
presented by Layton Township, and, in 
many instances, went seventy-five, and some- 
times even 100 miles distant fi'om Council 
Blirffs to locate a claim in what they consid- 
ered a desirable locality. Could they but 
have foreseen the future prosperity and rapid 
development of the northeast corner of the 
county, how differeut would their plans have 
been! Could they have known that what 
seems to them bat a few short years since 



LAYTON TOWNSHIP. 



253 



they sold thousands of acres of choice land at 
$5 or $6 per acre, would bring a ready mar 
ket for the same lands at 120 or $30 per acre, 
how quickly would they have taken the lands 
of Pottawattamie County which they then 
considered undesirable. The growth in pop- 
ulation and the development of the resources 
of Layton Township have been more rapid 
than in any township in Pottawattamie Coun- 
ty- 
Important events have crowded one after 
another in quick succession since the organ- 
ization of the township. It has been said by 
an eminent writer that " in the earlier days 
of emigration westward, the people went 
West and the railroads followed them, but 
that in later years the custom has changed, 
and now the railroads open the wild lands 
for the pioneers." The lands of Layton 
Township were so late in attracting the at- 
tention of the land agent and the settler as to 
have almost verified this statement. It was 
not until after the Chicago, Rock Island & 
Pacific Railroad Company had seciu'ed their 
land grant from the Government that the 
land of Layton Township found a ready 
sale. 

Forming the northeastern corner of the coun- 
ty, Layton Township is bounded on the north 
by Shelby County, on the east by Cass Coun- 
ty, on the south by Lincoln Township and on 
the west by Knox Township. As will be seen 
by the original petition for the organization 
of Layton. it also included Lincoln Township, 
which has since been organized, and which 
now leaves Layton Township in the form of 
an exact square, containing an area of thirty- 
six square miles. The surface of the town- 
ship is but little broken, there being but one 
creek crossing it. This stream, kno^vn as 
Walnut Creek, has its source in Shelby 
County, and flows almost directly south 
across Layton Township. It enters the 



county about on the line between Sections 2 
and 3, from the north, and follows near the 
line between these two sections until it 
reaches Section 10, when it bends somewhat 
to the north, but tiu-ns again to the south be- 
fore leaving the section, which it crosses on 
the eastern line, near the corner. Its course 
from this point is across the southwest corner 
of Section 11, thence south through Sections 
14, 23, 26. 35 and 34, crossing ihe south 
line of the latter about the southeast corner 
of the section, thence on its way southward 
through Lincoln Township. 

The first settlers of the townshp were E. B. 
Hinckley and family, Oscar Lodge, Leander 
Lodge, Albert Lodge and Henry Orctitt, all 
of whom are still residents of the township 
except Leander Lodge, who now resides at 
Neola. Mr. E. B. Hinckley was perhaps the 
most enterprising. He was the first to take 
active steps toward the settlement of the town- 
ship). In this, however, he may have been 
actuated by pecuniary motives, as, in the 
sale of the lands belonging to the Chicago, 
Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company, 
for which he was agent, he established a bus- 
iness which proved a source of profit to him- 
self, as well as to create a rapid improvement 
of the wild lands of Layton Township. His 
success financially has not diminished, and 
today he is the wealthiest citizen of the 
township. The rest of the early settlers 
mentioned have also been very successful, be- 
sides many others who arrived at a later date. 
The little cabin erected by Mr. Hinckley to 
be used as a land o£fice soon became a lively 
place of business. The settlers came from 
all directions, and soon the cabins, and oc- 
casionally a nicely built frame residence, 
dotted the prairie at every point of view from 
the lonely little land office. The settlement 
grew very rapidly, and soon there was evi- 
dence of traveled wagon roads from place to 



254 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



place. Much of the travel during the first 
settlement was done on horseback, but soon 
supplies were needed to build homes, and 
implements required to till the soil, and these 
had to be transported in wagons. The roads 
at first were very crooked, winding around 
the base of hills and crossing the streams at 
the easiest points for fording. As the town- 
ship increased in population, and the owners 
of property began building fences, the origi- 
nal lines of the roads were in a number of 
places changed. The first main road laid 
out across the township is now known as the 
Old Territorial road, and it ran almost due 
east and west near the center of the town- 
ship. Nearly all the roads in the township 
now follow the section lines, they having been 
changed from time to time, on the presenta- 
tion of petitions, signed by a number of the 
citizens, to the Board of Supervisors of the 
county. There are three wooden bridges 
spanning Walnut Creek in Layton Township, 
and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Rail- 
road has one bridge crossing the same 
stream. 

Layton Township has a sprinkling of many 
nationalities among her citizens, the Ger- 
mans and Americans predominating. The 
former are mainly engaged in farming. 
They are among the best farmers of the town- 
ship, and are ready supporters of the district 
schools. 

Fine stock is not bred to any extent in the 
township. Mr. E. R. Hinckley has been the 
most progressive in this respect, he having 
introduced some fine Norman horses, Short- 
Horn cattle and Cotswold sheep. These 
breeds of stock are rapidly taking the place 
of the more inferior grades among the better 
class of farmers. 

The original town plat of the city of Wal- 
nut was surveyed and laid out by what was 
known as the Allen Land Company. Several 



additions have been made to the original plat 
by E. R. Hinckley and others. The first set- 
tlers in the town were Dr. Phinny, Mr. D. 
Holcomb, D. Hison and E. R. Hinckley. 

The first store was opened by Leander 
Lodge, and the first Postmaster was E. R. 
Hinckley, and the present Postmaster is S. 
R. Baker. 

In October, 1877, Walnut received her 
charter as a city, and the first election re- 
sulted in placing the city government in the 
hands of the following officers: Mayor, W. 
H. Linfor; Recorder, J. B. Johnson; Mar- 
shal, Robert Giibreath; City Council, J. H. 
Henry, O. M. Bruce, Charles Lebeck, L T. 
Spangler, William Hill and J. B. Johnson. 
The present officers of the city are: Mayor, 
R. L. Craig; Recorder, W. F. Moreshell; 
Marshal, A. S. Burns; City Coimcil, W. F. 
Bm-ke, Charles Lebeck, J. B. Johnson, F. H. 
Green, Jerry Longnecker and W. F. More- 
shell. 

The population of the city is now about 
one thousand, and the following shows the 
strength of the business represented: Four 
dry goods stores, five groceries, seven saloons, 
three drug stores, one jewelry store, one fur- 
niture store, two millinery stores, one bank, 
three elevators, three agricultural implement 
stores, two blacksmith shops, one harness 
shop, two carriage shops, two hotels, one 
barber shop, three lumber yards, two shoe 
shops, two lawyers and three doctors. There 
is one flouringmill in Walnut, known as the 
Walnut Mill property. This is the only 
mill in the town.ship, and it was builfin 1872, 
by Moses Shuns & Co. In 1880, Messrs. 
Eroe & Peatt pnrchased the property of G. 
W. Borley, and are the present owners and 
operators. This mill is 30x60 feet, and has 
four run of buhrs, and a manufacturing ca- 
pacity of fifty barrels of flour per day. Prior 
to the building of this mill, the citizens of 



LAYTON TOWXSHIP. 



255 



Walnut Township haiiled their grain to 
Hunt's Mill, sis miles south of Avoca. 

Walnut has one newspaper, the Walnut 
.\etvs. It was established in 1878, by^A. O. 
Cramer, who is also editor and proprietor of 
the Avoca Herald. The Neics has a circula- 
tion of 600, and is edited by Dan Cramer, 
who is a brother of the proprietor. 

Walnut has grown and prospered in her re- 
ligious and educational undertakings as in 
everything else. The enterprise of her citi- 
zens in this respect is of the same determined 
character that has built one < f the most pros- 
perous and business-like little cities in the 
county. They have two churches — one Pres- 
byterian and one Catholic. The Presbyte- 
rian Church was built in 1876, and cost $2,- 
400. The main structure is 34x50 feet, in 
addition to which there is a lecture room 10 
xl2 feet. It is located on Center street. 
Rev. George Lodge was the first pastor of 
this church, and Rev. Kennedy is the pres- 
ent one. There are seventy-five active mem- 
bers of the organization, and they maintain a 
Sabbath school, with a regular attendance of 
about fifty pupils. The Catholic Church was 
erected at a greater cost of the two, $3, 500 
being requited to complete it. Its dimen- 
sions are 32x60 feet, and, at present, has 200 
members. The membership in 1873, the 
date of the building of the church, was but 
twenty-five. They have no resident priest. 
There are members of other churches, resi- 
dents of Walnut, biit, as yet, have erected no 
building in which to worship. The first Sab- 
bath school ever held in Layton Township 
was at the depot of the Chicago, Rock Island 
it Pacific Railroad in Walnut, in 1873. This 
was conducted under the auspices of the 
Campbellites. 

In 1875, at a cost of 15,000, there was 
erected in Walnut a handsome two-story pub- 
lic school buildinar. This is the lai'gest and 



only school building in the township in 
which a graded school has been organized. 
The building is 78x51 feet, and twenty eight 
feet high. At the opening of the school, 
there were twenty-five pupils in attendance, 
who were under the charge of Miss Kate 
Williams. It was opened as a district school, 
but in the fall of the same year it was made 
a graded school, and put under the manage- 
ment of a Principal and assistants. There 
are at present em-olled 230 pupils, with an 
average daily attendance of 120. The Su- 
perintendent of the schools is Prof. William 
Hubbard, who has three assistants. There 
are four- departments. The first, or primary 
department, is taught by MissC. E. Johnson; 
the first intermediate department, by Miss G. 
A. Orcutt; the second intermediate depart- 
ment, by Miss F. Perrigo; and the grammar 
department is taiight by and is under the im- 
mediate charge of Prof. Hubbard. This 
school is conducted independent of the laws 
by which the district schools of the township 
are governed. As a graded school it ha^ 
proved a success, and the benefits derived are 
well worthy the increased eflbrts of the citi- 
zens of Walnut. 

The statistics for the year 1881 show the 
following in regard to the schools of Layton 
Township : 

Number of subdistricts, 8 ; number of un- 
graded schools, 8 ; average number of months 
taught, 9; number of teachers employed — 
male, 2; female, 13; total, 15; number of 
pupils between the ages of five and twenty- 
one years — males, 102; females, 90; total, 
192; average cost of tuition per month 
for each pupil, $2.72; number of school- 
houses, 8; value of schoolhouses. $4,800; 
value of apparatus, $5. 

Three secret societies afford a goodly num- 
ber of the citizens of Walnut an excellent ex- 
cuse for spending their evenings down town 



356 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



at stated intervals. Walnut Lodge, No. 122, 
Legion of Honor, organized and charter 
granted November 17, 1871, was the first to 
impose the obligation of brotherhood upon 
the following citizens, who were the char- 
ter members: W. H. Linfor, W. H. Bow- 
man, J. 0. Spangler, W. F. Moreshell, J. H. 
Henry, J. B. S. Case, J. W. Hubbard, J. 
W. Gardiner, G. H. Myers, O. M. Bruce, F. 
Moreshell, M. Peatt, F. Hanna, P. Koll, H. 
Chi-istiansen, E. M. Mirth, L. H. Broughton, 
(t. W. Eroe, J. Watters, G. Frahm. A. L. 
Louless, J. N. Manifee, C. A. Rossman, H. 
D. C. Lenset, John Frahm, J. G. Hass, J. 
Green, H. W. Beyer, J. Longnecker. Hemy 
Koll and A. Peterson. The first officers of 
the lodge were: W. H. Linfor, President; 
W. H. Bowman, Vice President; J. C. Span- 
gler, Recording Secretary ; J. H. Henry, 
Foreman; W. F. Moreshell, Financier; J. B. 
S. Case, Chaplain; and W. Gardiner, Door- 
keeper. 

The second secret society organized was 
Moriah Lodge, No. 327. I O. O. F.. on Sep- 
tember 25, 1875. The charter members 
were J. W. Snyder. C. W. Merrill, G. C. 
Hunt, O. M Bruce. W. H. Brundridge, J. 
M. Turner, W. E. Turner and G. T. Mix. 
The first officers were: Noble Grand, J. W. 
Snyder; Vice Grand, G. T. Mix; Recording 



Secretary, W. E. Turner; Permanent Secre- 
tary, James Ledwick; and Treasurer, F. H. 
Green. The present officers are : Noble 
Grand, J. E. Margeson; Vice Grand, C. A. 
Brown; Recording Secretary, C. I. Eroe; 
Permanent Secretary, J. Hector; and Treas- 
urer, W. F. Moreshell. This lodge is in a 
floui-ishing condition, the strength of the or- 
der in Walnut being forty- six active members. 
The third and last secret society to organ- 
ize a lodge in Walnut was the A. O. U. W. 
Walnut Lodge, No. 194. .i. O. U. \V., was 
organized by charter granted June 25, 1879. 
The charter members were W. H. Linfor, 
Master Workman; W. L. Williams, Fore- 
man; F. M. McGunsey, Receiver; J. L. 
Spangler, Financier; J. C. Spangler, Over- 
seer; J. B. Johnson, Past Master Workman; 
O. M. Bruce, Guide; L. Carpenter, Inside 
Watchman; J. B. Stephens, Outside Watch- 
man; J. C. Stephens, Secretary. This lodge 
now has a membership of forty-two, and the 
present officers are: W. L. Williams, Mas- 
ter Workman; William Woodi'ing, Foreman; 
A. S. Aury, Receiver ; William Gardiner, 
Financier; Henry Ott, Overseer; W. O. Hub- 
bard, Past Master Workman; Robert Boot, 
Guide; W. R. Spencer, Inside Watchman; J. 
C. Spangler, Outside Watchman; and H A. 
Cummings, Secretary. 



CHAPTER XXXIV.* 



PLEAS.-VNT TOWNSHIP— BOUNDARIES— ORGANIZATION— FINE SOI! TIMBER— FRUIT— STREAM.-5- 

OLD SETTLERS— SCHOOLS— TOWNSHIP OFFICERS— MURDER. SUICIDE AND ACCIDENTS. 



T3LEASANT TOWNSHIP is bounded on 
-L the north by Shelby County, on the ease 
by Knox Township, on the south by James 
Township, and on the west by Minden Town- 
ship. The township was organized by an 

♦By Col. John H. Keatley. 



order made April 7, 1873, on the petition of 
L. G. Bennett. Hiram Stewart, S. T. Bender 
and forty-one others, asking that a new civil 
township be created out of Congressional 
Township 77, Range -40, In soil this town- 
ship is peculiarly favored, the land sloping 



PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 



257 



gently to the south and southwest It is a 
gently rolling prairie, and without doubt is 
as fine an agricultiiral township as there is 
in the State. It is stated by competent ob- 
servers that not ten acres of untillable soil ex- 
ists within the box;nds of the entire organi- 
zation. On the east side, where the surface 
inclines toward the West, Nishnabotna River, 
the land is the roughest, bat none too rough 
for cultivation. The township had no groves 
of native timber; when the first settlers came 
into it it was treeless, but since then large 
numbers of groves have been planted and 
cultivated, until the whole siu-face of the 
township has been changed and improved in 
that and other respects. Oak, walnut, Cot- 
tonwood and maples have been cultivated 
with ease and siiccess. and add much to the 
value and protection to the land. Not only 
have groves of ordinary timber been planted 
and spnmg into thriftiness, but orchards 
have engaged the attention of the settlers, 
and been made an absolute success. The 
principal success in that i-espect has been 
with apple orchards, and the Ben Davis, 
"Willow Twig and otlier hardy varieties thrive 
most, indicating the capability of soil and 
climate to make comfortable homes. 

Two streams of water flow throush the 
township, one called the Big Silver, thi-ough 
the center; and the Middle Silver, in the 
southwest part. The county has constructed 
nine bridges, making access to all parts easy 
and convenient. These streams of water are 
bright and limpid. That fact occasions their 
names. 

Among the old settlers are the following: 
Jacob and Franz Haas- came from Sauk 
County, Wis., July 12, 1872; Joseph Frum 
emigrated from Monongalia County, W. 
Va. . and settled February 25, 1872. He still 
owns and occupies the farm fii'st opened out 
by him. He has had eight children, five of 



whom are living in the township. His chil- 
dren are Samuel B., Joseph E. and John 
N., who are twins, and Anna and George 
D. A. M. Scott is another pioneer in the 
township, who came and bought land and be- 
gan to make a farm in 18G9. He went into 
partnership with P. S. McCandless in open- 
ing up the farm. When they married they 
dissolved the farming partnership, and each 
went his own way in improving his land, and 
a division was made. Mr. McCandless came 
out into the country with Mr. Scott; both 
went to Colorado in 1875, but returned the 
same year. They were together for some 
years. T. Goodwalter came into the 

township in 1872. The first road was the 
Ballard State road, referred to in the annals 
of other townships, crossed the southeast jiart. 
Another was located in 1870, from north to 
south, in the west part, and called the A. C. 
Bennett road. Another was laid out from 
east to west, and named the Hiram Stewart. 
The first schoolhouse was built in 1871, 
called the No. 2, and is known as the 
Fnun Schoolhouse. The first school was 
taught by Alonzo Bartnett. No. 6 was the 
next one erected in 1871, and the fucat teacher 
Miss Maggie Clark. No. 4 was also built in 
1871, and John K. Cooper, the present County 
Superintendent, was the fii'st teacher. No. 3 
was erected in 1875, and Mrs. Nellie Parker 
the first teacher. No. 1 was established in 
1876, and Mr. Cooper opened a school as the 
first teacher. He was a resident of Jamas 
Township when he was first nominated on 
the Democratic ticket, in 1879, for County 
Superintendent, and elected by a handsome 
majority, although the Republicans carried 
the county by 300 majority on their State 
ticket. In 1881, Mr. Cooj)erwas again nomi- 
nated by the same party, and elected by about 
seven hundred majority, the Republican State 
ticket having a majority of over three hun- 



258 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



dred, his competitor being Miss Ingeletta 
Smith, now Mrs. Weare, of Council Bluflfs. 
Mr. Cooper is a native of Maryland, and 
served in the Union army, in Lockv?ood's 
brigade, in the Twelfth Army Corps, at the 
battle of Gettysburg, in July, 1S63. 

No. 5 Schoolhouse was erected in 1877, 
and Miss Mary J. Trotter became the first 
teacher. No. 7 the same year, with Miss 
Plumer the first teacher, and No. 8, in 1880, 
Fremont Benjamin, now a successful Avoca 
lawyer, the teacher. 

P. W. Bennett, an old settler and pioneer, 
was born in Boston, Mass., in 1812, and came 
to the township in 1866 and bought eighty 
acres, which he improved. He built a house 
and set out a grove. His nearest trading 
point was either Atlantic or Council Bluffs, 
and it was manj' miles to his nearest neigh- 
bor. He was the third man that made the 
township his home. He was the first school 
Director, and in 1869 he had a hay-shed 
built, in which he had a school taught by 
William Baker. In 1880, he sold his farm to 
Franz Haas, and moved to Missoim. 

G. W. Davis was born in Fayette County, 
Penn., February 14, 1819, and came to a 
farm near Iowa City in 1851. In 1861, he 
removed to Pleasant Tovsmship, and bought 
360 acres of land, for which he had traded 
his eighty acre Johnson County improved 
farm. His nearest neighbors, when he first 
made his settlement, were from three to ten 
miles distant. The year he came, he erected 
his present residence, a frame story and a 
half, and in 1868 added to it of native tim- 
ber. When he came, in 1861, the Omaha.s 
from beyond the Missouri River roamed at 
will over the prairies in his vicinity, hunt- 
ing and trapping. Mr. Davis died October 
7, 1871. His widow bought 180 acres of 
land, and also died December 8, 1881. Mr. 
and Mrs. Davis left eight children, three sons 



and five daughters. Joshua, the youngest of 
the sons, occupies the old homestead. Mr. 
Davis was the first settler in Pleasant Town- 
ship He and his wife were members of the 
Dunkard religious society, or German Bap- 
tists, as they are sometimes called. He was 
married, December 27, 1841, in Pennsylva- 
nia, to Miss Mai'y Gibson. In politics, he 
always voted with the Republican party. 

Hiram Stewart was born in Athens Coun- 
ty, Ohio, December 24, 1834, and came to 
Iowa, to Lee County, in 1840. In 1849, he 
moved to Henry County, and in 1850, back 
to Ohio, and back again to Henry County, 
Iowa. In 1856, he went to Clark County, 
and after several other changes, moved into 
Pleasant Township, where be has ever since 
lived. He took a school claim of forty acres, 
and lived in a hut the first summer, but beiog 
burnt out with a prairie fire, he and his family 
spent the winter at Big Grove. Since then 
he has worked industriously, until he is the 
owner of a tine farm of 160 acres. Mr. Stew- 
art's father came to Iowa as a settler in 1840, 
a year before the first session of the Terri- 
torial Legislatm-e was held. 

William Simpson was born in New York, 
in 1821, settled first in Clinton County, and 
then in Pleasant Township, in September, 
1870, where he purchased 480 acres of prairie 
land, and commenced to open up one of the 
finest farms in the county. He has three ex- 
cellent houses and other proper buildings, 
two of which are for the use of tenants culti- 
vating the land. The nearest mill to him 
when he came into the county was that of 
the Hunts', on the Nishnabotna, and which 
is mentioned in the history of Knox Town- 
ship. 

A. C. Bergman was born August 24, 1833, 
in Wehrden, in the Kingdom of Prussia. He 
came to America by the way of New Orleans, 
in 1855, and seeing the method in which the 



PLEASANT TOWXSHIP. 



259 



colored people of the South were treated by 
their owners and masters, he at once espoused 
radical Republican principles, and an intense 
hatred of the institution of slavery. He 
lived in Illinois seventeen yeai's, where he 
mai'ried Miss Katie Johnson, who was born 
in 1841, and came to Pleasant Township to 
make that his home in 1871. He there 
bought 120 acres of raw prairie and made it 
into a farm. In 1881. he built a fine resi- 
dence, which is siuTOunded by several thou- 
sand shade trees of his own cultivation, and 
l)y one of the most thrifty orchards in the 
State. Having received an excellent educa- 
tion in his native country, he has been appre- 
ciated here, and has always taken a lively 
and eai'nest interest in the advancement of 
the home of his adoption. 

When Pleasant Township was organized, 
by being carved out of Knox, in 1873, the 
Board of Supervisors aiithorized S. B. Fnim 
as a Commissioner, to take the necessary steps 
to perfect that oi'ganization. He called a 
meeting of the qualified electors, on the 14th 
of October of that year. S. B. Frum was 
chosen Chairman of the to^vnship meeting, 
and F. N. Keeney, Secretary. S. B. Frum. 
S. J. Wharton and J. M. Greenlee were elect- 
ed as Judges of the election, and F. N. Kee- 
ney and W". A. Clark were made Clerks of 
the same. Fifty-fom- votes were polled, and 
the following officers elected: S. H. Buckley, 
C. H. Brown and T. T. Larkin. Trustees; S. 
B. Frum. Township Clerk; William Buckley, 
and F. N. Keeney, Justices of the Peace; D. 
Gross, A. M. Scott, Constables; William A. 
Clark, Assessor, and Hiram Stewart, Road 
Supervisor. The following are the township 
officers: Franz Haas, W. V. Rock and J. N. 
Frum, Trustees; S. B. Frum, Township 
Clerk; F. M. Keeney and A. C. Bergman, 
Justices of the Peace; J. C. Frum and Fred 
Rohrs, Constables; John Stuhr, Assessor; 



President of the School Board, John Stuhr; 
Secretary, F. M. Keeney ; and Treasurer, S. 
B. Frum. 

The most notable public event was the 
tragic death of Jacob Maason, a farmer, a 
German, at the hands of Christian Pittman, 
a neighbor. This occurred on the evening 
of July 28, 1879. Maason had been at Avoca 
during the day, and came home in the after- 
noon. A dispute had existed between them 
on account of the claim made by the latter, 
that Pittman, in cutting his grain with a 
reaper, on a piece of ground next to that of 
Maason, was treading down the latter's grow 
ing corn. Just about dusk, Maason was 
standing near his door, with one of his chil- 
dren near the door, when he saw Pittman 
coming out of his field into the road near 
Maason's gate. Without putting down the 
child, he advanced to the gate, and there an 
altercation took place between them, the 
words of which could not be heard by those 
in sight of them, as they stood in the road. 
When Maason went out of the gate, he placed 
the child on the ground. In a few moments 
Pittman started to run, with Maason in pur- 
suit, and in a short time both were out of 
sight. Pittman stated, in his evidence on 
the trial of the ease, that, when they got 
near his own premises, Maason then close to 
him, took hold of him, and threatened to kill 
him. That he did not realize that he had 
struck Maason until after he saw the wounds, 
after death, and that he only used the knife, 
to ward off the blows and to loosen the grasp 
of Maason. The death of the latter was al- 
most instantaneous, the stab being in the 
heart. Pittman was arrested and indicted 
by the grand jury, and tried before the Dis- 
trict Court at Council Bluffs. The prosecu- 
tion was conducted by A. R. Anderson, Dis- 
trict Attorney, and John H. Keatley, and the 
defense by Mynster & Adams. The jury 



260 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COFXTY. 



failed to agree on the first trial. The case 
was then changed to Mills County, and when 
the case was called for trial there, the indict- 
ment, which had never been sent to that 
county, could not be found, and the District 
Attorney, Conner, who had succeeded Ander- 
son, was obliged to dismiss the case. The 
attention of the grand jury in Pottawattamie 
County was again called to the ease at the 
December term, 1881, of the District Court, 
and Pittman was indicted a second time, and 
a second time the place of trial was changed 
to Mills County. At the September term of 
the District Coui-t of Mills County, in 1882, 
the cause was tried a second time, with a ver- 
dict of acquittal. 

In the fall of 1875, T. T. Larkin bor- 
rowed a gim fromClaus Horst to kill a hawk. 
He promised to return the gun the same even- 
ing, and about 7 o'clock some one saw him 
near a fence with the gun, then heard the re- 
port of it and his own name called, and when 



he got to the spot he found Mi\ Larkin dead, 
with a severe gunshot wound in the breast. 

Peter Doll, a German resident of Pleasant 
Township, was killed in Avoca, in 1878, by 
the running away of his team. On the 4th 
of September, 1882, an unknown man was 
found dead from exposiu'e and intemperance, 
about a mile east of the Frum Schoolhouse. 
His remains were interred in Avoca. 

Pleasant Townshif) is largely settled by 
Germans. The only church organization in 
the township is the German Evangelical As- 

I sociation, who hold their religious services in 
the Frum Schoolhouse. It was organized in 
the spring of 1874, by Aaron Bossart, as 
minister. He held the charge for two years, 
and was succeeded by Wilhelm Jonas, and 
he in turn by Flegler Aschenbrenner. 
Ground has been secm-ed for a chm-ch edifice 
on Section 16, donated by Franz Haas, three 
and a half miles south of the Frum School - 

1 house. 



CHAPTER XXXT.* 



MINDEN TOWNSHIP— ORIGIN OF THE NAME— FIRST ELECTION— SOIL— BOUSDARV 
MINDEN STATION— KOADS— TIMBER LAND— SCHOOLS— CHURCHES 
—BUSINESS INDUSTRIES— INCIDENTS. 



DRAINAOE- 



THE origin of the name of Minden Town, 
ship is familiar to the greater portion of 
her citizens. Natives of a foreign countiy, 
it was only natural that they should establish 
in the home of their adoption on the broad 
prairie, which promised them a speedy com- 
petence, mementoes of the far-away homes 
across the sea. How true they were to the 
memories of olden times, and how patriotic 
in their desire to honor their native land, is 
evidenced by giving to their township and 
the chief town in it the name of Minden. 

»By Frank M. Wright. 



Minden is a strongly fortified Prussian town, 
in population aboiit fifteen thousand, and 
the capital of the administrative division of 
Minden, the population of which is about 
five hundred thousand. It is located on the 
left bank of the Weser, and on the declivity 
of a chain of mountains, 161 miles from Co- 
logne, and 229 miles by railway from Berlin. 
It has manufactories of woolens, linens, to- 
bacco, soap and sugar, and is the center of 
the Cologne-Berlin Railway, which, as well 
as the navigation of the Weser, produces much 
commercial activity. It possesses an ancient 



^"^ 




/' ■^: 



u 



\ >v^.:^>"-*^ ■• ■ 




MINDEN TOWNSHIP. 



263 



Roman Catholic cathedral, and was once the 
capital of the See of Minden, which was 
founded by Charlemagne. It was also for- 
merly the residence of some of the German 
Emperors, and" several diets were held there. 
Within two miles of Minden, the railroad 
traverses the pass called Porta Westphalia. 
In a ruined chapel near it, Wittekind was, 
according to tradition, bai^tized by Charle- 
magne. The French were defeated in the vi- 
cinity of Minden August 1, 1759, by an 
Anglo-Hanoverian army, under Ferdinand 
of Brunswick. Such was the city in the na- 
tive land of most of the citizens of Minden 
Township, the memory of which carries them 
back to the by-gone days of childhood. 

Minden Township formed a part of the 
township of Neola until 1877, when, through 
the efforts of Mr. James Crow and a number 
of other citizens of that jjortion of Neola 
Township subsequently forming Minden, the 
petition presented by them to the Board of 
Supervisors was granted, and a new town- 
ship formed, to be known as Minden Town- 
ship. The township took the same name as 
the little village, which had been founded on 
the line of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pa- 
cific Railroad in 1875. 

In October, 1877, the first election took 
place in the newly organized township. It 
was held at the schoolhouse, in the village of 
Minden. The Judges were William Spears, 
August Caven and James Crow, and the 
Clerks were J. R. Crow and J. Lake. About 
one hundred votes were cast at this election. 
There is but little mitillable land in Min- 
den Township, and what there is lies along 
the coiu-se of Keg and Mosquito Creeks. The 
.■surface of the whole township, except the 
r'-nigh land along the streams, is fine, rolling 
prairie, and of the same fertile and highly 
productive soil which is to be found in the 
greater portion of Pottawattamie County. 



The boundaries are Harrison County on 
the north. Pleasant Township on the east, 
York Township on the south and Neola 
Township on the west. 

The eastern portion of the township is 
di-ained by Keg Creek, and the western por- 
tion by Mosquito Creek, both of which rise 
in Harrison County. The latter enters the 
township about the center of Section 4, on 
the north line, and Hows diagonally across 
that section from its point of entrance to the 
southwest. Its coiu-se is almost due south- 
west through Sections 9, 8. 17 and 18, cross- 
ing the southern line of the latter section, 
where it bears due south for a short distance, 
and then bends to the east until it crosses the 
southern line of Section 19, about the center. 
From this point it again bends westward, and 
crosses the line of Section 30 about one-half 
mile south of the village of Neola, and thence 
on its way through Neola Township. There 
ai-e five tributaries which have their rise and 
join this stream in Minden Township. The 
largest of these rises in Section 5, and runs 
south through Sections 6, 7, and into Section 
18, where it joins the mainstream. Another 
small creek rises in Section 9, and flows al- 
most west, entering the main stream in Sec- 
tion 8. Two small streams join the main 
creek in Section IS, the one rising in Section 
17, and flows almost due west; and the other 
rising in Section 20, about one mile due south 
of the first. The length of either of these 
streams does not exceed one and a half miles. 
The last tributary to the south to ioin Kec 
Creek in Minden Township rises in Section 
32, and flows in a direction almost oppo.site 
the main stream. It passes through Section 
32, across the corner of Section 29, thence 
northwest across Section 30 to the point 
where it empties into the mainstream. Keg 
Creek, the origin of the name of which will 
be found in the history of Hardin Township, 



264 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



enters Minden Township through Section 2, 
from Harrison County. Its course is in a 
zigzag line, almost due south, through Sec- 
tions 2, 11 and 14, leaving the latter section 
at the southwest corner, and flowing diagon- 
ally through Sections 22, 27 and 33. Five 
small tributaries have their rise and enter the 
main stream in this township, neither of 
which, however, have been honored with a 
name, and the largest of which will not ex- 
ceed two miles in length. 

Though Mr. James Crow was the most ac- 
tive in getting Minden Township separated 
from Neola, Mr. Casper Foster, of the firm of 
Richmond, Kooh & Foster, of Davenport, 
Iowa, was the first to become a large land- 
owner before the organization of the town- 
ship. He purchased of the Chicago, Rock 
Island and Pacific Railroad Company 10,000 
acres of land, and at the same time made a 
contract with them that they should build 
and maintain a station at some point where- 
their railroad crossed his piirchase. Under 
this contract, they built the station of Min- 
den in 1875, which was located on the lands 
owned by Mr. Foster, and which was named 
by him. 

The old settlers of Minden Township had 
passed through the greatest difiBculties of pio- 
neer life long before the township was organ- 
iied. 

]\Ir. N. Abbott was one of the first settlers 
in the township. He and many more of the 
early settlers were obliged to go to the old In- 
dian Mill on Mosquito Creek to get their corn 
ground. It was situated about twenty miles 
from their homes, and, when a trip was made 
to the mill, two yokes of oxen were usually 
driven, and the grain thus hauled to mill fre- 
quently belonged to half a dozen different 
families. The roads were rough, uneven 
trails, winding round the base of hills, and 
crossing the sloughs at points where the 



banks of the streams seemed most firm, and 
where the teams and wagons were least liable 
to become stuck in the mud. Three and 
sometimes four days were required to go to 
mill, as it was not an uncommon occurrence 
for the settlers to be obliged to wait a 
whole day for gi-ain belonging to the In 
dians to be ground before they could have 
the use of the mill. The continual flow of 
the settlers to the promising lands of Minden 
Tovraship enabled them, in a short time, to 
build rade bridges across the streams, which 
served their purpose until, in later yeai-s, these 
were torn away, in many instances, where the 
line of road remained unchanged, and a bet- 
ter class of crossings were built at the ex- 
pense of the county. 

The first regularly laid out road through 
the township was known as the Remington 
road. It was built in 1858, and ran through 
the west tier of sections. Its name is de- 
rived from the principal builder, Z. Reming. 
ton. The roads now in the township running 
north and soixth, east and west, are about 
equal in number, and in most instances they 
follow the section lines. 

The original timber growth of Minden 
Township is confined to the borders of Mos- 
quito and Keg Creeks. In variety, it is 
principally cottonwood, box elder, ash and 
maple. Much of this has been used for 
building purposes, fuel and fence-posts. 
Groves of cultivated timber are now being 
planted on almost every farm. 

The town of Minden, which has always ex- 
ercised a great influence over the township, 
is located on the southeast quarter of Section 
15, and lies almost wholly on the north side 
of the railroad. Keg Creek skirts it on the 
east, and there are six lines of wagon roads 
enter the town from different directions. It 
is only about four miles distant from Neola, 
and, though a smaller town, it draws the 



MINDEN TOAVNSHIP. 



265 



trade of the community for more than half ; 
the distance between the two towns. North : 
and south and to the east it affords a market ' 
for the citizens of a large scope of country. 

As before stated, the town was laid out in 
1875. from land belonging to Mr. C. Foster. 
That gentleman has taken an active interest 
in the growth and prosperity of the town 
since it was first settled. 

The first house in the town was built by 
Hugo Prister. Jlr. Foster built the second, 
and Peter Ehlers the third. G. Diederich 
erected the first store in 1875. He moved a 
stock of general merchandise into this from 
Avoca. J. O. Jeffries built the nest business 
house, and engaged in the grocery trade, with 
a restaurant attached. Messrs. Bartelle& Co. 
became the successors of Mr. Diederich by 
purchase. Mr. Diederich then erected an- 
other store building, which he subsequently 
sold to Stuhr Bros. , who have since occiapied 
it as a general merchaiidise establishment. 

The first carpenters of the town were Henry 
L^rbahn, August Kaven and Fred Krugen- 
berg. A Mr. Rodecker opened a blacksmith 
shop, and the first lumber business was done 
liy Messrs. Pria & Hornley, a Davenport firm. 
Peter Ehlers was the first to begin the grain 
trade. Dr. McLeod was the first physician 
to hang out a shingle in the little town, and 
James Crow was the first land agent. 

Through the energy and enterprise of the 
citizens a public school building was erected, 
which is 24x36 feet. Caven and Wilson were 
the contractors and builders. This step to- 
ward public improvement was made under the 
jurisdiction of Mr. James Crow, who was at 
that time Director. Previous to the con- 
struction of this building, a term of school 
had been taught by a Mr. Kelsey, in one room 
of the residence of Mr. Foster. In the spring 
of the same year that saw q piiblic school 
building added to the improvements of the 



little town, a very destructive prairie fire 
from the north came near destroying the 
town. Its approach, however, was discovered 
in time to enable the citizens to protect and 
save their homes. 

The first Board of Trustees of Minden 
Township met and organized January 26, 
1877. At their meeting, the township was 
divided into five subdistricts for school pur- 
poses. No township in Pottawattamie County 
has taken a more active interest in their pub- 
lic schools than Minden. The statistics for 
the year 1881, as per the reports of the 
County Superintendent of Public Schools, 
show the following: 

Number of subdistricts, 8; number of un- 
graded schools, 8 ; average number of months 
taught, 8; number of teachers employed^ 
male, 5; female, 12; total, 17; average com- 
pensation per month — males, $35, females, 
$33.75; n lumber of persons between the ages 
of five and twenty-one years — males, 156; 
females, 123; total average attendance in the 
whole district, 95; average cost of tuition per 
month for each pupil, S4.19; schoolhouses, 
frame, nine; value, 3,530; value of apparatus, 
S9.10. 

Minden has a German day school, which 
is the only one in the county. It was opened 
through the efforts of Rev. Nolting in 1882. 
Twenty pupils are regular attendants, who 
pay a tuition of 50 cents per month. The 
branches taught are the same as those of the 
common schools of the county, except the re- 
ligious instruction. 

The German Evangelical Lutheran Church 
of Minden is the only one in the township. 
The organization was effected in 1878, with 
the Rev. Julius Ochlert as pastor. The orig- 
inal members were August Kaven, Adam 
Turk, John Stuhr, Jr., Jacob Wasser, Died- 
erich Rohlfs, Peter Alleman, August Bock, 
Wilhelm Bolte, Wilhelm Giese, John Stuhr, 



266 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Sr., August Giese and Carl Leitzke. Rev. 
Ochlert remained in charge as pastor for three 
years, and, during most of this time, services 
were held in the schoolhouse. A church 
building was begun during his stay, but left 
unfinished. From various causes, the mem- 
bership dwindled down to five, when Rev. 
Wilhelm Nolting became their pastor. 
Through his efforts, the membership increased 
to thirteen, and the church building, begun 
in 1879, has been completed under their ear- 
nest and active pastor. It is 24x36 feet, and 
is surmounted by a bell tower, and furnished 
with all modern improvements. The lot on 
which it stands was presented to the society 
by Mr. Casper Foster. A Sunday school was 
organized in Minden in 1876, with James 
Crow as Superintendent, and there is an at- 
tendance of about twenty pupils. The pres- 
ent officers are: Conrad Niel, Superintend- 
ent; John Crow, Secretary; J. A. Yoder, 
Treasurer; and E. O. IMorgan, Librarian. It 
is now in a flourishing condition, and has a 
regular attendance of forty pupils. 

The growth of Minden has not been so 
rapid as that of some of the other towns of 
Pottawattamie County, but there has always 
been, since its founding, a substantiality in 
its progress which made success a foregone 
conclusion. The extent of the business done 
in the town may be determined by the fol- 



lowing list of business men and the indus- 
tries they represent: J. B. Norton, druggist; 
John Hammer and J. C. Garmong, hardware 
merchants; Peter Stuhr and J. C. Garmong, 
agricultural implement dealers; Stuhr Bros., 
J. W. Crow and J. H. Yoder, dry goods and 
grocery merchants; Peter Ehlers, grain-deal- 
er; Seiffert & Weise, lumber- dealers; L. 
Harm, physician and surgeon; J, C. Gar- 
mong, harness-dealer; Henry Rolfs and H. 
Peterson, blacksmiths; and one hotel, with 
Adolph Wuuder as proprietor. 

There are several smaller busine.ss institu- 
tions in the town, but the above are the prin- 
cipal firnis. Minden will shortly have two 
grain elevators in operation. Besides that 
of Mr. Ehlers, which has been running for 
some time, a new one is being constructed by 
Messrs. Dow, Sandhan & Co., the capacity of 
which will be about fifteen thousand bushels. 

On the 12th of June, 1881, a hail-storm 
struck Minden Township, and the damage 
done by it amounted to $20,000. The track 
of the storm was about two miles wide. It 
came from the southwest and northwest, and 
the two divisions seemed to meet near the 
residence of Mr. F. Bloomer, where the dam- 
age done was about §1,000. The storm de- 
stroyed about six hundred and fifty trees and 
about one hundred acres of grain at this 
point. 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP. 



267 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP— INTRODUCTORY — ORGANIZATION — DRAINAGE— EARLY SETTLERS— ROADS- 
BRIDGES— FIRST RAILROAD— SCHOOLS— POST OFFICE— GRAIN ELEVATORS- 
BUSINESS INDUSTRIES— SECRET SOCIETIES— CHURCHES. 



LONG before the white man saw the rich 
lands of the " Great American Desert," 
these gentle slopes, green hills and groves of 
timber were peopled by another race than the 
pale-face from the far East. Here the red 
man roamed in all his savage glory for years 
and decades, aye, for centuries, perhaps, un- 
disturbed save by the rival tribes, of his own 
race. Here he hunted the buffalo and chased 
the deer and howled behind his fleeing ene- 
my. But the time came when all this was 
changed, and as the light of civilization 
spread over the continent, the " wigwam 
blaze" was extinguished in this region and 
the savage followed after the retreating herds 
of buffalos. Then were the foundations laid 
for the future greatness of a prosperous 
country by the hardy pioneers amid exposure 
and privation. The farmer, the mechanic, 
the merchant and the professional man were 
soon represented by the most enterprising 
and energetic of their calling, and soon where 
the prairie grass grew so rank as to hide a 
man on horseback from view, broad fields of 
waving grain told of the rapid development 
of the resources of a rich and, fertile countiy. 
Manufactories, villages, churches and school 
buildings sprang up and the hum of busy in- 
dustry was heard on every hand, where but a 
few years before the pioneer was almost 
alone; on a broad, rolling prairie, almost 
wholly unpeopled for hundi'eds of miles in 
every direction from his lonely cabin, save 
by bands of half- naked Indians, which might 

*By Frank M. Wright. 



occasionally have been seen galloping along 
the course of a stream, or disappearing over 
the crest of a hill on their hardy Mustang 
ponies. Such were the scenes familiar to 
the pioneers of only a quarter of a centui'y ago. 

June 10, 1S72, a petition signed by H, G. 
Fisher, George Remington, Fielding Steele 
and seventy-eight other citizens, was j^resent- 
ed to the Boai'd of Supervisors, asking that 
honorable body to form a new civil township, 
to comprise a part of the townships of York 
and Boomer. It was ordered by the Board 
of Supervisors that Township 77, Range 41, 
and Township 77, Range 42, is hereby or- 
ganized into a civil township, to be known 
as the township of Neola. By this organi- 
zation, Neola Township comprised all the 
territory now known as Minden Township. 
Neola Township is now bounded on the north 
by Harrison County, on the west by Boomer 
Township, on the south by Norwalk Township 
and on the east by Minden Township. It is 
broken and untillable only at some points 
along the streams. Nearly the whole siu-f ace 
is a gently rolling prairie, and the soil is 
very productive. Wheat, corn, oats and rye 
are grown successfully, corn being the staple 
crop. 

This township is drained by Mosquito and 
Pigeon Creeks and their tributaries. The 
latter rises in Section 10, and crossing Sec- 
tion 3, entering Section 4, flows in a south- 
westerly direction across the sections diago- 
nally of 9, 8, 18 and 19, leaving the town- 
ship at the southwest corner of Section 19 



268 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



and crossing Section 25 of Boomer Town- 
ship. In Section 25, of Boomer, it receives 
the waters of a small tributary which rises in 
Section 21, of Neola, and taking a southwest- 
erly course, through Sections 20, 29 and 31, 
leaves the township at the northwest corner 
of Section 31. This tributary is known as 
Bardsley's Creek, and received its name 
through the event of the settlement of a Mr. 
Bardsley on the west bank of the stream in 
1854. 

There are three bridges cross this stream, 
all of which are mainly wooden structures, 
erected at the exjjense of the count)-. Mos- 
quito Creek rises in Harrison County and 
enters Neola Township near the northwest 
corner of Section 1. It flows almost due 
south through the northern part of Sections 
1, 12 and 13, and, on entering Section 24, it 
bears to the east, flowing nearly to the east- 
ern line of the township, in Section 25, whore 
it is joined by the Minden Branch of Mos- 
quito Creek. Its course from this point is 
southwest through Sections 25, 26 and 35, 
crossing the township line between Neola 
and Norwalk Townships, about the center of 
Section 35. 

The early settlers of Neola Township found 
the same rich soil, the same fine rolling 
prairie and the same prospects of peace and 
plenty, which awaited the pioneers of most 
of the other townships of Pottawattamie 
County. G. "W. Henderson claimed the 
honor of being the first pei-manent white set- 
tler of the township). His home had been in 
Van Buren County, Iowa. In March, of 
1855, he pre-empted the southeast quarter of 
Section 12, and began at once to erect a shel- 
ter for himself and family and to break 
ground for a spring crop. He continued his 
improvements, and to-day is among the well- 
to-do farmers of the county. His home is 
now located about two miles north of the 



town of Neola. Mr. Henderson's first neigh- 
bor in Neola Township was a Mr. Norman 
Abbott, who settled in Section 19 during the 
latter part of the same month. Mr. Abbott 
remained a resident of the township until 
1865, when he sold his farm to Thomas Cel- 
lars, who in turn sold it to a gentleman 
named Hillsworth. Subsequent to this sale, 
it was divided, but is now owned by Mr. 
Johu Handley, of Neola. William Tidwell 
came to the new country and settled in Sec- 
tion 18, near to Mr. Abbott. Joseph Balsley 
and J. Mecklin settled on Pigeon Creek in 
May of 1855. Mr. Balsley continued a resi- 
dent of this township until his death. Mrs. 
Balsley still owns the old farm where they 
first settled. Mr. Mecklin sold his farm and 
is now a resident of Boomer Township. The 
next to choose a home in the prairie now 
within the boundaries of Neola Township 
was John O'Brien, who settled on Section 
23 and still resides on the old place. Promi- 
nent among the early settlers was Mr. Z. 
Kemington and family, who settled on Sec- 
tion 33. Mr. Remington, however, did not 
become a resident of the township until 1858. 
He lived on the place of his first settlement 
until his death. After his death, the old 
farm was divided by his heirs. His sons are 
among the most prominent business men of 
Neola. These early pioneers were soon fol- 
lowed by large numbers of settlers, and the 
country began to assume the appearance of 
being peopled by a thriving, energetic com 
munity. 

After the first struggle to provide comfort- 
able homes for their families, and a portion 
of their prairie farms were broken and under 
cultivation, the important question of schools, 
churches, roads, bridges and other public 
improvements were common topics of conver- 
sation and movements which claimed their 
attention. 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP. 



269 



The first roads in the township were mere 
community roads. No survey had yet been 
made of the lands, and the first settlers 
staked off a claim, to which they were enti- 
tled at Government prices after the survey. 
The settlers located on these claims in differ- 
ent parts of the country, chose the most con- 
venient routes of driving across the prairie 
from one house to another, or to such places 
as their business might call them. After the 
survey of lands by the Government and the 
coiintry became more thickly settled, the lines 
of roads were in many instances so changed 
that the old trails or community roads were 
entirely abandoned. Since the sm-vey, the 
public roads have been opened usually upon 
section lines, by petition presented to the 
Board of Supervisors of the county, and which 
were signed by those citizens mostly inter- 
ested. The first public road opened in the 
township was thi'ough the influence of Messrs. 
G. W. Henderson and Z. Remington. This 
road led from Section 5, Eange 41, to the 
Ballard State road, which ran to Council 
Bluffs. The length of the new road opened 
by these gentlemen was about twenty- five 
miles. The roads now in the township run- 
ning east and west are very few and not car- 
ried out by sections. The two principal 
roads of the township run north and south, 
and are known as the Henderson and Daven- 
port roads. The former is about twelve miles 
in length, and its termini are Sections 1, of 
Neola Township, and Eight Mile Grove, of 
Norwalk Township. 

Mosquito and Pigeon Creeks remained for 
a number of years unbridged, sa^e by such 
rude structures as they were able to build. 
There are now three bridges across these 
streams in Neola Township, one of which 
crosses Pigeon Creek on the line between 
Sections 8 and 17, where the road ci'osses 
which runs from Neola to Missouri Valley. 



Cole Fisher's residence is near this bridge. 
The other two cross Mosquito Creek; one of 
them is located near the residence of Mr. 
Aultman, one-half mile south of Neola, and 
the other is located one and one-half miles 
from Neola, and near the residence of J. J. 
Leonard. Both are on the road running 
from Neola to Eight Mile Grove, and are 
constructed of wood and ii'on, as is also the 
one crossing Pigeon Creek. 

Neola Township had no special attractions 
until 1869, when- the Chicago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Railroad was built, and the town 
of Neola laid out on lands owned by Messrs. 
Withrow, Wright & Allen. The first house 
where the city stands was built by D. Little, 
about 1868, who kept store in the building. 
It is now owned by D. J. Farrell and occu- 
pied by F. D. Butler. The second building 
was put up by Mr. Kuhl, who was a harness- 
maker. This building is now owned by D. 
Tostevin, the real estate agent. Mr. J. W. 
Norris then put up a small building, which 
is now owned by "VV. Graybill. Mr. Norris 
was the first blacksmith to open a shoji in 
Neola, and it was in the loft of his shop that 
a Mrs. Doane taught the second term of 
school in the town. The first school taught 
in Neola was in the winter of 1869-70. Miss 
M. Webster was the teacher, and the school 
was held in the building now owned by D. 
Tostevin. The Neola House was among the 
first buildings in the town, and was erected 
by Charles Hamilton. It was built for hotel 
purposes, and has since been used for such. 
McKinney is the present proprietor. 

A post oflice building was erected in 1870 
by Mr. Duncan, who was also first Postmas- 
ter. Daniel Flynn erected a building the 
same year and opened a saloon. 

The large amount of gi'ain raised annually 
in Neola Township justified Mr. C. D. Dillen 
in engaging in the grain trade in the little 



270 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY 



village as early as 1873. He also began the 
sale of coal and lumber at the same time, 
and has established an extensive trade in each 
of these commodities. In 1878, Mr. Dillen 
bnilt a grain elevator, the capacity of vfhich 
is about 10,000 bushels per day. Mr. Dil- 
len was the first permanently located dealer 
in grain in Neola, though the writer was in- 
formed that Blr. G. Duncan, the tirst Post- 
master, was the first to buy any grain mar- 
keted at Neola. The first grain elevator was 
built by Mr. C. Hamilton. Both elevators, 
however, were built in 1878, and their ca- 
pacity was about the same. Mr. Dillen 
opened and began operating his elevator on 
October 1, while Mr. Hamilton had begun 
biisiness in his some months earlier. Both 
these gentlemen are successful business men, 
and have taken an active part in the growth 
and prosperity of the little city. 

In 1880, the rapid growth of the town led 
Mr. L. P. Judson to siu'vey and increase the 
city property by an addition. In 1882, the 
town received its charter as a city, and elect- 
ed the following officers, who are still serv- 
ing: Joha P. Organ, Mayor; C. M. Crippen, 
Recorder, and O. L. Davis, Marshal. The 
City Council is composed of T. Rishton, W. 
Downs, E. Reichart, C. D. Dillen, J. W. 
Butler and R. F. Lovell. 

The principal business of Neola is done by 
the following gentlemen: 

Grain Dealers — C. D. Dillen and J. A. 
Hamilton. 

Dealers in General Merchandise — H. Men- 
del. B. Riston, J. W. Butler, F. Riston, 
Eggleston Bros, and Bradley & Burton. 

Druggists — Mr. Vanness, C. F. Bobbins, 
B. A. McKay. 

Hardware Firms — Reichart Bros., C. M. 
Witt and C. B. Stone. 

Clothing Stores— -Remington Bros, and C. 
M. Crippen. 



Stock Buyer — G. W. Rogers. 

Newspapers — Neola Tribune, E. P. Ivins, 
editor (see biography), founded by Z. Brown 
in 1880. 

Real Estate Agents — H. L. McWilliams 
and D. Tostevin. 

Hotels — Commercial, S. Burgess, proprie- 
tor; Neola House, McKinney, proprietor. 

Bank — Neola Bank, Mr. Hemy, President; 
Mr. Lodge, Cashier. 

Livery Stables — A. King and Downs & 
Mott. 

Meat Markets — Hagerty & Reichart and 
Handbury & Sills. 

Insurance Agents — H L. McWilliams and 
Riley Clark. 

Millinery Store— Mrs. F. M. Gallup. 

Carpenters — Purcell & Rogers, Eli Vick- 
ery, William Schierbrook and Mr. Fulli- 
gen. 

The physicians of the town have been Dr. 
Barton, Dr. Vanness, Dr. Harvey, Dr. Todd 
and Dr. Lawrence. 

Attorneys — H L. McWilliams and John 
P. Orgen. 

Present Postmaster — G. W. Remington. 

Neola has one graded school. The build- 
ing was erected in 1881, at a cost of $3,000, 
and is a frame stnicture, 32x36 feet, and two 
and one-half stories in height. About eighty- 
five pupils attend this school. 

The "school statistics of the township, inde- 
pendent of the Neola school, show the follow- 
ing for the year 1881: 

Number of subdistricts, 6; number un- 
graded schools in each district, 6; average 
number of » months taught, 9. , 

Teachers — Number employed, males, 8; 
females, 4; total, 12. Average compensation 
per month — males, $34.16; females, $33.75. 

Pupils — Number of persons between the 
ages of five and twenty-one years, males, 135; 
females, 116; number enrolled in whole dis- 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP. 



371 



trict, 319; total average attendance in whole 
district, 79; average cost of tuition per 
month for each pupil, $4.72. 

Schoolhouses — Frame, 6, value, $4,475; 
value of apparatus, $1.85. 

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows 
was the first secret society to organized lodge 
in Neola. Neola Lodge, No. 410, was or- 
ganized on May 27, 1880. The charter 
members were J. A. Hamilton, E. E. Harris, 
Jacob Brown, Arthur Pitkin, F. T. C. John- 
son, J. C. Chapman and C. K. Lynch. The 
first officers were: J. A. Hamilton, Noble 
Grand; E. E. Harris, Vice Grand; J. C. 
Chapman, Secretary, and Jacob Brown, 
Treasurer. The present officers are: E. P. 
Brown, Noble Grand; Jacob Brown, Vice 
Grand; R. T. Lovell, Secretary, and C. M. 
Crippen, Treasurer. The lodge at present 
numbers forty-four members. 

Irwin Lodge, No. 118, Iowa Legion of 
Honor, was the next secret society to effect an 
organization in Neola. This lodge was or- 
ganized August 15, 1881. The following 
were the charter members: S. N. Harvey, L. 
W. Todd, E. Reiohart, John Watson, M. Stew- 
art. Ed L. Eggleston, O. O. Densmore, H. 
J. Schierbrook, W. McDonald, R. Messing- 
ham, H. Brengenhempkia, H. Vieth, C. M. 
"Witt, E. Eiohenberger, M. Lanning, E. 
Whitney, H. B. Lane, C. B. Stone, John Bu- 
chansln, A. W. Loomis, L. Goerow, W. Ful- 
lagar. H. Mendel, J. W. Telford, A. E. 
Stone, F. O. Lewis and F. D. Tanner. The 
first officers were: E. Reichart, W. P.; John 
Watson, v.. P.; E. L. Eggleston, R. S.; C. 
M. Witt, F. S.; J. Buchanan, C; C. B. 
Stone, T. ; A. W. Loomis, D. K. ; M. Lan- 
ning, S.; S. N. Harvey, M. E. ; L. W. Todd. 
M. E. The present officers are : E. Eieehart, 
M. P.; John Watson, V. P.; F. D. Tanner, 
E. S. ; H. Mendel, F. S. ; A. W. Loomis, C. ; 
C. B. Stone, T.; H. Vieth, D. K. ; W. Mc- 



Donald, S.; S. M. Harvey, M. E. ; L. W. 
Todd, M. E. 

Agate Lodge, No. 423, A., F. & A. M., 
was organized in March, 1882, and was the 
last of the secret societies to organize a lodge 
in Neola. The charter members were Will- 
iam Harper, H. Mendel, J. D. Garrison, S. 
N. Harvey, A. S. Avery, W. Phillips, L. W. 
Barnum, J. W. Butler, J. M. Butler and N. 
W. Matson. The first officers, who are still 
serving, are: A. S.Avery, W. M. ; S. L. Har- 
vey, S. W.; W. Harper, J. W. ; H. Men- 
del, S. ; J. W. Butler, T. ; J. D. Garrison, 
S. D.; W. Pliillips, J. D.; N. ^v. Matson, 
Tiler. 

Neola has two churches, one Catholic and 
one Presbyterian. The former is a frame 
structure, about' 28x40 feet, and was built by 
Philip Mooman. It cost about $800, and was 
completed in 1874. The first priest was Rev. 
B. P. McMenony, now of Council Bluffs. 
The membership consisted of twenty families 
when the church was organized; they now 
have a membership of one hundred families, 
and have recently laid the foimdation of a 
fine new church building, which will be con- 
structed of brick. Father Kempler is expect- 
ed to take charge of this people during the 
early fall of 1882. 

The following historical statement by the 
Eev. G. M. Lodge, in regard to the Presby- 
terian Church of Neola, will show the energy 
and determination of that society to establish 
an organization and build a church: 

" February 20, 1880, Eev. G. M. Lodge and 
Elder J. S. Love visited Neola to look after 
the interests of Presbyterianism in that vi- 
cinity. On the day following, which was 
Saturday, these gentlemen made several calls, 
and without previous appointment, Eev. G. 
M. Lodge preached in the schoolhouse from 
the text found in I Timothy, 2d chapter and 
5th verse. In the evening, he preached in 



272 



HISTOKY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



the same building, his text being Matthew, 
6th chapter and 33d verse. 

Finding four families, parts of which were 
members of the Presbyterian Chm-ch, and en- 
couraged by the attendance and apparent in- 
terest of other citizens, these gentlemen ad- 
vised that a church be organized as soon as 
practicable. About this time, Neola was 
visited by Eev. A. K. Baird, Syuodical mis- 
sionary of Iowa, north, and acting mission- 
ary of Presbytery of Council Bluffs, who also 
advised the organization of a chm-ch in Ne- 
ola. During this visit, Eev. Baird preached 
a sermon, on March 1, 1880. 

March 1-i of the same month, Rev. G. W. 
Lodge preached again in Neola, and with the 
consent of those who expected to become 
members of the church, he appointed Mon- 
day, March 22, as the day on which to or- 
ganize. On the 22d day of March, 1880, 
by the authority of the Presbytery of Coun- 
cil Bluffs, a committee, consisting of Revg. 
G. M. Lodge, F. H. Cleland and Elder J. S. 
Love, met in Neola at 2 o'clock P. M. to or- 
ganize a Presbyterian Church. 

A sermon suitable to the occasion was then 
preached by Rev. F. H. Cleland. A brief 
statement was made of the steps already ta- 
ken, and the register of the names of those 
persons to be organized into a church was 
read, which were as follows: John Buchanan 
and Jessie, his wife, and their childi-en— 
Katie, Jennie, Kennedy and David ; Lawrence 
Hunter and wife, Mrs. Anna Remington and 
Dr. Harvey and wife. All the members pres- 
ent then arose to their feet and made a con- 
fession of their faith in all the doctrines of 
the Word of God, and covenanted with God 
and each other to walk in all the commandments 



and ordinances of the Lord blameless. The 
church was then pronounced fully and prop- 
erly organized. John Buchanan was elected 
a Ruling Elder, and Lawrence Hunter a 
Deacon. The Elder and Deacon elect were 
then ordained and installed, after which a 
solemn exhortation and charge were given to 
the church and the officers, and the newly 
organized church, with all its interests, was 
commended to God in prayer." 

A short time subsequent to the organiza- 
tion of the Presbyterian Church, a society 
was formed in Neola, the object of which was 
to raise money to be given to any denomina- 
tion of Christians that would contribute the 
largest sum to this fund, the whole of which 
was to be used in the erection of a new 
church building, the same to be the property 
of the denomination that secured the fund. 
The Presbyterians succeeded in getting this 
appropriation through the Presbyterian Board 
of Missions, contributing S500. This sum, 
with the donation from the town, and the 
sums subscribed by members of the church, 
was used in erecting a frame building, 42x38 
feet. It was completed in March, 1882. at a 
cost of $1,500. 

Neola has two railroads — the Chicago, 
Rock Island & Pacific and the Chicago, Mil- 
waukee & St. Paul. The former was com- 
pleted in 1869, and the latter in 1882. Both 
are trunk lines, and offer to the little city 
such advantages as are not surpassed by any 
city in Pottawattamie County, except at Coun- 
cil Bluffs. Surrounded by a populous and 
highly productive country, and possessed of 
an enterprising and liberal community, the 
future of Neola is an unusually bright 
one. 



BOOMER TOWNSHIP. 



273 



CHAPTER XXXV II.* 



BOOMER TOWNSHIP— ORGANIZATION— ORIGIN OF NAME— EARLV SETTLERS— ADAM HEAGENV'S 

"DUG-OUT"— AN EARLV TRIAL, ETC. 



^ I "'HE order to constitute Boomer Township 
-*- was made by the Coianty Com-t on the 8th 
day of June, 1858. It is that a new town- 
ship be organized to be called Boomer, and 
bounded and described as follows: By a line 
commencing at the southeast corner of Sec- 
tion 33, in Congressional Township 77 north, 
of Kange 48 west; running thence on the 
section line to the line separating the counties 
of Harrison and Pottawattamie; thence east 
along said county line to the northeast corner 
of Congressional Township 77, Range 42 
west; thence south six miles to the southeast 
corner of said Congressional Township 77, 
Range 42 west; thence on said Congressional 
township line to the place of beginning. 
This was a subdivision of the territory which, 
in part, constituted Rocky Ford Township, 
as originally organized. The first election 
under the new organization was held on the 
12th day of October of the same year, and 
the township officers were then chosen. The 
election was held in 1859, at the house of 
Samuel Bateman, at which nineteen votes 
were polled, out of which one was cast for 
Republican candidates and eighteen for Dem- 
ocratic candidates. The present number of 
legal voters is now about one hundred and 
sixty-five, and the township, during the past 
ten years, has given about ninety Democratic 
majority at general elections. The first 
township officers chosen were Samuel Diggle, 
William Fonts and Joseph Mohat as Trust- 
ees; Henry Gittings as Township Clerk; and 
Samuel Bateman, Sr., and Joseph Bardsley, 

-By Col. John H. Keatley. 



Justices of the Peace. It seems that no Con- 
stables were chosen at that time. At least, 
there is no record of it. 

The earliest note there exists of settlement 
in the township is that of Lee Bybee, who 
came in 1847, and the spot where he made 
his home was known far and wide as " By- 
bee's Camp," in Section 31, and, during the 
winter following his arrival, about fifteen 
houses were erected in the same vicinity, on 
the north of Pigeon Creek. In two or thi-ee 
years, all of these settlers sold out their 
claims and went onto Utah Territory with 
the general Mormon emigration, and finally 
remained there. Their improvements here 
were made during a pause, while fleeing with 
the general mass of those sectarians across the 
State of Iowa from Nauvoo, 111. What was 
once known as " Bybee's Camp " is now in- 
cluded in the farms owned and occupied by 
William McKeown, L. S. Axtell and George 
Drake. William McKeown is the only resi- 
dent of Boomer Township who came there and 
settled in the original Bybee's Camp, when 
it was simply a camp, and is doubtless the 
oldest settler in the township for that i-eason. 
He is a native of Canada, and came to Iowa 
in 1846. The first birth, death and marriage 
in the township occuiTed in this camp. It is 
impossible now to give the names of the par- 
ties in the first birth and the first death, but 
the first marriage was a double one, and took 
place in the spring of 1848. The parties in 
the one instance were William McKeown and 
Miss Eliza Jane Hall; in the other, Ezekiel 
Cheeny and Miss Lucy Hardy. The latter 



374 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



subsequently went to Salt Lake City, and 
were lost sight of. The iirst school opened 
was in Bybee's Camj). in the winter of 1847 
-48, and the teacher, J. L. Deforest, who 
afterward died in Harrison County. 

Those principally interested in securing 
the organization of the township were Judge 
Hall and I. M. Sigler, the latter still a resi- 
dent. Jiidge Sherman was the County Judge 
who made the oi'der constituting the town- 
ship. Inasmuch as it would, when constitut- 
ed, be an overwhelmingly Democratic town- 
ship, it was proposed to flavor it with an 
equally strong Republican designation, and 
to call it after the Hon. D. J. Bloomer, of 
Council Bluffs. In finally deciding this mat- 
ter, Judge Sherman concluded to strike out 
the " 1," and thus called it Boomer, a title 
the organzation has ever since held. The 
fu'st highway laid out was what is known as 
the Harris Grove & Council Bluffs road, laid 
out by Edward Latham, as Commissioner, in 
1853. The first bridge was a wooden one, 
across the North Pigeon, near William Mc- 
Keown's. Nearly all the fu'st settlers were 
English people, farmers, used only to the 
reaping sickle. Isaac M. Sigler had the only 
gi'ain cradle at that time in the settlement, 
and, when his neighbors obtained the use of 
it to cut their grain, their want of skill in 
handling this Yankee imjilement, now also 
out of date, created no little amusement. 
Samuel Bateman, Sr. , brought the first reap- 
ing machine into the settlement, a second- 
hand McCormick reaper. Only small areas 
of wheat were raised while the mode of har- 
vesting was still of a f)rimitive character, but, 
when improved machinery was once intro 
daced, wheat-gi-owing expanded in the ex- 
ceedingly rich and virgin soil of the " Missouri 
Slope." ' 

The first fanning-mill on North Pigeon 
Creek was owned bv Robert Kent and 



for the use of it he charged a toll of every 
fourth bushel of wheat. 

Among the most prominent and best-known 
persons in the township, and who have been 
residents a great many years — in fact, about 
ever since the organization — besides Mr. Mc- 
Keown and those already named, are Isaac 
M. Sigler, George Drake, Henry Gittings, 
Mrs. Elizabeth Mackland, Thomas French, 
L. S. Axtell, Peter Peterson and B. Smith. 
Mr. Sigler is a native of the State of Indiana, 
and, during the Mexican war, in 184(3-48, 
served as a soldier, and was severely wound- 
ed in battle, and is now a jiensioner on the 
pension rolls of the United States by reason 
of such injuries. After the organization of 
the Board of County Supervisors, and when 
each township had at least one representative 
on that board, Mi- Sigler was for a number 
of years the member fi-om Boomer, and ren- 
dered very valuable services. L. S. Axtell is 
also a representative man, and has had the 
confidence of his neighbors and fellow-citi- 
zens. He is a Rejjublicau in polities. When 
Pottawattamie County had a single Represen- 
tative in the General Assembly of the State, 
in 1873, Mr. Axtell was chosen as that Rep- 
resentative, and served one term, declining a 
renomination and a re-election. 

Mrs. Mackland is one of the best-known 
and most highly respected ladies of the town- 
ship. She was born in Cheshire, England, 
and emigrated to America in 1850. She 
came by the way of New Orleans, in a sailing 
vessel, across the ocean, the trip in that way 
consuming eight weeks and four days. 
From New Orleans she came up the Missis- 
sippi to St. Louis, and thence by the Missouri 
to Council Bluffs, making Keg Creek her 
abode for several years, going to Boomer to 
live in 1855. Her experience was that of 
most persons settling in a new country and 
having only moderate means. Privations 



BOOMER TOWXSHIP. 



275 



they were compelled to endiu-e, as neighbors 
and comforts, under the circumstances, were 
few and far between. Even the commonest 
necessaries of life, such as the frontier ordi- 
narily afforded, were not of the most abund- 
ant. It often fell out that corn-meal could 
only be had by grating the corn, instead of 
grinding it. Their home was a log cabin, 
and this was the only style of dwelling in the 
settlement, where handsome and comfortable 
houses, fine barns and cultivated fields have 
replaced the rude culture of the frontier. 
With all their discomforts, the social life of 
the pioneers was of the most pleasant char- 
acter. There was no meanness nor stinginess 
in their intercourse. Each shared with the 
other the little they had. The long winter 
nights were frequently whiled away in log 
cabin dances, when the buildings would fairly 
shake in the liveliness and zest of those who 
thus enjoyed themselves. There was little 
of what was called "style" in those days. 
Putting on airs was entirely out of place, and 
the little community was thoroughly demo- 
cratic in its social aspects. Game was still 
abundant on the prairies and in the timber. 
The streams abounded in fish; and at night, 
the howl of the wolf, as he prowled around, 
was a species of music not of the most assui-- 
ing, but still not indicative of any danger. 
Mrs. Mackland's husband died in 1876, in 
the home made by him and her in toil and 
privation. 

Another character existed in those days, 
and long after, in that township, in the per- 
son of Adam Heageny, one of the earliest 
settlers. The reverso side of tha blufifs that 
divide Boomer from Koekford made, in those 
times, excellent opportunities for the con. 
struction of what, on the frontier, are known 
as "dugouts." Heageny came fi-om Erie 
County, Penn. , and took a small claim in the 
western part of the township, and, being of 



slender means, made a " dugout " for a hab- 
itation. This was a large, roomy cave in the 
hillside. It was warmly banked up, and in- 
closed in front, and was as comfortable as 
the most costly palace when the wild winter 
winds whistled across the prairie. Here he 
lived for many years, and reared a large fan^- 
ily, and it was not until these had reached 
manhood and womanhood that he bethought 
himself of any other abode. He was a Jus- 
tice of the Peace for quite a number of years. 
The writer of this distinctly remembers an in- 
stance of the manner. of dispensing justice 
under his administration. It was an ex- 
tremely cold day in November, 1870. A man 
by the name of Henderson, a farmer, had been 
sued at Neola by a Swede neighbor for inju- 
ries done to the Swede's cow by Henderson' s 
dog. The damages, at all events, could not 
amount to more than $4 or $b. Neola was 
then on one side of Boomer Township. A 
change of venue was taken from the Neola 
Justice to the next nearest one, Heageny, 
at the far side of the township. The 
party, witnesses and all, started for the 
court, across the country, in one of the 
bleakest winds that ever blew, in an open 
fai'm wagon. Heageny was off at Loveland 
when the litigants got to his house. A mes- 
senger, a boy, was sent after him, and in two 
hours after, he was seen coming up the ra- 
vine, where the road led, at a gallop, his hat 
gone and his hair streaming in the air. He 
soon took in the situation. He had just in- 
closed a new dwelling house, I)ut it was un- 
finished on the inside. Loose boards lay 
along the joists. It was Saturday, and the 
day was already nearly gone. The group 
were shivering around the stove, and the wind 
whistling through crack and cranny of the 
badly built house. Heageny soon compre- 
hended what was wanted in the way of his 
services as a Justice of the Peace, and, tak- 



276 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



ing his half-grown boy, hoisted him high 
enough to reach the joists and loose boards, 
and the docket and the Code of Iowa were 
brought down, and the solemnity of the trial 
began. At nightfall the trial was over, and 
judgment was entered against the owner of 
the dog. Heageny eventually became cramped 
for elbow room in the encroachments of set- 
tlements around him, and moved with his 



family to California. Joseph Mohat, one of 
the earliest and most staid of his neighbors, 
is a Frenchman, still living, respected for his 
excellent qualities as a citizen. 

Boomer Township is one of the most pros- 
perous in the county. It is now well settled, 
and, with its exceeding richness of soil, bids 
fair to be among the wealthiest, as it is one of 
the most beautiful, townships in the county. 



CHAPTER XXXVITL* 



KOC-KFORD TdWNSHIP— ONE OF THE ORIGIN.A.L TIIKEE TOWNSHIPS OF THE COUNTY— FIRST 

MORMON SETTLERS— OTHER SETTLER.''- ORG.\NIZ VTION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS— FIRST 

DEATH— TWO MURDER C.A.SES—LOV ELAND AND HONEY CREEK, ETC. 



IT will doubtless always be interesting to 
remember the origiral organization of a 
county, which in area equals almost the 
States of Delaware and Rhode Island each, 
and is larger than many of the petty German 
principalities before their incorporation into 
the modern empire. Prior to 1853, the 
county was simply divided into election pre- 
cincts and had no distinctive township or- 
ganization and administration. For all pur- 
poses, it constituted a single township, but 
in fact no township functions were exercised, 
except such as related to the holding of elec- 
tions. On the 12th day of February of that 
year, the first steps were taken to divide the 
county into three townships. This was done 
at a special session of the County Court, which 
was simply constituted of the County Judge. 
T. Burdick held that oiSce at that date, and 
made the necessary order, and S. T. Corg 
was the Clerk of the Coiu-t, and made up the 
record of the transaction. 

The record so made states, in substance, 
that the former division of the county into 
precincts was discontinued, and the county 

•Bjr Col. John U. Kiatley. 



of Pottawattamie divided into three town- 
ships, viz., Macedonia, bounded on the south 
by the south line of the county, west by the 
meridian or range line ruunintj north and 
south across the county, between Range 40 
and 41; north by the north line of the coun- 
ty, and east by the east county line. A 
glance at the map will show the vast area of 
territory embraced in this subdivision. The 
first election in the township was to be held 
at the house of Calvin Beebe, at or near the 
post office. 

Kane Township's boundaries were lixed as 
on the south by the north line of Mills Coun- 
ty, on the west by the Missouri River, north 
by the line separating Congressional or Gov- 
ernment Townships, No. 75 and No. 76, and 
east by the west line of Macedonia Town- 
ship, just described. The tirst election was 
ordered to be held at the court house in 
Council Bluffs, and this meant the old cotton 
wood building on Madison street, now First 
street. 

The third township embraced in this order 
was what is now known as Rockford, then 
called Rockj' Ford, from a I'ock-bottomed ford 



ROCKFOKD TOWNSHIP. 



277 



of the Boyer Eiver in the vicinity of Love- 
land. The west boundary of the township 
was the Missouri River, the north the south- 
ern line of Harrison County, the south by the 
north line of Kane Township, and the east 
by the western line of Macedonia Township. 
The first election was ordered to be held at 
Reel's Mill. 

It is not necessary in this place to enlarge 
upon the history of Kane Township. That 
is embraced in the history of the city of 
Council Bluffs, except so far as it may be ne- 
cessary to give the requisite sketch of those 
townships which have since been carved out 
of the older township. Each of these three 
organizations has been frequently subdivid- 
ed, and named, and the' facts which follow 
are mainly relating to the townships as they 
are now constituted and limited. 

As to Rockford, or Rocky Ford, as it was 
first officially designated, the first settlers 
were members of the Mormon Church, who 
came about the date of the arrival of the 
people of that faith at Council Bluffs. Only 
a few of that class of settlers still remain. 
Joseph Hill was the first arrival in the town- 
ship who did not belong to that church, and 
was designated as a Gentile. He took pos- 
session of a tract of land in Section 11, on 
the Missom'i Eiver, near what is known 
as the old St. John's Landing, and has made 
that spot his home ever since. He came 
from the vicinity of St. Joseph, Mo., in 1850. 
He was followed the next year by Joseph 
Kirby and Arthur Mann. These men are 
both dead. Samuel Kirkland and Dr. Rob- 
ert McGavern came the same year as Joseph 
Hill. Dr. McGavern is still living and is a 
highly respected citizen of Harrison County, 
residing only a few miles from the point of 
his original settlement in Pottawattamie 
County. Kirkland lived in the township un- 
til his death, in 1880. The farm he first 



cleared out, opened and improved is owned 
by his son-in-law, James Brookhauser. 
James Kirkland came to the township with 
his father, and died at old St. John, just over 
the Harrison County line, in 1882. Henry 
D. Cox made a settlement in Rockford in 
1851. He subsequently removed into the ad- 
joining county of Harrison, and is a large 
land-owner and the possessor of a magnifi- 
cent farm near the Chicago & North-Western 
Railway, between Missouri Valley and Logan. 
Mr. Cox removed from the township in 1854. 
Noah Harris was a settler cotemporaneous 
with Cox, but went to St. John in 1857, and 
subsequently to the Rocky Mountain country, 
where he died. 

One of the oldest and most prominent set- 
tlers is Basil Fox. He is still living, and 
one of the best known and most respected 
farmers i n the county. He was born in Put- 
nam County, Ind. , where he lived until his 
emigration to this county, in 1852. When 
the war of the rebellion broke out, Mr. Fox 
enlisted in the Twenty-ninth Iowa Volun- 
teers, organized by Col. Thomas H. Benton, 
Jr., at Council Bluffs, and served until the 
expiration of his term of three years, and 
coming home when all the work was done. 
He has always been an active Republican in 
politics, and is a member of the Grand Army 
of the Republic, being attached to the Abe 
Lincoln Post at Council Bluffs. Under the 
old regime, when each township had at least 
one member in the Board of County Super- 
visors, Mr. Fox served a term or two in that 
office. 

Sherman Goss and his family arrived in 
1851. Mr. Goss was shot dead in a claim 
fight which took place at Fort Calhoun. Neb. , 
in 1854, and his widow and children re- 
mained in the township for many years. 
Henry W. A. Goss still lives on the old home 
farm in Section 10. John S. Goss lives at 



278 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUJfTY. 



MisBOiiri Valley and Hugh A. Goss in Coun- 
cil Blufifs, where he is in the employment of 
the United States Government as a free de- 
livery mail can'ier. All three of these sons 
of Sherman Goss served in the Union army 
during the rebellion. Their mother is also 
dead. Is<iac Cox and Peter R. Deel arrived 
from Putnam County, Ind., in 1851, but only 
remained a short time, Cox having removed 
to Harrison County and Deel having died 
soon after. Thomas N. Copeland, an old 
and respected citizen of Loveland, arrived 
with his family in the fall of 1852. He 
lived in Harrison County during his tirst 
winter in Iowa, but came over into Rockford 
Township in the following spring, and has 
been there ever since. Hon. Hardin Jones, 
his brother, John G. Jones, and Joseph Moss, 
son-in-law of Hardin Jones, and their fami- 
lies emigrated from Indiana in 1854, made 
farms and have lived since that date in the 
township. Hardin Jones was County Judge 
for the term which expired on the Ist day of 
January, 1870, when the otSce ceased to exist 
by operation of law. and the office of County 
Auditor substituted for his. He has always 
been an active Democratic worker, and has 
taken a personal interest in county politics. 
Joseph Moss served one term as Deputy 
Sheriff, under Sheriff Periy Reel, and acted 
as County Jailer during that period. Joseph 
Foreman came into the township and settled 
diu'ing the same year as the Jones family. 
Josiah Skelton, well known and highly re- 
spected, came in 1854, and at the same time 
James T. Frazier and his son Alfred. All 
of these old settlei's are still living. 

As near as can be ascertained at this date, 
Hiram Bostwick and his famih'were the lirst 
Mormon settlers in the township. They lo- 
cated in tbe timber bordering the Missouri 
River, nearly opposite Honey Creek Station, 
on the North-Western Railway, and almost 



west of Honey Creek Lake. Mr. Bostwick 
was noted far and near fbr his hospitality, 
and hundreds of middle-aged men, who were 
mere youths then, have a lively and pleasant 
recollection of the couutry dances at the 
Bostwick mansion in the early days of tile 
county. People went from far and wide to 
those gatherings, and fun and fi-olie always 
rewarded them for the distance traveled. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bostwick lived to a ripe old 
age, in the home carved out by them in the 
lonel}- wilderness. Their hospitality was of 
the genuine backwood's style, sometimes 
rough, but always generous. Daniel Bost- 
wick, one of the sons who grew to manhood, 
and who was as well known as his parents, 
also died a year or two ago. Samuel, another 
son, is now a resident of Colorado. Another 
of these early settlers was an Englishman 
named Richard Allen and his family. He 
spent his days near Honey Creek, and died 
about a year ago at an advanced age. His 
grandson, Henry Lowe, lives on the tract of 
laud settled by his grandfather. One of Mr. 
Allen's daughters mamed William Points, 
and is still an inhabitant of the township. 
He also had a son Joseph, who settled and 
acquired about 600 acres of land, partly im- 
proved for farming, near Honey Creek Sta- 
tion, and used and occupied it until his 
death, about five years ago. He left a large 
family of sons and daughters, and the estate 
has been divided among them. His widow, 
Eliza Allen, has the homestead. The Chicago 
& North -Western Railway was built north 
and south through the township in the winter 
of 1866-67, and the first trains run in Feb- 
ruary, 1867, two stations, Loveland and 
Honey Creek, also being established in the 
township. One of the attractive and promi- 
nent topographical features of the townshijj 
is Honey Creek Lake, a beautiful, clear sheet 
of water, half a mile south of Honey Creek 



ROCKFORD TOWNSHIP. 



281 



Station, about two miles long and half a mile 
or more wide. It abounds in fish, and has 
always been an exceedingly attractive spot to 
sportsmen. Numerous smaller lakes or clear 
ponds dot the surface of the township, and 
aside from the Missouri River, which washes 
its west front, the Boyer River traverses the 
entire breadth of it, and empties into the 
Missouri on the west side of Crescent Town- 
shiji. 

In the winter of 185-1, a public school sys- 
tem was organized, and a Board of Directors 
constituted. The school historj' of the town- 
ship up to that date is clouded in absolute 
uncertainty. Basil Fox was chosen Presi- 
dent of the School Board; Hardin Jones, 
Secretary; and Thomas N. Cojjelaud, Vice 
President. The school was opened in an old 
log Mormon hut, which was repaired, on the 
northwest quarter of Section 11. The school 
was first opened there in the winter of 1855. 
Jacob Cox was the first teacher. The first 
house originally intended as a school build- 
ing was a frame one, transported from what 
was called " Old Cincinnati," in Harrison 
County, and permanently located on Section 
10. As the settlements expanded around this 
nucleus, houses were added to supply increas- 
ing wants, the district was subdivided, and 
now seven substantial, convenient school- 
houses adorn and accommodate Rockford 
Township, as an evidence of the public spirit 
of her people. The second public highway 
was a road from Crescent City np the valley 
to " Old Cincinnati." but nothing remains of 
it now but the tracing on the record. Basil 
Fox was the first Road Supervisor. The first 
public bridge built was in 1853. over a branch 
of Honey Creek. It was constructed of na 
tive timber and floored with split logs or 
puncheon. The Mormons had previously, at 
their own expense, built some bridges over 
streams, but they were sim^^ly temjaorary 



makeshifts. They had also put in a mill on 
Honey Creek, but it was gone before any of 
the Gentile settlers got into the country. In 
1859, Wiley B. Hatcher built a small mill on 
Honey Creek, in Section 24, the millwright 
work being done by Basil Fox and one Popps, 
but the floods carried the dam out, in 1870, 
and the structure was allowed to go to ruin. 
In 1865, E. Lovelaud and A. J. Bell began 
the erection of a flouring-niill, at Lovelaud, 
and it was put in operation by Mr. Loveland 
in the winter of 1866. The mill was after- 
ward rebuilt and enlarged,- and is now the 
property of John Hawthorne & Co. Hey- 
ward & Amos operated a horse power saw- 
mill near Honey Creek Station in the tim- 
ber in 1854. In 1860, William Arthur and 
Hoil Carter put in a steam saw-mill, but it 
has long since been disused. 

The first death noted in the settlement was 
a child of H B. Cox, in the summer of 
1852. The first bu'th was a daughter of Ja- 
cob Cox, in January, 1853, and a few days 
later, on the 5th of February, one was born 
to Mr. and Mrs. T. N. Copeland. The first 
marriage remembered by the old settlers was 
that of John S. Goss and Sophronia Cope- 
laud, daughter of T. N. Copeland, and which 
occurred in June. 1855. An election was 
held in a sort of an irregular way, in the fall 
of 1852, in the log schoolhouse on the Cope- 
land farm, Harrison County voters coming 
there to vote, and it being also a Presidential 
year. 

Among the early prominent settlers is Ed- 
ward W. Bennett, who has now reached a 
ripe and venerable age. He was born in 
Nova Scotia in May, 1805. His father was 
an old-fashioned Nova Scotia merchant, and 
at a very early date instilled into the mind of 
his son two business principles, one never to 
buy anything except for cash down, and the 
other, never to aro security for another. The 



2S'' 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



son adhering to these points, came to the 
United States, and engaged in mercantile 
pursuits for twenty years, in Buffalo, N. Y. 
Desirincr to become a land-owner, he emi- 
grated to Western Iowa, in 1856, and pur- 
chased the large tract which has ever since 
been his home, where he has resided in com- 
fort and contentment. He and his wife have 
enjoyed a married life of over fifty-five years, 
she being one year his senior. They have 
seen the county expand from a few scattered 
settlements to a perfect hive of industry. 

In the fall of 1858, Isaac and Enos Cole 
came from Illinois, and bought of James 
Goss the farm now owned by Isaac Cole. 
When they arrived, James Mcintosh lived on 
the prairie between the Boyer River and the 
timber. John S. Goss. two miles north of 
Mcintosh; old Mr. Bush, on the Josejjh Hill 
farm, on the Missoui'i River, and old Mr. 
Davis on the present David Henderson place, 
and these were then the only settlers in that 
part of the township west of the Boyer, ex- 
cept Butterfield, who lived on the bank of 
this stream where Loveland now is. The 
Coles landed in the country with about SlOO 
in money, a yoke of oxen, a pair of horses, a 
log wagon and a common wagon, and began 
work. Ague took hold of them, but they 
managed to put up their hay. They had a 
stack of wheat and one of beans, but the 
prairie fire destroyed their wheat. The 
next year they raised a small wheat crop, 
and threshing it with a flail, took it to Reel's 
mill and had it ground, and this was the 
first of that kind of flour they had for a year. 
Of the six boys in the family, three of them 
went into the military service, in the Union 
army during the rebellion, and one of them 
died while thus serving his country. When 
they came to Iowa, there were twelve of them 
in the family, ten children. The young men 
of this family broke the raw prairie for 



George Mcintosh, the original owner of what 
is now the town site of Missouri Valley, at 
the junction of the North- Western and the 
Sioux City and Pacific Railroads. Joseph 
Buffingtou, who still survives the many inter- 
vening changes in the township, is a native 
of Indiaaa, but emigrated from Illinois in 
1853. When Le reached there, many of the 
tracts of land that are now beautiful farms, 
were under water from the Missouri River 
overflow, and the country had, in conse- 
quence, a most discouraging outlook. Game 
in the timber and on the prairies was abund- 
ant, as many as seventy-five deer in a herd 
being frequently seen, and the woods abound- 
ed in wild turkeys. The old trees standing 
were, in scores of instances, occupied by wild 
bees, and the settlers supplied themselves 
from this source. This, in fact, gave the 
name to the creek, which it still retains. 
Mr. Buffingtou came to the West with only a 
small sum of money, but out of the wild 
lands of Western Iowa has made himself a 
comfortable home for his old age, in Section 
24. He and his wife have reared nine chil- 
dren, and in the long interval have never 
had more than five visits from a physician. 
William Points, who was born in Kentucky, 
removed with his parents to Missoui'i, and 
then into Eastern Iowa, is another long resi- 
dent of the township. With the exception 
of a short residence in Nebraska, about 1862, 
he has lived almost continuously in the town- 
ship since 1852, having been married in No- 
vember of that year, to Catharine Allen, 
daughter of Richard Allen, already men- 
tioned. His wife was born in England. 
They have only one son living, who remains 
still with his parents on their fine farm. Jo- 
siah Skelton is a native of Tennessee, re- 
moved to Indiana, and thence to Western 
Iowa in 1853, settling where he now lives, 
on a tract of land having a small log house. 



KOCKFORD TOWXSHIP. 



283 



fourteen by sixteen feet in dimensions. 
They were compelled to endure considerable 
hardship during their early residence in the 
county. The nearest point where lumber 
could' be procured was at the Thomas Dennis 
saw- mill, on Soldier Creek, twenty-two miles 
north, and the roads, where there were any, 
were execrable. The winter of 1857 was a 
peculiarly hard one, to them, the snow hav- 
ing drifted to a depth of fifteen feet in places. 
Two of his sons narrowly escaped death, in 
a snow storm, while on their way from Coun- 
cil Bluffs, whither they had gone as their 
market town. The mother, to save the feet 
of one of the boys, T. M. Shelton, amputated 
two of his toes with a common table knife, 
no surgeon being within reach in those days. 
As it was. the boy lost neai'ly all of his toes 
from being frozen. 

The people of the township were thrown 
into intense excitement in the winter of 1871 
by the news that John S. Goss had shot and 
dangerously wounded his cousin, Sherman 
Brown. The facts, as disclosed at the trial 
of Goss for the jnurder of Brown were sub- 
stantially these: Brown had lived in North- 
western Missoui'i, in Clay County, during the 
rebellion, and had acquired the reputation of 
being a bushwiiacker. About a year before 
his death, he removed with his wife, mother 
and brother to Rockford Township, and be- 
came a tenant on Goss's farm, occupying a 
small house near the road, and some distance 
west of the dwelling of jSIr. Goss. Difficulty 
arose between him and Mr. Goss, during the 
summer of 1871, and on one occasion, he 
made an assault on Goss with a large knife, 
at milking time, in the cow-yard in the 
morning, and in chasing Goss, cut a gash in 
the latter's felt hat. On various occasions 
afterward, he threatened to others that he 
would in the end have revenge, and that he 
would kill Goss. These threats were con- 



veyed to the knowledge of Goss, and he 
placed a revolver in his pocket with which to 
defend himself in case of attack. No diffi- 
culty again occurred until in the following 
winter. Goss started, one very cold morn- 
ing, to the timber west of the Brown house, 
got his load and was on his way past the house, 
walking by the side of his team, when he saw 
Brown coming toward him with a club in 
his hand. Acting on appearances, keeping 
in mind Brown's threat, and regarding the 
attitude of the latter as menacing, he kept> a 
sharp lookout. Ho stated on the trial that 
Brown raised the club to strike a blow, and 
did strike, but without effect, when he drew 
the revolver from his overcoat pocket, with 
his mittened right hand, keeping the reins in 
his left, and fii-ed, the shot taking effect in 
the right thigh of Brown and severing the 
femoral artery. This ended the encounter, 
and Brown lingered for fourteen days, and 
died. Goss surrendered himself, and was 
admitted to bail, after a full preliminary ev 
amination. He was indicted and tried for 
Brown's mm-der, at the May term of the Dis- 
trict Court, 1872, before Judge Reed, the 
prosecution being mainly managed by Hon. 
B. F. Montgomery and W. S. Shoemaker, and 
the defense by Sapp & Lyman, L. W. Ross 
and John H. Keatley. When the evidence 
was all submitted and the charge of the court 
given to the jury, counsel for the defendant 
were so confident of acquittal that they sug- 
gested that the juiy should take the case 
without any argument and this was done. 
They were out about an hour, and returned 
a verdict of not guilty. 

Shortly after this, a tragedy of a totnlly 
different character occurred in the same 
township, resulting in the death of an old 
citizen by the name of Samuel Fickle. At- 
tracted by some noise on the outside of his 
house, he went to the door opening in the 



284 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



direction of a corn-crib. It was after dark, 

and the room was brightly lighted, and as he 

stood for a moment, listening, in the full 

glare of the light, in the open doorway, he 

was pierced with buckshot and instantly 

killed. A subsequent examination of the 

surroundings showed fresh tracks at the cor- 
es 

ner of the corn-crib, and other circumstances 
indicating that the person who had done the 
deed had fired from that spot, where he was in 
perfect shelter in the darkness. He had 
married a widow by the name of Kirby some 
time before that, having several children, one 
of them a young man by the name of George 
Kirby. He had had a difficulty with his step- 
father, and no cordial feeling existed between 
them, and he was living from home at the 
time. Several witnesses saw him an hour or 
60 before the killing moving across the open 
prairie in the general direction of the Fickle 
house, with a shotgun on his shoulder. 
Tracks were found in the soft mud, on the 
line traversed by him when seen by these 
witnesses, and there was also some corre- 
spondence between those tracks and the pe- 
culiarity of one of the heels of his boots. 
The tracks, however, could not be traced to 
the spot where the shot was fired, although 
the ones found there bore a strong resem- 
blance to those about which there was little 
dispute. There were other circumstances de- 
veloped in the train of evidence, there being 
no direct proof, but they played a secondary 
part in the trial. In the first trial the jury 
disagreed, and the case was again tried at 
another term. No new discoveries of evi- 
dence were made in the meantime, and the 
jury rendered a verdict of acquittal. 

On the evening of the Presidential election 
of November, 1872, Alfred Frazier and a 
man by the name of James McMillan got 
into an altercation in the store of Mr. Fra- 
zier, and it reached to the point of their 



clinching. In a moment, McMillan was dead. 
There is no certainty that any blows were 
struck or -anything done by Frazier that could 
certainly cause death, but he was tried on 
the charge of murder and fully acquitted. 

It was not a long time after the settlement 
of the township that attention was paid to 
its religious interests, a Baptist Chui-ch hav- 
ing been organized where Loveland now is, 
in 1856. The original membership was 
twelve persons, viz., W. A. Reel and wife, 
John Deel and wife, Hardin Jones and wife, 
Mary M. Frazier, Cynthia Mace, Edward 
Latham and Josiah Skelton. Its present 
membership is seventy-five. Their present 
edifice was erected in 1880, at a cost of $1,- 
300, and is thirty by fifty feet in dimen- 
sions. The Rev. John Case was the first 
pastor of this church. William L. Jones 
and Isaac Skelton are regularly ordained 
ministers of this religious organization. 
They claim it as the oldest Baptist society 
west of the Des SJoines River. At the date 
of its organization and for years afterward, 
its pastor and the delegated laymen had to 
travel more than two hundred miles on land, 
before the era of railroads, to attend the an- 
nual meetings of the church association. 

The inhabitants of the township constitute 
especially an agricultural community. It 
contains no large towns. It has two villages 
at the raih'oad — Loveland and Honey Creek. 
A hamlet grew up about the mill, but it was 
not until December, 1879, that Judson & 
Brodbeck, surveyors, laid off and platted the 
town, at the instance of John Hawthorne, the 
owner of the land now constituting the site. 
The first house was one moved to the site, late 
in the summer of 1880, by D. A. Mace. The 
first lot sold was in the spring of 1880, to J, 
A. Copeland. The town is in Section 3 of 
that township. Considerable business has 
grown up about that nucleus, among them the 



CRESCENT TOWNSHIP. 



285 



merchant milling business of Mr. Hawthorne, 
Kelsey Bros, and ]\I. H. French & Co., gen- 
eral merchants. E. C. Kelsey conducts a 
lumber yard; Joseph Moss sells agi-icultural 
implements; Bert Evans is the proprietor of 
a grain elevator; J. A. Champion conducts 
the "Excelsier Creamery;" W. E. Hoit has a 
restaurant, town hall and a boarding-house; 
J. A. Mason has a harness shop, and in ad- 
dition to that the place has a blacksmith shop 
and a fine railroad depot in charge of J. E. 
Kellotfg, station agent. 

The mill driven by water-power is an im- 
portant matter in the industry and prosperity 
of the place. It is forty by sixty feet, with 
two stories and an attic, and has a wheel- 
house, sixteen by forty, and a two-story stor- 
age room, eighteen by forty. Its capacity is 
four run of buhrs, and the product is about 
forty barrels of flour per twelve hours' run. 
The treacherous nature of the banks and bot- 
tom of the streams of Western Iowa has al- 



ways been a source of constant peril to mill- 
owners. In this instance, it is so fixed that 
all danger in that respect is avoided. The 
front or breast of the dam is fastened from 
top to bottom with stanch iron rods strongly 
bolted through the heavy timber, and heavy 
and niunerous rods extend from front to rear, 
connecting with the mud-sills, and making 
the structure a solid mass. 

Honey Creek is a small hamlet, a railroad 
station and a post office. It is near the 
south line of the township, and has a general 
store, kept by Alfred Frazier, who is also the 
depot master and the Postmaster. 

In dismissing the annals of this town- 
ship the note is made, that the present 
officers (1882) are Lewis Jones, Calvin 
Crispin and Hardin Aldridge, Trustees ; 
Henry Goss, Township Clerk; Joseph Moss 
and William Hoit, Justices of the Peace, 
and B. P. Spencer and Seth Crowder, Con- 
stables. 



CHAPTER XXXIX.^ 



CRESCENT TOWNSHIP— ORIGIN OF NAME— THE INDIANS— FIRST SETTLERS — ORGANIZATION- 
FIRST ROAD— FIR.ST BRIDGE— FIRST MILL— SCHOOL'S- FIRST POST OFFICE- 
MUTUAL PROTECTION SOCIETY- CRESCENT CITY— THE PRESS 
—INDIAN INCIDENT, EARLY .7USTICE, ETC. 

CRESCENT is a singular name for a 
township, and yet, when the facts of its 
location are known and understood, it is not 
80 singular after all. It borders the Mis- 
souri River just north of Kane Township and 
Garner, and therefore lies north of Council 
Bluffs. Back from the river several miles 
are the bluffs which characterize all this re- 
gion. A little north of Council Bluffs, these 
bluffs and the Missouri River are so close to- 
gether that there is no more than room for 
the North-WesternRailway track, which runs 

*By Col. John H. Keatley. 



here in a northerly direction. The bluffs 
between Council Bluffs and Crescent Station, 
about six miles distant, lie facing the west, 
and keep a northerly course. A few hundred 
yards north of this station, they make quite 
a sharp ciu've eastwardly, and then sweep back 
again toward the river, reaching its general 
direction in the form of a crescent, and from 
this circiunstance is derived the name applied 
to the township — a poetical stretch of fancy 
not often indulged in in pioneer days. 

As stated in the sketch of Council Bluffs, 
the territory now included in the site of the 



286 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COrXTY. 



city was made the Pottawattamie Indian Res- 
ervation until their removal to Kansas. Up 
to the date of the arrival of the Pottawatta- 
mies, no Indians made this and the soil of 
Crescent Township an abiding-place. The 
Omahas frequently crossed over to this side 
on hunting expeditions, but made no claim 
to the soil. After the Pottawattamies were 
established on their reservation, a band of 
the Omaha tribe took possession of a tract of 
land in Crescent Township, on Little Pigeon 
Creek, and established a small village, and 
remained there until the removal of the tribe 
to Kansas. These Omahas were never the 
foe of the whites, and proved steadfast under 
all circumstances. The roving bands of Om- 
ahas on their hunting and trapping expedi- 
tions, were perfectly honest, and molested 
nothing belonging to the settlers. When 
stock was lost or stolen, they most cheerfully 
assisted in the search, and showed their 
friendly dispositions in a thousand percepti- 
ble ways. The neighborly character of the 
Pottawattamies was as strongly marked as 
that of the Omahas. 

The hrst settlers in the township were 
members of the church of Latter-Day Saints, 
and formed a part of the esodus and emigra- 
tion which resulted in the foundation of 
Council Bluffs. Among the number were 
David Wilding, who was born in England; 
Robert Kirkwood and William Strang, the 
latter of whom died in 1880, highly respected 
by the whole community; both were natives 
of Scotland; and H. A. Terry, S. M. Hough 
and Joseph McCoid, born in New York. Mr. 
Hough died a few years ago, at an advanced 
age, leaving behind him a large family of 
grown-up children. Joseph McCoid still 
lives in the township, and is one of the most 
prosperous citizens of the county. 

No citizen of the county is better known 
throughout the State than H. A. Terry. To 



him are the people of Iowa largely indebted 
for a demonstration that the State, and es- 
pecially the western portion of it, is adapted 
to fruit-growing, and especially those tender 
varieties that were popularly supposed inca- 
pable of cultivation in this climate. He was 
born in Cortland County, N. Y., in 1826, 
and came to Iowa in 1846, and to Pottawatta- 
mie County in 1847, several years before the 
county was organized. He was emphatically 
one of its pioneers. His first vocation after 
coming here was that of selling goods, near 
what is now the village of Crescent City. 
Giving some attention before that to fruit 
culture, by careful study and observation he 
came to the conclusion that it was practica- 
ble here, and to that end, in 1855, started in 
business in Council Bluffs, in the sale of 
seeds and nru'sery stock. He continued to 
do so until 1857, when he removed to the vi- 
cinity of Crescent City, where he still re- 
sides, to engage in the nursery business. He 
was among the original members of the fu'st 
agricultural society ever organized in the 
county, of which L. M. Kline was President; 
D. S. Jackson, Vice President; J. E. John- 
ston, Treasurer; and H. A. Terry, Secretary. 
This organization was effected in 1856, and 
its operations have been included in the an- 
nals of Council Bluffs. For many years, his 
seed business and traffic extended from St. 
Joseph, Mo., to Fort Pierre, D. T. In 1860, 
he abandoned the seed business and gave his 
whole attention to the nursery business. Not 
only did his efforts become the nucleus and 
source of the many thriving orchards of 
Western Iowa, but, rearing an orchard of his 
own, he has demonstrated that the tenderest 
fruits, such as peaches, can be successfully cul- 
tivated in this climate, and with profit. Mi-. 
Terry has also taken part in every movement 
orcranized in the State for the benefit of its 
agi'icultural interests. He is emphatically a 



CRESCENT TOWNSHIP. 



287 



public-spirited citizen, and is still in the 
prime of life, enjoying the fruits of his con- 
fidence, skill and industry. 

Robert Kirkwood is a plain farmer, and, 
ever since he came into the county, has fuade 
that his business, and in that he has emi- 
nently succeeded. He has never had any 
ambition to be anything else, but on any oc- 
casion, when called upon by his fellow-citi- 
zens, whether in his own township or in the 
county, he has cheerfully and prudently 
served the public as he has always managed 
his private affairs. Besides discharging pub- 
lic duty in connection with the schools and 
township affairs in Crescent, Mi-. Kirkwood 
served one term as a member of the Board of 
County Supervisors, his term expiring on the 
4st of January, 1881. As a test of his per- 
sonal popularity, based upon the confidence 
reposed in the man, it may be stated that, as 
a candidate on the Democratic ticket, in a 
county at that date giving a large Republican 
majority, Mr. Kirkwood defeated his compet- 
itor by a satisfactory majority. The Demo- 
cratic County Convention, on the 15th of Sep- 
tember, 1881, nominated him as one of the 
candidates for Representative in the Legis- 
lature of the State, but he felt it his duty to 
decline the honor. The County Democratic 
Convention of 18S2 again nominated him as 
one of the candidates for member of the Board 
of Supervisors of the county, and at the elec- 
tion, on the 7th of November, 1882, he was 
again elected to that position, to take effect 
January 1, 1883, his associate on the ticket, 
S. A. Dye, being defeated by the Repub- 
lican candidate. Mr. Kirkwood's opponent 
was Jerome Tm-ner, of Washington Town- 
ship, one of the most esteemed citizens of the 
county. 

The gentlemen just named were followed 
as settlers, in 1852, by David Dunkle and 
Hem-y McMullen, who are still citizens of the 



township. Emigration set in quite actively 
after that date, and by 1857, large quantities 
of land were under cultivation, and comfort 
and thrift characterized the community. They 
had refused allegiance to the hierarchy of 
Brigham Young, and had resolved to make 
the rich lands of the Missouri Valley their 
homes, and were abundantly content with 
that lot. They have all prospered, and thus 
justified their choice of location. In 1857, 
Joseph E. Johnston, who is mentioned in 
connection with Council Bluffs as a pioneer 
newspaper publisher, and who opened up 
Ellisdale farm, near Crescent City; A. J. 
Williams, S. Eggleson, L. J. Goddard, A. 
M. Lewis, William Menai'y, L. O. Little- 
field, Alexander R. Prentiss, Nelson Swanson 
and 0. H, Dutrow were the most prominent 
settlers, aside from those already mentioned. 
Joseph E. Johnston now lives at Fort George, 
in Southern Utah; William Menary died 
about three years ago; Nelson Swanson also 
died in Crescent City four years ago, leaving 
a family to revere his memory for his good 
qualities as a man and a citizen; and Alex- 
ander S. Prentiss, a Scotchman by birth, still 
has his pleasant home where he founded it 
years ago. 

From February 12, 1853, to March 2, 
1857, Crescent Township formed a part of 
Rockford, or, as it was then called Rocky 
Ford. At the latter date, a petition, signed 
by A. J. Williams and thirty-seven other set- 
tlers in the territory comprising Crescent 
Township, was presented, asking that the 
territory be set off as a new township, and 
this was done. The territory thus assigned 
were Congressional Townships 76, Range 42, 
and 76, Range 43, and a fractional part of 
76, Range 44. It was also ordered that the 
first election for township officers be held at 
Crescent City in April, 1857. The limits 
thus defined are not those of the present town- 



288 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



ship, for since that date Hazel Dell and Nor- 
walk Townships have been created, depriving 
Crescent of a considerable portion of her ter- 
ritory. This change v/aa made in 1873. 
Four petitions were tiled with the Board of 
Supervisors on the 7th day of June, 1873, 
asking them to organize the township of Ha- 
zel Dell and Norwark from the eastern end of 
Crescent Township. J. P. Boulden and W. 
H. H.. McGinnis. both old citizens, repre- 
sented the petitioners before the board, and 
urged the change. Those opposed to it with- 
in the limits of the present organization were 
David Dunkle among others, Dunkle repre 
senting them before the board and L. W, 
Eoss, a lawyer of Council Bluffs. After the 
hearing, the matter was postponed lantil June 
9, 1873. when the order v^as made in accord- 
ance with the petitions, having Crescent 
Township bounded as at present — on the west 
by the Missouri River, on the north by Rock- 
ford, on the south by Garner and the east by 
Hazel Dell. 

At the first election, as provided by the or- 
der of the Board of Supervisors, the Trustees 
elected were S. M. Hough, L. O. Littlefield 
and L. J. Goddard; A. M. Lewis was made 
Township Clerk; Thomas Allison, Assessor; 
A. J. Williams and Samuel Eggleson, Justices 
of the Peace; and David Dunkle and James 
Hopkins, Constables. The present officers of 
the township are: L. M. Aylesworth, C. G. 
Mcintosh and John Currie, Trustees; W. M. 
Hough (son of the late S. M. Hough), Town- 
ship Clerk: S. M. Swanson (son of the late 
Nelson Swanson), Assessor; C. F. Pratt and 
W. A. Robinson, Justices of the Peace; and 
Denver Hough and R. C. Menary, Constables. 
The Road Supervisor is L. Hamilton. 

The first highway opened in the township 
was the one from Crescent City to Council 
Bluffs, through the valley of the Little Pigeon 
Creek, crossing that stream a little east of the 



present residence of P. Waldo; the first bridge 
was at this crossing. There are now seven 
combination bridges, wood and iron, in the 
township, built at the cost of the county — 
one crossing Boyer River, two across the Big 
Pigeon, one across Little Pigeon, one over 
Mill Creek, and one across the neck of Haw- 
thorn's Lake, on the Missoiu-i River bottom. 
The first mill built in the township was in 
1848, when Jerome Benton established a 
small one for the use of the settlement in 
Section 13, on Pigeon Creek. It afterward 
became the property of H. S. Williams, who, 
after running it awhile, took out the princi- 
pal part of the machinery and allowed the 
mill to go to rain. Messrs. Allison & Nut- 
ting built a saw-mill in Section 25 in 1857, 
and in 1859, added a custom grist-mill to it. 
It was afterward transferred to Wilbur & 
Porterfield as a merchant mill, in 186-4. The 
latter carried on operations until 1874, when 
the machinery was removed and the mill 
abandoned. Wilbur & Porterfield also, about 
the same time, had a saw-mill in the north- 
ern part of the township. Capt. C. F. Pratt 
brought his steam saw-mill from Roekford 
Township into Crescent Township in 1S76. 
Henry Conant, William Clark and James Gor- 
don began making the first brick in 1857. on 
what is now H. A. Terry's nursery This 
enterprise was in view of the expectations of 
Crescent City becoming the terminus of the 
Mississippi & Missouri Railroad, and when 
the town fully believed in its destiny as the 
principal point in the county. 

The first schools were private ones, estab- 
lished and sustained by the Mormon settlers. 
They were taught at some of the residences of 
the patrons. The first movement to establish a 
public school was in September, 1855, when 
Reuben Barton, David Dunkle, William Mc- 
Mullen. Henry McMullen and Solomon Mc- 
Mullen met at the house of William McMul- 



CRESCENT TOWNSHIP. 



289 



len, where Solomon McMullen now lives, in 
Hazel Dell, and organized the school town- 
ship of Little Pigeon District, No. 7. At 
this meeting, L. J. Goddard was elected 
President of the Board of Directors; David 
Dunlile, Secretary; and Eeubeu Barton, 
Treasurer. Reuben Barton, the Treasurer, 
was also authorized to employ a teacher, and, 
in carrying out that intention, he made a 
contract with the newly elected President by 
which the latter took charge of the school at 
a salary of S30 per month, for a term of two 
months. The people, however, were not 
fully satisfied with this system of education, 
and wave it little encouragement at first. A 
log schoolhouse was soon built and fitted up 
near the present line between Crescent arid 
Hazel Dell Townships. It had a turf roof and 
a puncheon floor and door, dressed out with 
a common adz. The seats were made of the 
same material and in the same way, and were 
simply made by putting feet in with an au- 
ger, and they were ranged around the sides 
of this primitive building. Each pupil had 
a certain portion of the bench set apart to 
him, and designated by a chalk mark. The 
next summer, Miss Sophronia E. Whitcomb 
was the teacher. The system had come into 
favor, and the school was then crowded. For 
several years this was the only school in a 
radius of seven miles. The second building 
for that purpose was erected on Pigeon Creek, 
near the site of the Parish Mill. The build- 
ing was of a better class than the first one 
erected. From that date there was no lag of 
interest in the pviblic school system in the 
township, and, before the division. Crescent 
contained eleven subdistricts, all provided 
with comfortable buildings. The last board 
before the separation were H A. Terry, Dan- 
iel Bronson, J. H. Grigg, D. E. Wightman, 
John Currie, O. H. Dutrow, Joseph Butler, 
M. H. Dial, W. H. McGinnis, M. Didia and 



D. Parish. In the division of Crescent, the 
latter retained five of the schoolhouses, and 
two have since been added, making seven in 
all. The present School Board ar^ David 
Dunkle, President; Robert Kirkwood, Treas- 
urer, and Robert Adams, Secretary. 

It may be of some general interest in the 
future to know the present condition of the 
public schools of this township, and the year 
1881, is taken as the basis. The number of 
subdistricts is six, and the same number of 
ungraded schools. The average number of 
months taught were six and five-twelfths; 
ten teachers were employed — four males and 
six females; the average compensation per 
month was, for males, $33.33; and females, 
$35. There were 112 male pupils between the 
ages of five and twenty-one years, and seven- 
ty-five females between the same ages. The 
average attendance in the entire district was 
sixty-six, and the average cost per pupil per 
month, S4.33. An attempt was made to build 
a S3,000 school building in Crescent City, but 
the proposition failed to receive the authori- 
zation of the tax-payers of the township. • 

The fii-stpost office was authorized at Ellis- 
dale Farm, two miles south of Crescent City, 
April 3, 1856, and L. J. Goddard was ap- 
pointed Postmaster, and he held the position 
until 1859. The office was, however, changed 
to Crescent City shortly after his appoint- 
ment, and the name of the post office also 
changed to Crescent Cit}-. On the 1st of 
January, 1859, Samuel Eggleston was made 
Postmaster, and held it until November 11, 
1859, when David Dunkle was appointed, 
and the latter discharged the duties of the 
office until October 16, 1861, when J. B. 
Blake, now Postmaster of Avoca, was appoint- 
ed in his stead. Blake was succeeded by G. 
"W. McKeown, David Wilding, John Currie, 
T. J. Spangler and Nelson Swanson, the lat- 
ter of whom was appointed October 22, 1879. 



290 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Only one secret society exists in the bounds 
of Crescent Township. This is in the nat- 
m-e of a police force. This section of the 
State, like many others, was subjected to dep- 
redations from cattle and horse thieves. The 
citizens of Crescent Township, in 1872, re- 
solved to organize secretly in a most effective 
manner for mutual protection in this respect, 
and for that piu'pose, about thirty of the best 
citizens constituted the organization known 
as the " Mutual Protectionists. " They have 
a secret ritual, and signs and pass woi'ds in 
use in cai'rying out the plan and design of 
their organization. Its object is to recover 
stolen property, and to bring thieves to jus- 
tice and punishment, and in this respect it 
has done a good work. On one occasion, a 
few years ago, the citizeos of Council Bluffs 
were surprised to see coming down Broadway 
a large body of horsemen, mounted as caval- 
rymen, with a flag at their head, and each 
mounted man wearing a red sash. It was the 
first intimation that there existed in the 
neighborhood any such an organization, and 
its object was soon understood. After parad- 
ing the streets, the mounted society returned 
as they came, to their lodge room at Crescent 
City. The present officers of the association 
are: Robert Kirkwood, President; C. F. 
Pratt, Vice President; William Currie, Cap- 
tain; I. A. Brown. Assistant; O. H. Dutrow, 
Treasurer; Robert Adams, Secretary; and H. 
S. Gideon, Janitor. 

A branch of the re-organized church of the 
Latter-Day Saints was established at Cres- 
cent City in 1801, by William Blair, one of 
the most distinguished ministers of that re- 
ligious society. It had a membership of 
twenty members, and Mr Kuykendal was 
President, with J. B. Boren, Secretary. It 
ceased to exist in 1872. It was, however, re- 
established afterward, and has a membership 
of seventy persons, H. Hansen being Presi- 



dent, and Robert Kirkwood, Secretary. They 
also maintain a flourishing Sunday school, 
but as yet they have no church edifice, though 
they are making strenuous efforts to acquire 
one. No other religious society has an or- 
ganized existence in the township, althoiigh 
there are many members of other churches who 
are residents, and whose church affiliations 
are outside of the township. 

The original proprietors of the town of 
Crescent City were Joseph E. Johnson. H. A. 
Terry, J. R. Hough, S. M. Hough, Samuel 
Eggleston, L. O. Littlelield, L. J. Goddard, 
O. H. Dutrow, D. S. Jackson and R. W. 
Steele. Joseph E. Johnson erected the first 
business house in the spring of 1856. It 
was located on the north side of Florence 
street, west of Johnson avenue. The mate- 
rial for the same was brought from Hanni- 
bal, Mo. Johnson opened out a general store 
in that building. Samuel Eggleston soon 
followed with another building, on the south- 
west corner of Florence street and Johnson 
avenue. The third person who put up a 
building was a man named Piper, who built 
a large one only a short distance from the 
other two. Business was not encoui'aging 
for so large a building, and it was converted 
into a town hall. Wliile other points in 1857 
were struggling with financial disaster, Cres- 
cent City was rapidly improving, on account 
of railroad prospects that were eventually 
blasted. The town was laid out in the fall 
of 1856. In 1857, few towns in the West 
away from railroads presented greater activ- 
ity. A newspaper was started called the 
Rock Bottom, and this little weekly journal 
had only a short life. Its principal business 
was the urging of a railroad bridge over the 
Missouri River between Crescent City and the 
then flourishing town of Florence, in the 
Territory of Nebraska. The Crescent City 
Oracle, of which Joseph E. Johnson wes edi- 



CRESCENT TOWNSHIP. 



•291 



tor, and L. O. Littlefield was publisher, had 
a little firmer foothold, but it also disappeared 
when the prosperity of the town began to 
wan«. The boom only lasted until 1S5S, 
when it became evident that Council Bluffs 
would be the railroad center, and not Cres- 
cent City. Johnson was among the first to 
desert the place, and took his store to Oma- 
ha, then a mere village. So it has dwindled 
away, until now only the store of Nelson and 
J. H. Swanson is left 

Few traces remain of the Indians who laid 
claim to the rich soil of the township; and 
few traditions survive. One, perhaps, only 
is remembered. Wabayo had his village a 
little west of what is now known as Currie's 
Grove. In the village were two brothers — 
Kobago and Wishumemeka. Kobago was the 
elder of the two, and both sought the hand of 
Kamalola. She was indifferent to both. 
Kobago became jealous, not only of his own 
brother, but of the other young men of the 
tribe. Kobago took his brother into his con- 
fidence in the plan to murder the girl and 
place her beyond the reach of any rivals. 
Wishumemeka was selected to invite the 
maiden to a trysting-place at the old oak, 
near the residence of Reuben Dunkle, and 
there, at nightfall, the two savage brothers 
murdered their victim with horrid atrocity. 
After having bm-ied her body at the root of 
the tree, they were unable to rest, and, the 
next morning, made a full confession to the 
chief. They were punished with death, ac- 
cording to the usages of the tribe, and with- 
out delay, the means of punishment being a 
club, by which their brains were beaten out. 

A great portion of Crescent Township is 
rough land. The Missouri bottom, of course, 
stretches along its west front, but many por- 
tions of this, at that point, owing to the 
overflows, is untillable. The high range of 
bluffs which skirt this bottom are fit for past- 



urage only, but still the township contains 
great quantities of the richest soil in the 
world. Council Bluffs is its market town, 
being reached by excellent roads. One of 
these passes through an immense artificial 
cut in the bhiffs, at a point still known as the 
"Hog Back." On this high ridge, at an 
early day, many a weary settler has packed 
flour for his family on his back, when the 
bleak winds of the winter blew stinging gales 
into his face. 

In the early days of the township, it is re- 
lated that curious methods of administering 
justice prevailed. A citizen was killed by 
another on the bottom, in the timber, and was 
arrested for the crime and taken before a lo- 
cal magistrate there for the purpose of an ex- 
amination as to whether he ought to be held to 
answer at the District Com-t. Lawyers went 
up from Council Bluffs to prosecute and de- 
fend the case. When the time came for the 
hearing, the attorney for the prisoner claimed 
that no man could be tried for so grave an 
offense as mui-der except by a jury, and de- 
manded that the Justice of the Peace impanel 
six men for that purpose. His influence pre- 
vailed, in spite of the eloquence of the other 
side that the proceeding was nor a trial, but 
simply an investigation as to whether the 
prisoner ought to be held to be tried by a 
jury in the District Court. This line of rea- 
soning was of no avail. Six men were sworn 
to try the alleged culprit, and true deliver- 
ance make; and they did make it, for they 
brought in a verdict of not guilty. The pris- 
oner's counsel gained his point, which was 
simply to get his man off. 

The following additional pt^rsonal notices 
and n;iention are made of old settlers of 
Crescent and Hazel Dell Townships. 

W. C. Mcintosh, born in Kentuckj^ came 
here in 1848, and is still living in the town- 
ship. A. B. Boren, a native of Tennessee, 



293 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



arrived in 1848. At that date there was no 
house between Afton and Council Bhiffs, a 
distance of 110 miles, and nothing but a trail 
over the prairie and through the timber. 

C. G. Mcintosh, a native of Tennessee, 
came in the fall of 1850, and John Mcintosh 
came the same year, but now lives in Shelby 
County. 

In 1852, William A. Reel came into the 
county, and bought a mill which stood near 



the site of what is called the Pigeon Creek 
Mill. It had been called Cooley's, and in 
operation four years. That mill, after a 
time, was removed. Mr. Reel built a saw- 
mill by the side of it, and this was afterward 
converted into a grist-mill, and is the pres- 
ent one conducted by Mr. Paris. Perry Reel, 
who was Sheriff of the county, and its Treas- 
urer, is a son of William Reel, and resides 
in the township, on his farm. 



CHAPTER XL. 



H.-VZEL DELL TOWNSHIP— SEPAR.iTlOX 



FROM CRESCENT 
AND OFFICERS. 



TOWNSHIP— SCHOOLS— ORGANIZATION 



MENTION has already been made of the 
division of Crescent Township so as 
to constitute Hazel Dell Township. The first 
schoolhouse was the log one built by the 
Mormons, and mentioned in the sketch of 
Crescent Township. There are nine neat 
schoolhouses now in the township, with as 
many prosperous schools. The first township 
officers after the new township was organized 
were J. P. Boulden and James Osborn, Trust- 
ees. Mr. Boulden came into the country at 
a very early day, and became one of the orig- 
inal settlers in the old township of Cres- 
cent. He was a Republican in politics, and 
served several terms as a member of the 
County Board of Supervisors. Among oth- 

•By Col. John H. Keatley. 



era who came in about the same time were 
Benjamin McGinnis and W. H. McGinnis, 
both of whom are still there, and both of 
whom served in the Union army during the 
whole period of the civil war. The present 
officers of the township are Joseph Butler, 
Reuben Dunkle and J. P. Boulden; Charles 
Mm-phy is Township Clerk; Morris Mon-ison 
and J. P. Boulden are Justices of the Peace; 
and Alexander Johnson and Andrew O'Don- 
nell are the Constables. Riley'Hough, an old 
settler, came to the township in 184S, and has 
lived there ever since. A. Hall and John 
Roberts came nearly as soon as Boren and 
Hough. Mr. Hall died some years ago. One 
of his daughters is married to Davenport 
Magruder, of Rockbridge County, Va. 



XOKWALK TOWXSHIP. 



393 



CHAPTER XLI.* 



NORWALK TOWNSHIP— INTRODUCTORY — NATURAL ADVANTAGES — BOUNDARIES— DRAINAGE- 
EARLY SETTLERS— MILLS— ROADS AND BRIDGES— SCHOOLS— DOWNSVILLE— UNDERWOOD. 



WE may conceive of a time when men 
subsisted on the spontaneous produc- 
tions of the earth and the easy gains of the 
chase; on fruits, vegetables and animals, all 
of which were obtained with little exertion in 
sufficient quantities to support a limited pop- 
ulation in the temperate and beautiful re- 
gions, where the human race is supposed to 
have originated. But all must be left to con- 
jectm-e and vague surmise previous to the 
first record, in which Cain appears as a "til- 
ler of the ground, " and Abel as a " feeder " 
or "keeper of sheep," offering the " firstlings 
of his flock." Here we find the two grand 
divisions of agriculture — the tilling' of the 
soil, requiring the active labor of head and 
hand; and the raising of animals, or the more 
passive watchfulness of shepherd life — and 
it is reasonable to suppose that these divis- 
ions continued as the human family increased. 
The change from a state of natvu-e, in which 
the first of the race must have lived, to the 
pastoral, or to any higher mode of living, 
must have been gradual — the work, perhaps, 
of ages. Experience and observation, on 
which improvements in the modes of life usu- 
ally depend, are gained only by slow degi'ees. 
Reliance on the spontaneous fruits of the 
earth was found to furnish only a precarious 
subsistence. The race was doomed to toil, 
and necessity soon sharpened the power of 
invention. An old theory of political econo- 
my, taught in the da3-s of Louis XV, was 
■' that only those who cultivate the earth, or 

«By Frank M. Wright. 



otherwise bring into use the natural powers 
of the vegetable or animal kingdom, can be 
regarded as really increasing the wealth of 
the community." According to this theory, 
artisans, merchants, scholars, public officials 
and professional men are unproductive per- 
sons. At the same time, they are necessary 
to the occupation of the farmer, herdsman, 
miner or hunter, and are therefore useful. 
The descrif)tion of a feast given by a rich 
man during the thirteenth century, as found 
in " Treasurie of Ancient and iModerne, " 
published in 1613, is as follows: "The meat€^ 
served into the Table, was alwaies in great 
chargers, tilled with pease and Bacon: Gam- 
mons of Bacon; huge neat's toungs salted; 
great pieces of Beefe, boyled Poultry with 
Pottage about-them; boyled Mutton, Veal, 
and other grosse food. They gorged in these 
victuals so long as they could cram any more 
into their bellies. Afterward, they brought 
in other meates, answerable to the former, but 
wasted and 'larded, oftentimes with unsavory 
lard, but it would go for Pigs and Hares, 
After this second service had stood awhile on 
the Table well neere to no effect, then came 
in more dainty neates and Foules, as Mal- 
lards, wild Ducks, Ringdoves, young Pigeons, 
Partridges, Woodcocks, Qitails, Plovers, Tur- 
tles, and others of like kinds, which are car- 
ried away like the second service, almost 
never toucht, for they (good men) had filled 
their stomackes with the first course of 
meates, feeding hungerly on them, and drink- 
ing sower wines, such as summer marreth, so 



294 



HISTORY OF POTT A.W ATT AMIE COUNTY. 



they left the beat and daintiest meates, in- 
deede, for their varlets and base servants to 
feede on." 

How little we realize the changes that have 
been made, and how slow we are to believe 
that the farmer of to-day may depend only 
upon the products of his own farm, and en- 
joy a greater feast than the nobleman of three 
oentiu'ies ago! Neither Indian corn, carrots 
cabbage or turnips were known in England 
till after the beginning of the sixteenth cen- 
tury. To-day, the Indian corn is the great 
staple crop of the West, and, notwithstand- 
ing the immense amount ah-eady produced, 
the resources of the West have just begun to 
be developed as they are destined to be here- 
after; for thousands of miles of virgin prai- 
rie still stretch away beyond the line of civ- 
ilization, waiting only the hand of the farm- 
er to contribiate their abundant stores for 
the support of man. Western Iowa has al- 
ready proved beyond the question of experi- 
ment her ability to produce a supply far in 
excess of her home consumption. No more 
honorable task can be given the historian 
than to leave upon record the trials, struggles 
and privations of any community, however 
small, which has added to the wealth of our 
nation by developing the resources of the 
soil. 

Nor walk Township may be considered one 
among the tirst agricultural townships of Pot- 
tawattamie County. The sm'face is but little 
broken by bluffs or ravines, and the soil is of 
that rich, mucky nature so productive along 
the valley of the Missouri River. Farming 
has been carried on in some parts of the town- 
ship for the past thirty years, and still there 
seems to be no fertilizing agencies required.' 
The soil in many places is several feet in 
depth. That part of the soil which is solu- 
ble in the water of rain represents its avail- 
able plant food. 



Assuming, then, that the soil is physically 
adapted for a cultivated vegetation, its fer- 
tility depends upon its furnishing the grow- 
ing plant with continuous and abundant sup- 
plies of nutrition. The quantity of ash in- 
gredients that the heaviest crops of corn are 
estimated to remove from the soil in one rear 
is small, compared with the whole weight of 
the soil taken to such a depth as is penetrat- 
ed by the roots of the plants. Those por- 
tions which are removed from the field as the 
more valuable part of the crops do not carry 
off more than 600 pounds of ash ingredients 
per acre yearly, while the soil taken to the 
depth of one foot, weighs from 3,000,000 to 
4,000,000 pounds per acre. 

Possessing such natural advantages, it is 
only a question of time and industry until 
the farmers of Norwalk Township can rest 
from their labors, retire with a competency, 
and leave a handsome legacy to their chil- 
dren. 

Norwalk Township was organized June 6, 
1873, and was named Norwalk by Mr. E. 
Foote, in honor of Norwalk, Conn., where he 
formerly resided. It is bounded on the north 
by Neola Township, on the west by Hazel 
Dell Township, on the south by Hardin 
Township, and on the east by York Township. 
The central portion of the township is drained 
by Mosquito Creek, which enters the town- 
ship about the center of the north line of 
Section 2. and flows in a southwesterly di- 
rection, through Sections 2, 3, 10, 9, 16, 21, 
20, 29 and 31, crossing the west line of the 
latter section just south of the line of the 
Chicago, Eock Island & Pacific Eailroad. 
There are numerous tributaries to Mosquito 
Creek, arising in Norwalk Township, besides 
two which rise outside of the township, but 
empty into the main stream within the town- 
ship boundaries. The largest is, perhaps, 
three miles from source to mouth. Mosquito 



XORWALK TOWJJSHIP. 



295 



Creek received its name from the early set- 
tlers, on account of the millions of insects by 
that name whicE were found in swarms along 
its banks. Keg Creek, the name of which 
was derived from an incident related in the 
history of Hardin Township, crosses the 
southern corner of Norwalk Township, enter- 
ing the township from the east about the 
southeast corner of Section 2-1; it flows a lit- 
tle south of west, and crosses the western 
line of the township near the southwest cor- 
ner of Section 36, the whole distance of the 
channel in Norwalk Township being a little 
over two miles. 

A few of the early settlers of Norwalk 
Township were Mormons, but in the emigra- 
tion of that people to Utah, they followed 
their leaders. But one lonely cabin is left as 
i\ momento of that historic people. It was 
originally standing on the claim purchased 
by Asa Downs, in 1851, and was used by him 
as a dwelling for a time. It has since been 
moved, and is now standing near and to the 
east of Down's bridge. The principal early 
settlers of the township were Joseph Holman, 
Ezekiel Downs, Asa Downs, William Cox, 
William Hendrix, Johnson Lane and Will- 
iam Yocum. They all arrived and settled in 
Norwalk Township, from 1845 to 1850. Jo- 
seph Holman still resides at the place of his 
original settlement. He came from Missouri 
to this county. Ezekiel Downs was among 
the prominent early settlers; he came about 
the year 1845, and settled on Mosquito Creek 
at the point subsequently known as Down's 
mill. He remained a resident of this county 
until his death. Asa Downs, son oE Ezekiel 
Downs, was a native of Indiana; went to Il- 
linois with his people when a child, where 
the early part of his life was spent, and came 
from that State to Iowa. He settled in the 
grove on Mosquito Creek, where the post 
office by the name of Downsville has been 



established. Mr. Downs has been dead for a 
number of years. His widow, six sons and 
four daughters, still reside in Pottawattamie 
County. William Cox came from Illinois in 
1850, and located on land owned by Asa 
Downs, in 1851. Mr. Cox now resides in 
Union Grove, Harrison Co., Iowa. Mr. 
Hendrix came from Illinois and settled on 
the farm now owned by Mr. G. T. Ward. 
He continued to reside in Norwalk Township 
until his death. Johnson Lane came from 
Illinois and settled on land which now forms 
a part of Mr. G. T. Ward's farm, where he 
spent the remainder of his life. William 
Yocum, also one of the early settlers, came to 
the county, but a sad wreck physically. He 
had been a resident of Missoiu'i, and while 
there he joined a mob at Horn's Mill against 
the Mormons. During the fight, he received 
seven bullets in his body, from the effects of 
which he never recovered, but remained a 
cripple until his death, which occurred in 
Pottawattamie County. He lived for a num- 
ber of years on a part of Mr. G. T. Ward's 

I farm. A Mrs. Kelly, of Downsville, is the 
daughter of Mr. Yocum, and the only one 
left of that family in Norwalk Township, so 
far as could be ascertained. 

Pioneer life has many hardships and pri- 
vations; at times, the early settler would 
suffer for the necessaries of life, but for the 
common humanity which leads a fellow-being 
to divide with a more needy neighbor. But 

, for this kindly assistance granted in times of 
need, the pioneers must, many of them, turned 
their faces toward the old home and made 
their way back as best they could. The loss 
of a horse meant the loss of crops, and actual 
want, if not starvation, would be the result, 
if the new settler could not borrow of his 
neighbor. But the pioneers always welcomed 
every new-comer who coi;ld satisfy them of 
his honesty and inclination to " do the square 



296 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



thing." Little trouble, however, was taken 
to discover who or what the new settler mav 
have been. It was very evident that he was 
possessed of energy and determination, or he 
never would have braved the dangers of pio- 
neer life. They coimted, also, that he was 
willing to work, and. consequently, must 
be honest, and in this conclusion they were 
usiially correct, for it is not in the nature of 
a dishonest man to seek a home in a new and 
undeveloped country, where only hard work 
and an abundance of it awaits him. It was 
not uncommon for them to borrow and lend 
tea, coffee, sugar and flour. 

Going to mill meant crossing sloughs and 
fording the unbridged streams, and. though 
it was a day or two of change from the mo- 
notony of the routine of farm life, yet there 
were difficulties and obstacles to be overcome 
to insure a safe return to the anxious ones at 
home. 

The early settlers of Norwalk were more 
fortunate than the settlers of many other 
parts of the county. As early as 1847, Eze- 
kiel Downs and Mr. A. Smith built a saw- 
mill and flouring-mill on Mosquito Creek, 
which stood about fifty yards below where 
the mill owned by Mr. Fleck now stands. 
The flouring, or grist-mill, as it was usually 
called, was a two-story building, erected of 
hewed logs. Both mills were run by water- 
power furnished by a dam built in Mosqu.ito 
Creek. The completion of this mill was an 
important epoch in the history of Norwalk 
Township. It gave a new impetus to grain- 
raising, and was the means of attracting 
many new settlers to the vicinity. Both mills 
continued to do a good business until the 
flood of Mosquito Creek in June of 1852. 
The flouring-mill, though a verV substantial 
structure, was too miich exposed to the rash- 
ing flood of water that came with great force 
against it, and at last gave way, and in a few 



minutes was in utter ruins, and the timbers, 
many of them, floating down stream. The 
dam was badly injured, though not beyond 
repair. The saw- mill was left standing, and 
with very little repairing was in condition to 
be run. Asa Downs had purchased Mr. 
Smith's interest in the mills about one year 
before the flood. After the destruction of so 
much of their property, the Downses, sold their 
entire milling interests to Mr. William Gar- 
ner. Mr. Garner repaired the dam, and kept 
the saw-mill running for several years. The 
citizens were again without the advantages of 
a flouring-mill until the present mill was 
built. This mill was begun by Joseph Su- 
buary, biit before he completed it sold out to 
James Golden, who finished and operated the 
mill about two years, when he sold it to the 
present owner, Mr. C. Fleck. 

For many years after the first settlers of 
Norwalk Township had established them- 
selves in their new homes, they traveled over 
the prairie from point to point, regardless of 
farm or section lines. Gradually the roads 
were changed and began to assume the ap- 
pearance of public highways as the owners of 
property began building fences, and began to 
be traveled in direct lines east and west or 
north and south. There are still some diag- 
onal roads in the township, though but few 
in comparison with the many of early days. 
During the spring and fall seasons, when 
hard and continued storms were prevalent, 
the crossing of the streams became very diffi- 
cult with a loaded wagon, by reason of the 
banks on either side of the streams becoming 
soft and muddy. It was not infrequent for 
the original crossing to become extended five 
or six rods both up and down the stream, as 
each driver would think his chances better 
for crossing the slough — as the small streams 
were usually termed — if l;ie should drive his 
team just a little above, or if he went down 



NORWALK TOWNSHIP. 



299 



the stream to cross, just a little below where 
the last team crossed. In this way a road 
over the higher ground that seemed almost 
untraveled presented the appearance at the 
crossing of a " slou:^h " of having been just 
traveled by a freight train of a hundred wag- 
ons. Rude bridges of logs and poles were 
constructed then by the settlers, the exi^ense 
usually being borne by a half-dozen or more 
of them who were directly interested. Their 
plan was to meet at the ford at the appointed 
time, with teams and implements, and in one 
day's time build good strong crossing of 
logs, covered with a few strong poles, and 
over these a layer of brush, and over the 
whole a thick covering of earth. A bridge 
constracted in this way would last many 
years. As the county grew in wealth with 
increased population, bridges were built over 
Mosquito Creek at the expense of the 
county. 

Martin Luther said, in his efforts to organ- 
ize a free school system in Germany: " It is 
a grave and serious thing, affecting the in- 
terests of the Kingdom of Christ, and of all 
the world, that we apply ourselves to the 
work of aiding and instructing the young." 
Have we not the proof on every hand that he 
was right ? Nothing is more necessary than 
the training of those who are to come after 
us and bear rule. The Puritan settlers of 
New England were fully convinced of the 
necsssity of universal education. They came 
here with no intention of founding a colony 
of semi-barbarians, like the natives of South 
Africa, and, accordingly, we tind that as soon 
aa they had provided temporary shelter for 
themselves, they reared, in humble guise in- 
deed, yet with willing hands, the chm'ch and 
the schoolhouse. They emigrated in search 
of religious liberty, and founded a colony 
only after the most grievous agitation of these 
questions. How well has their example been 



emulated. As the tide of emigration set 
westward, though hundreds of years after- 
ward, each little community reared its hum- 
ble log cabin and established in their midst a 
common school. The settlers of Norwalk 
Township did not prove an exception to this 
rule. For a time, it is true, their children 
attended a school taught by a man named 
Bayliss Hough, in a little log cabin on the 
farm of a Mr. Gatrost, in Hardin Township. 
In the winter of 1863-64, the first school was 
taught in Norwalk Township. The building 
erected by the farmers for school purposes 
was of the usual log cabin style, and was lo- 
cated near the present residence of G. T. 
Ward. The first teacher was Miss Jane Da- 
vis. Year by year since that little school- 
house was built, improvements have gone 
steadily forward, until the statistics for the 
year 1881, of the schools of Norwalk Town- 
ship, show the following: 

Number of subdistricts, 6; number un- 
graded schools, 5 ; average number of months 
taught, 7. Teachers — number employed, 
males, 6; females, 5; total, 11; average com- 
pensation per month, males, $32.41; females, 
$26.07. Pupils — number of persons between 
the ages of five and twenty-one years — males, 
178; females, 138; number enrolled in dis- 
trict, 218; total average attendance in whole 
district, 71^; average cost of tuition per 
month for each pupil, $1.77. Schoolhouses 
— number of frame, 6. Total cost of school - 
houses, $3,350. Value of apparatus, $5.40. 

On examining the map of Pottawattamie 
County, the words " Downsville Post Office" 
will be seen plainly marked in the southwest 
corner of Norwalk Township. Its name — 
Downsville — is in honor of the village which 
bears that name. Mr, James Golden was the 
first government official to take charge of this 
office, and Mr. C. Fleck is present Postmas- 
ter. The village of Downsville is but a 



300 



HISTORY OF POTTAAVATTAMIE COUNTY. 



8mal] cluster of residence buildings. The 
post office and Fleck's mill are the principal 
attractions of the place. The village was so 
called after the family of Downs, who, as re- 
lated, were the first settlers in that part of 
the township. Though there are two lines 
of railroad crossing the township— the Chi- 
cago, Rock Island & Pacific, and Chicago, 
Milwaukee & St. Paul, both of which follow 
the valley of Mosquito Creek, there are no 
stations as yet within its boundaries. On the 
I8th of June, 1882, however, thi-ough the en- 
terprise of Messrs. H. « G. Fisher and B. 
Graybill, a contract was entered into between 
these gentlemen and the Chicago, Milwaukee 
& St. Paul Railroad Company, by the con- 
dition of which during the summer of 1882, 
the railroad company has obligated itself to 



build a station house, erect a water-tank and 
lay a switch. These improvements are to be 
made on Section 16, where Messrs. Fisher & 
Graybill are preparing to have a portion of 
their farms siu-veyed and divided into town 
lots. The name of this new town is to be 
Underwood. 

In March, 1882, under the auspices of 
Rev. Lewis and William Smith, at Down's 
Schoolhouse, there was organized a Society 
of Friends. Following is a list of the origi- 
nal members: George F. Ward and his wife, 
Jane Ward, Archibald N. Ward, Mary Fleck, 
Catharine Whitney, her son, William Whit- 
ney, A. Mott, his wife, Martha Mott, Ada 
Mott, George Mott, Lena Vezy, Albert Shaw, 
Li zzie Vezy, Drusci Ua Downs, Minerva Downs 
and Joseph Whitney. 



CHAPTER XLII.* 



YORK TOWN.'?HIP—DE.SCRIPTION — FIRST SETTLERS —EARLY 

AND TEACHERS. 



INDUSTRIES— FIRST SCHOOLS 



TT is no uncommon occurrence to those 
-^ whose duty and pleasure it is to collect 
material for these pages to meet with those 
who, forming the connecting link between 
that day and this, have no appreciation for 
the enterprise of which this volume is the 
outgrowth. The stern experience of pioneer 
trials has come too near their lives to make 
the record novel or interesting. But the early 
days, so full of toil and privation, have 
passed beyond the hopes and fears of those 
of a later generation, and, gilded by tradi- 
tion, they reflect back to us the "mellow glow 
of a novelty that is akin to romance. " But 
a higher motive for perpetuating the history 
of those who ventured upon the trackless 
prairie is that we are thus able, approxi- 

*By Frank 51. Wright. 



mately, to measure the value of what has 
been wrought in the last quarter of a cent- 
ury. It was a noble spirit of self-sacrifice 
that animated the pioneers of this land, and 
"bowed their strong manhood to the humble 
plow." Forgetful of their own ease, at a 
time of life when years of toil could reason- 
ably have demanded repose for their declin- 
ing days, they braved the untried dilficulties 
of the frontier, that their children might 
achieve that greatness which their patriotic 
faith pictured in the future. The rapidly 
increasing population in a country devoid of 
manufactories left to the pioneer one alter- 
native—ease at the expense of their chil- 
dren's future, or a wider scope of cheaper 
lands, bought with a life of toil, that found 
rest only beyond the grave. The broad 



YORK TOWNSHIP. 



301 



lands, waving with the green plumage of the 
springing grain; the thousand homes adorned 
with the comforts and luxuries of an ad- 
vanced civilization; the vast resources that 
command a nation's homage, are the grand 
memorials that set forth the virtue and wis- 
dom of their choice. The journey from their 
homes in the East was made by wagons, over 
the old overland route to California, or by 
the more circuitous route of the Ohio, Missis- 
sippi and Missouri Rivers. To day, they 
may be visited by friends from their old home 
who have the choice of four trunk lines of 
railroad which center at Council Bluffs 

York Township is bounded on the north by 
Minden Township, on the east by James 
Township, on the south by Washington 
Township and on the west by Norwalk Town- 
ship. The surface of the townshij) is com- 
paratively smooth. There are some places, 
however, too rough and broken to he valuable 
as farm lands. Its location, according to the 
United States Survey, is Township 76 north, 
in Range 41 west. The western portion of 
the township is drained by Keg Creek and its 
tributaries, and the eastern portion of Middle 
Silver Creek. The former enters the town- 
ship at the northeast corner of Section 4, and 
flows in a southwesterly direction through 
Sections 5, 8, 18 and 19, leaving the town- 
ship at the southwest corner of the last-named 
section, where it enters Norwalk Township. 
The origin of the name of this stream will be 
found in the history of Hardin Township. 
There are five tributaries to this stream aris- 
ing in York Township, the largest of which 
is Coon Tail Creek, and the only one which 
has thus far been honored with a name. It 
rises in Section 29, flowing southwest through 
Sections 29 and 31, leaving the township on 
the west line, near the northwest corner of 
Section 31, and entering the main stream in 
Hardin Township. There are two small trib- 



utaries arising near and flowing through 
Eight-Mile Grove, in a northwest direction, 
and both entering the main sti-eam in Sec- 
tion 19. Another small tributary rises in 
Section 20, and flows in an irregiilar, north- 
west direction, entering the main stream in 
Section 18. The tributary next in size to 
Coon Tail Creek rises in Section 2, and flows 
almost directly southwest through Sections 3, 
9 and 8, enters the main stream in Section 
8. There are also some small streams enter- 
ing this tributary from the southeast, from 
Sections 9, 16 and 17. Middle Silver Creek 
enters the township at the northeast corner 
of Section 1. It flows in an iiTegular soath- 
west direction through Sections 1, 12, 13, 24, 
23, 26, 85 and 34. It is increased by but 
one small tributary in this township. In 
Section 23, a small stream rises and flows 
almost directly south, entering the main 
stream near the south side of Section 2<5. 
These are the only streams in the township, 
except where the main stream of Silver Creek 
crosses Section 3(5, in a southwesterly direc- 
tion. 

The original timber growth of York Town- 
ship is found in groves along the streams, 
and consists of the following varieties: 
Linn, walnut, wild cherry, hickory, hack- 
berry, ash, red elm, white elm, white hickory 
and box elder. Lombardy poj)lar, maple, 
willow and some other varieties have been 
largely cultivated, until there is hardly an 
improved farm in the township which has not 
a fine grove surrounding the farm buildings. 
A view of the country from any elevated point 
in the township will hardly bring to the eye 
of the observer a single building, but, dotted 
here and there over the prairie, may be seen 
tine groves of timber, which have been culti- 
vated. In the center of these, upon closer 
inspection, the traveler will find the neat and 
comfortable homes of the farmers, where if 



302 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



seems he might realize the dream of the poet 

when he Hays: 

" My nest desire is, void of care of strife, 
To lead a soft, secure, inglorious life ; 
A country cottage near a crystal flood, 
A winding valley and a lofty wood." 

The greater portion of Eight-Mile Grove is 
found in this township. It lies principally 
on the east side of Keg Creek, and is about 
two miles in length by three-quarters or one 
mile in width at its widest point. It received 
its name from the early settlers, during the 
time the Council Bluffs & Lewis Stage Road 
was in the height of its glory, from the "fact 
of its being situated eight miles distant from 
Hardin Station, on the old stage route. 
There is one other small grove in the town- 
ship, known as Linn Grove, on account of 
the timber forming the grove being linn 
trees. This grove is located exactly in the 
southeast corner of the township. 

The first settlers of York Township were 
Elam Meekham, N. Holman, William Cham- 
plain, Ales Clough, Henry Eishton, Sr., D. 
T. Jones, Lewis Beard, Ratford Dewey, Joel 
German, John Ingram and West Ingram. 
These gentlemen settled in the township be- 
tween and including the years 1848 and 1857. 
Elam Meekham, N. Holman, William Cham- 
plain and Ales Clough came from Nauvoo, 
111., about 1848; Henry Eishton, from Fall 
River, Mass., in 1850; E. Dewey and Joel 
German, in 1857 — the former from Indiana 
and the latter from Tennessee; D. T. Jones 
came from Wales about 1850, and Lewis 
Beard from Baltimore, Md , in 1857. 

Many changes have taken place, and but 
few of the first settlers of the township re- 
main to tell the tale of their struggles. R. 
Dewey still resides on the place of his orig- 
inal settlement; John Ingram went to Cali- 
fornia, and West Ingram, becoming tired of 
Western life and its privations, sold out and 



returned to the East. N. Holman and Elam 
Meekham went to Utah, both selling their 
property to Lewis Beard. William Cham- 
plain's old place is now a part of the farms of 
R. Dewey and Henry Eishton. Mr. Cham- 
plain is now a resident of Walker's Grove, 
Pottawattamie County. A few of the early 
settlers of York Township were as enterprising 
as the new-comers to any part of the county. 
They were without mills of any description, 
and the long distance they were obliged to 
travel to get their grain made into flour spm-red 
them on to improvements^ that otherwise 
would in all probability not have been under- 
taken. They were also sadly in need of lum- 
ber with which to build more comfortable 
houses, to repair those in which they lived, 
and for the construction of outbuildings. 
With this urgent demand for lumber in the 
vicinity, Mr. Lewis Beard and Charles Allen 
in 1858 built a saw-mill on the left bank of 
Keg Creek, on the farm of Mi-. Beard. About 
one year later, they added a run of bulu-s for 
grinding corn. This mill was operated till 
worn out, and was scon in ruins. Other 
mills with better facilities soon sprung up in 
different parts of the county. Much praise is 
due these gentlemen for their enterprise at a 
time when the rudest improvements were made 
at great labor and expense. In later years, 
no manufactui'ing has been done in York 
Township. Though it is one of the best 
agricultural townships in the county, it pos- 
sesses no shipping facilities, Neola and Min- 
den, on the line of the Chicago, Eock Island 
& Pacific, being the principal markets and 
nearest points of shipment. 

The first public road opened in York Town- 
ship was known as the Ballard State road. 
The petition praying for the opening of this 
road was signed by the majority of the set- 
tlers, and the line located by D. Tostevin, 
County Sui'veyor. The main roads in the 



YORK TOWNSHIP. 



303 



township are opened north and south, as the 
principal outlet to market is by roads center- 
ing at Neola, which lies about two miles due 
north of the northwest corner of York Town- 
ship. One of the first things to mark the 
enterprise of the pioneers in different parts 
of the county was the opening up of a 
school, and in this proiect the citizens of 
York ,Township worked in unison and with 
a will and determination to succeed. The 
first sehoolhouse erected in the township and 
at the expense of the settlers was a little log 
cabin, 12x14 feet, with two windows. The 
roof of this building was rather novel as 
well as substantial, though it must be ad- 
mitted there was nothing ornamental about 
it. The rafters were good strong poles and 
covered with layers of tine brush so close and 
thick as to admit of a covering of earth aboiit 
one foot in depth. The floor was made of 
puncheons, and the desks and seats were 
made by putting legs in a good strong plank. 
This building stood on the farm of IMi*. 
Lewis Beard, and was used as a sehoolhouse 
for four or five years. The first term of 
school taught in the township was in this 
building in the winter of 1858-59, and the 
teacher was Miss Harriet Perry, now ilrs. 
Harvey Thomas, of Hardin Township. The 
second term was taught during the summer 
and fall of 1859 by Miss Adelaide Clough, 
now Mrs. Henry Rishton, of York Township. 
Miss Clough received $12 per month for her 
service, which was considered at that time a 
high salary to pay a teacher. Good wives 
seemed to have been in demand as well as 
good teachers, and these ladies were the first 
brides in the township. Miss Perry was mar- 
ried in the spring of 1859 and Miss Clough 
on March 1, 1860. The school sj-stem of the 
township has been gradually improved, and 
her citizens in this respect have kept pace in 



public spirit and enterprise with any part of 
the county possessing the same advantages. 
The statistics for the year 1881 in regard to 
the schools of York Township show their 
standing to be as follows: Number of subdis- 
tricts, 7. Schools — ^Number of ungraded 
schools, 7 ; average number of months taught, 
8. Teachers — Number employed: males, 1; 
females, 17; total, 18. Average compensa- 
tion per month — Males, $30; females, 127. 
Pupils — Number of persons between the age 
of five and twenty-one years — males, 136; fe- 
males 124; number enrolled in district. 234; 
total average attendance in whole district, 
99i^; average coat of tuition per month for 
each pupil, $2.11. Schoolhouses — frame, 8; 
value $4,800. 

By the above it will be seen that the citi- 
zens of York Township are fully aware of the 
great importance of establishing good schools. 
The citizens of this township are principally 
American and German and usually wherever 
the natives of these two countries predomi- 
nate in the settlement of a new country, they 
are the friends of every movement the object 
of which is to establish a thoroughly organ- 
ized school system. 

No church buildings have been erected in 
York Township, though the friends and pro- 
fessors of religion hold church in the severs,! 
schoolhouses. 

There is a small cemetery on the northern 
line of Section 20. We have been iinable 
to ascertain when the first interment was 
made. Joseph Champlain was the first 
white child born in the township. 

Corn is the staple crop raised in the town- 
ship, though wheat, rye, barley and oats are 
grown is considerable quantities. Stock- 
raising is not carried on so extensively as in 
other parts of the county, as the lands are 
mostly devoted to agricultural purposes. 



304 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XLIII/ 



JAMES TOWNSHIP— BOUNDARIES— SOIL— TIMBER— EARLY SETTLERS— RELIGIOUS, ETC 



TAMES TOWNSHIP is bounded on tlio 
^ north by Pleasant Township, on the 
south by Belknap, on the west by York and 
on the east by Valley. The soil of the town- 
ship is a fine rolling prairie, sloping both to 
the east and to the west, and the township is 
watered by Silver Creek and the West Nish- 
nabotna River. Silver Creek enters the town- 
ship about the middle of the north line, and 
flowing southwestwardly, leaves it near the 
soTithwest corner. The West Nishnabotna 
traverses only about two sections of land in 
that township. The soil is limestone land, 
mixed with sand, and has never failed, ac- 
cording to the memory of the oldest settler, 
to produce a crop. The soil, however, is best 
suited to corn-raising. Timber has never 
abounded, and the groves which exist are 
mainly the result of cultivation, gi-eat atten- 
tion to which has been paid ever since the 
th-st settlement of the townships. 



Stephen James, a brother of Hon. "W. C. 
James, of Council Bluffs, is one of the oldest 
settlers in the townshij), and has raised one 
of thetinest pieces of timber in the West. It 
consists mainly of cottonwood, maple and ash. 
and is now fit for use as timber. The original 
road in the township was the stage road, lo- 
cated b}' Dr. Ballard, close to his lands, in 
the northern part of the township, so as to 
increase their value. This road proceeded 
along the section lines. 

In regard to the religious matters of the 
township, it may be said that the class of the 
German Methodist Church was organized 
about 1S73. The first members were mainly 
from Illinois — JohnMischle, Bernhard Eich- 
enberger. Father Busse. August Busse. Franz 
Busse, Albert Busse and Henry Lee. The 
first report shows a Sunday school of sixty 
pupils. They have also erected a parsonage 
at a cost of .§3, 500. 



CHAPTER XLIV.^ 



VALLEVTOWNSHir— ORGANIZATION— FIRST ELECTION— OLD SETTLERS— RELIGIOUS M.\TTERS— 
SOCIETIES— HANCOCK— ITS BUSINESS INTERESTS. CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES. 



nnHE petition for the organization of this 



JL 



township was signed by W. F. Traver 



and one hundred and sixty other legal voters. 
A remonstrance was presented by Thomas 
Dulin. After a full heapng, it was ordered 
that the township should comprise Congres- 
sional Township 76. Eange 39. It is situated 
south of Avoca, and is traversed by the Car- 

*By Col. John H. Keatley. 



son Branch of the Rock Island Railroad, and 
was called by its present name because of 
its location, mainly in ,the Nishnabotna Val- 
ley, one of the most beautiful and fertile 
farming regions in the world. The first 
election was held at what is known as the 
Acker Schoolhouse, on the 8th day of Octo- 
ber, 1S78. One hundred and twenty-six 
votes were then cast. The election oflicers 



VALLEY TOWNSHIP. 



305 



were: Judges, "\V. C. Barton, James Living- 
ston and H. C. Hougli; and Clerks, A. 
M. Battelle and W. H. Benjamin. The 
Board of Supervisors appointed R. M. White 
to superintend the organization of the town- 
ship, call an election and provide for the 
election officers. The Trustees chosen were: 
W. C. Barton, S.Armstrong and S. D. Acker; 
Township Clerk, R, M. White; and Assessor, 
R. D. Ballard. The present officers are: 
Trustees, W. C. Barton, C. O. King and Jo- 
seph Moore; Township Clerk, R. M. White; 
Justices of the Peace, W. H. Patterson and 
Charles Roberts; and Assessor, R. D. Ballard. 
There are about two hundred and tifty-tive 
legal voters in the township. In the organi- 
zation of the township, four tiers of sections 
were taken off Knox and from off Center 
Township. The sub-school districts were 
made to consist of four- sections each, and 
were numbered from the northeast to the left 
and back toward the beginning, as the sec- 
tions themselves are numbered, making in all 
nine subdistricts for school pui'poses. No. 
10 has been organized for the town of Han- 
cock, which is a flourishing station on the 
Carson Branch of the Rock Island, and one 
of the best gi-ain shipping points, in the 
State. A schoolhouse has been arranged for 
in Hancock. All the other subdistricts have 
comfortable and well-built frame edifices. 
When the first three schoolhouses were built 
— Pleasant, Lavton, Lincoln and two-thirds 
of Valley Township were included within the 
limits of Knox Township. E. L. Shugart, of 
Coiineil Bluffs, at the date of organization, 
was a member of the Board of County Super- 
visors, and suggested the name " Valley " for 
the new subdivision of the county. 

• Among the oldest settlers is A. M. Battelle. 
He is now holding the position of Deputy 
United States Marshal, with his office at 
Council Bluffs, but still retains his home and 



farm in Valley Township, where he settled 
in 1855. To reach this point, at that date, 
he crossed the State with a wagon from Keo- 
kuk, taking two weeks to make the trij). 
His household goods, etc., were shipped by 
the river, from Wheeling, W. Va., passing 
around by the way of St. Louis to Council 
Bluffs. The road from Keokuk led through 
Ottumwa, Eddyville and Afton, and the trip 
is now made by rail in about twelve hours 
that occupied, by good di-iving then, two 
weeks, and sometimes more. Afton, the 
county seat of Union County, at that date 
had just been located, but not a house had 
yet been built. He found thi-ee almost im- 
passable sloughs ten miles south of Lewis, 
and persuaded a man breaking prairie to un- 
yoke his oxen and help him over. Mi'. Battelle 
was compelled to cany his wife and children 
across, as all the oxen could do was to pass 
with the wagon and the baggage, and then 
the box plowed up the mud, sinking so 
deep in the muck. The nearest point for 
provisions was Council Bluffs. Winter set 
in early, and snow fell to a great depth be- 
fore they were prepared for it, and for many 
weeks many of the settlers were obliged to 
subsist on hominy alone, made in the cabins 
and at home. Venison was their only meat, 
but this was'plenty, and deer could be killed 
any time, they were so exceedingly abundant 
and easy to capture, owing to the deep snow. 
At last, an old trader in the settlement vent- 
ured out, with two yoke of oxen, and went 
to Council Bluffs for food for the settlement. 
He was a week in making the trip. He stuck 
in a snow drift when within two miles of his 
destination, on the retiu-n, but the settlers 
lent a helping hand, and he got in in safety. 
No mail could be had nearer than Council 
Bluffs, and the trader sold flour to the set- 
tlers at $6 per 100 pounds. 

Joseph Headley, another old settler, was 



306 



HISTOKY OF POTT AAVATT AMI E COUNTY. 



bom in Pennsylvania in 1826; came to Iowa 
in 1841, and settled within the present lim- 
its of Valley Township in 1852. He came in 
a wagon with his wife, and made a log cabin 
his first home. His nearest milling point at 
that time was Glenwood, in Mills County, 
forty miles away. The first season or two 
was a severe one. Wages were only 50 cents 
a day, and corn about §3 a bushel. The set- 
tlers, the few of them that were, lived mostly 
on corn bread and game. When they did 
raise wheat, and marketed it, after a drive of 
forty miles, they were compelled to sell it for 
30 and 40 cents a bushel. 

Thomas Dulin came to the township from 
Scott County, in 1866, having served a full 
term in the Union army dm-ing the war of 
the rebellion. He brought his family over- 
land in wagons, and camping on the prairie 
in the joru-ney. He had a tent with him. In 
his party were emigrants for Colorado and 
Pike's Peak. When they got into the Nish- 
nabotna Valley, he concluded to remain here. 
The others desired the tent, and upon his 
declining to part with it, they went on. The 
next morning, they came back and insisted 
upon having it, and finally got it. He had 
with him a wife and three children. He at 
once went to work to cut logs to build a cab- 
in, and, with the assistance of Mr. Griffith 
and Mr. Eiley, distant neighbors, he soon had 
a home. He bought the land for his farm at 
$3 per acre, and his was the only residence 
for many miles on the west side of .the river 
at that time. 

W. H. Benjamin is a native of New York. 
He came from Nashville, Tenn., where he had 
been employed by the Government. He ar- 
rived by the way of the Mississippi and the 
Missouri to Council Bluffs to explore the 
country, but when about to make a perma- 
nent settlement, he came across the country 
by the way of Grinnell. His teaming from 



that jjoint, the then terminus of the Eock Is- 
land road, cost him §72, having had to pay 
teamsters §6 a day for hauling. He occupied 
a house belonging to T. F. Davis, the first 
summer and the following winter, and for 
whom he erected a gi-ist-mill. During that 
winter, he cut logs for a house, and i.t inter- 
vals he built this and made himself a perma- 
nent home. It was sided with black walnut 
and roofed with the same material. 

Jacob Rust, mentioned in the history of 
Knox, was a Kentuckian, and came in 1852. 
Mahlon Griffith arrived in the county in 
1855, and settled in the township in 1860, on 
Section 4. He now lives in Harrison County. 
About 1855, a man by the name of Pierce 
owned a cabin on the present site of Han- 
cock. 

R. M. White came in 1860, and was 
the tifth settler within the present limits of 
Valley Township, coming from Illinois. An- 
drew Carrier, Joseph Layton, Samuel John- 
son, now in Nebraska, and Mr. Bails, now in 
Missouri, were pioneers. E. M. White has 
always been a moving spirit in public affairs 
connected with the township, both before 
and since its organization. He took especial 
interest in educational matters, and has al- 
ways been foremost in these. He is a native 
of Pennsylvania and an energetic business 
man. His home is on the south line of the 
township. The prosperity of the township is 
also due to the energy of such men as Will- 
iam Convers, AV. C. Barton, C. O. King, 
Robert Motherall and William Clark. 

The religious matters of the township have 
been liberally provided for. The Knox Pres- 
byterian Church was organized October 23, 
1873, by the Rev. N. C. Robinson, with eight 
original members, consisting of Eobert Mar- 
tin and wife, Thomas Dool and wife, James 
Service and wife, Mary Eay and Sarah A. 
Birney. The present pastor is the Eev. F. 



VALLEY TOWNSHIP. 



307 



X. Miron. The first pastor was the Kev. 
Andrew Herron, of Atlantic, and was suc- 
ceeded by S. G. Fisher, ^h: Lodge, Mr 
Hedges and Mr. Miron. vServices have been 
held ever alternate Sunday in the Acker 
Schoolhouse, and the present membership is 
twenty- three persons. New Hope Baptist 
Chiu-ch was constituted in 1875 by the Rev. 
E. Burch, who was the first pastor. He was 
succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Ai-nold, and the 
latter was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Burch 
in turn. There were thirteen original mem- 
bers. This increased to twenty-seven. The 
services were held at the Fairview School- 
house. Many ot the members having moved 
out of the township, the church organization 
was abandoned in 1879. The United Breth- 
ren Ghiu'ch was established by the Rev. Mr. 
Adams in 1875. The services have always 
been held in the Fairview Schoolhouse. 
Succeeding Mr. Adams as minister were Ja- 
cobs, Fisher, Curtis, Roberts and Jenks, the 
latter being the present incumbent. Services 
are held once in two weeks. A number of 
the members having removed, they are now 
reduced to about fifteen communicants. The 
M. P. Church of Valley Township was or- 
ganized in 1879 by the Rev. B. F. Peerman. 
He has been the minister ever since that 
date. There were sixteen original members, 
which number has increased to twenty. They 
have no church edifice. 

The society or order of A. H. T. A. is rep- 
resented by Lodge No. 95, constituted in the 
spring of 1879, with thirteen charter mem- 
bers. H. Cook was the first Worthy Presi- 
dent; John Warner, Vice President; Emer- 
son Smith, Secretary, and Joseph Moore, 
Treasurer. The members have been called 
out once, to assist in the capture of thieves, 
and succeeded in securing the lost property 
and in bringing the guilty to deserved pun- 
ishment. 



HANCOCK. 

The Carson Branch of the Rock Island 
Railroad was completed and put into opera- 
tion in the summer of 1880. The same sum- 
mer, F. H. Hancock, of Davenport, who 
owned the land now constituting the town 
site, laid out the town. Samuel Armstrong 
built the first house, beginning it in October, 

1880. C. W. Newman opened a coal yard 
about the same date, and near that time C. 
W. Newman established a blacksmith shop. 
The first store was erected by B. F. Steven- 
son in the grocery business, but it was soon 
transferred to E. Kinney & Co. F. H. Han- 
cock began buying grain at that point, the 
fii-st load being purchased in December, 1880, 
Hancock being represented by G. G. Harris. 
Since that date to July, 1882, he, alone, 
has bought and shipped at that point 325,000 
bushels of corn, other buyers, also, shipping 
great quantities of the same cereal. Mr. 
Hancock's grain elevator was finished in 
June, 1882, with a capacity of 25,000 bushels. 
The first hunber sold was by Seiffert & Weise, 
to W. H. Benjamin, on the 26th of June, 

1881. They opened out a lumber yard at 
that date. Their business at Hancock is un- 
der the superintendence of A. L. Field, who 
is also an insurance agent and Notary Public. 
W. H. Benjamin opened a general store in 
January, 1881. G. Diedrich, Mayor of Avoca, 
started a general store in October, 1881. 
Battelle & Bavern entered upon the saloon 
business and also engaged in buying hogs. 
Whisnand & Archer followed with a general 
store, the firm having been originally Gordon 
& Whisnand. The Anderson Bros, opened a 
saloon and restaurant, and A. Anderson went 
into the meat market trade. Dr. C. W. Hard- 
man & Bro. have engaged in the sale of drugs. 
Samuel Armstrong, the first settler, opened a 
hotel. Among the others who have estab- 
lished themselves in the town are: W. H. 



308 



HISTOEY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Patterson, attorney at law; W. S. Williams, 
the Postmaster; John Knierieman, Deputy 
Postmaster; L. C. Drury, stationer; I. G. 
Carter, who is Constable; Henry Carter, dray- 
man; J. Reed, carjaenter and builder: Paul 
Reed and Ira Cook, plasterers, and B. Ramsey, 
dealer in imported horses. The town has now 
a population of over one hundred persons, 
and being situated in an exceedingly rich 
agricultural region, will continue to grow 
and prosper. 

The Methodist Episcopal Chui-ch of Han- 
cock was organized in 1874, but it was then 
known as the Valley Church. Its first pastor 
was the Rev. William Armstrong, a pioneer 
Methodist preacher. It had seven original 
members: I. G. Carter and wife, W. H. 
Clements and wife, Mrs. Martha Reed, Mrs. 
Ira Cook and Mrs. Andrew Carrier. A chiu'ch 
was built in Hancock and completed in the 
fall of 1881, at a cost of $1,500. The min- 
isters who have succeeded Mr. Ai-mstrong are: 



Burke, Wood, Bunker, Linn, Wright and 
Adams. The present membership is seventy- 
one persons They have also a prosperous 
Sunday school attached to the church, of 
which W. W. Whijjple is Superintendent. 

Valley I,odge, No. 439, I. O. O. F., was 
instituted December 19, 1881. The charter 
members were Samuel Bell, William Con- 
vers, W. W. Griffith, L. D. Seward, Fairfield 
Thayer, W. S. Williams, Charles Warner, B. 
F. Stevenson, J. W. Warner and A. H. Whit- 
taker. The first oflicers were: Samuel Bell, 
N. G.; A. H. Whittaker. V. G. ; W. S. Will- 
iams, Permanent Secretary ; Fairfield Thayer, 
Recording Secretary; and Treasurer, William 
Convers. Thayer resigned his position, and 
W. H. Patterson was chosen in his stead. 
The present officers are: A. H. Whittaker, 
N. G. ; W. H. Patterson, V. G. ; Dr. C. W. 
Hardman, Recording Secretary, and Joseph 
Moore, Treasurer. The membership num- 
bers forty-two. 



CHAPTER XLV. 



LINCOLN TOWNSHIP— FIRST ELECTION— SCHOOLS— EARLY SETTLERS. 



'T^HE first election held in Lincoln Town- 
-L ship was held on the same date as the 
general election, in November, 1876; W. A. 
Clapp was chosen Township Clerk; H. B. 
Jack, Samuel I. Pope and Andrew McCormick, 
Trustees, and Joseph Battersley, Justice of 
the Peace. The present township officers 
are: W. A. Clapp, Township Clerk; George 
Woods, John A. Frank and Andrew McCor- 
mick, Trustees; W. E. Bartley and A. J. 
Chase, Justices of the Peace; and Charles 
Morehead and William Burkhather, Con- 
stables. 

The township or school district of Lincoln 

*By Col. John H. Keatley. 



has nine schoolhouses, costing each about 
$800. They are of uniform dimensions, 24x 
36 feet, one story in height, and frame. The 
first built in the district was in 1874, and is 
known as the "Dromyer School." Thei-e are 
also six bridges, all constructed at the cost of 
the county, at a cost of from $1,600 to $1,700 
each. Three of these structiu-es are across 
the Big Walnut, two over Little Walnut and 
one over Graybill Creek. The township has 
no churches and no mills within its bound- 
aries. 

William H. Painter came into the town- 
ship from Jasper County, Iowa, in 1872. At 
that date, the whole townshijD was a wild and 



AVRIGHT TOWNSHIP. 



309 



raw prairie. There was no timber, except 
along the streams. Milling and trading had 
to be done at Lewis, in Cass County. George 
Roberts came from Marion County, Iowa, in 
1872, in an 'emigrant wagon. There were not 
two houses within three miles of the spot 
where he settled at the time. He bought 160 
acres of land on the prairie, and began to 
open out a farm. His trading point was 
mainly at Atlantic. Patrick Howard, a gen- 
tleman about sixty-three, moved into the 



township in December, 1872, and began to 
improve raw land. He had lived in Knox 
Township. He made the first wagon trail 
ever made from Walnut, on the Eock Island, 
into Lincoln Township. He originally came 
from Clinton County, Iowa. Among those 
who came after these were H. B. Jack, W. A. 
Clapp, Samuel I. Pope, John A. Frank, Elias 
Yeoman, Chi-ist Dromyer, John A. Chipman, 
William Linkletler, George Woods, Charles 
Manifer, Georere Roberts and R. M. Allen. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 



WRIGHT TOWNSHIP— ORGANIZATION— L.W Of THE LAND— FIRST HOL'SE- 

MARRIAGE— RELIGIOUS— SCHOOLS, ETC. 



■FIRST DEATH— FIR>T 



'T^HIS township, situated in the eastern 
-^ part of the county, was organized on 
the 14th of October, 1873, by an order of the 
Board of Supervisors. It comprises Con- 
gressional Township No. 75, Range 38. It 
is drained by Walnut Ceeek flowing 
through its center. The greater portion of 
the native timber found in the township, of 
which there is considerable, is found on the 
East Nishnabotna, in the southeast part of 
the township. The land otherwise is rolling 
prairie and exceedingly fertile, the soil being 
the loam of the bluff formation, which 
stretches from the east bank of the Missouri 
River to Cass County. 

The first house built was by a man named 
Campbell, whose Christian name has been 
forgotten by the oldest settlers. He had a 
wife and two daughters, and his house con 
stituted the only stopping place for a long 
journey for many years, on the road to 
Wheeler's Grove. Nothing is now definitely 
known as to what became of this family, but 
the general impression was that they removed 

»By Col. John H. Keatley. 



to Missouri. The Campbells were simply 
" squatters," and located in 1852 at the point 
where the old State road crossed W alnut Creek. 
The first death was that of a child in that 
family. It was quite awhile before the town- 
ship began to settle up, on account of its iso- 
lation from a navigable stream and from rail- 
roads. The first marriage noted was that of 
Henry Shank and Sophronia Dean, in April, 
1858. The first birth of which any note is 
made was that of Jesse Van Riper, now Mrs 
Wright, May 22, 1858. Levi Mills erected 
a house for a tavern on the northwest quarter 
of Section 22, and this was afterward kept by 
Mr. Whipple as a station house for the ac- 
commodation of the Western Stage Company, 
on their route from Des Moines to Council 
Bluffs. It is now the house of Mrs. Baxter. 
To the west of Whipple Station, J. B. Deloy 
established a small store, and a post office 
was also authorized at the same point, known 
as Whipple. The latter was constituted in 
1876. M. H. Elliott is the present owner of 
the property. Alexander Evans bought a 
claim of land and the improvements, such as 



310 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



they were, in 1855, from Granville Pierson, 
and thus became the second settler in the 
township. Pierson removed to Missouri in 
1857, having located the claim sold to Evans 
in 1854. In 1856, the veeather vfas intensely- 
cold, and Evans killed in the neighborhood 
100 deer in the timber and on the prairie. 
Feed for them was exceedingly scarce. Of 
the old settlers who came in in 1855 were 
Amos West, Edward Dean and Charles Fen- 
ner; in 1856, William Van Riper and Samuel 
Place, and in 1857 L. A. Biu-nham. As al- 
ready stated, Levi Mills, Alexander Evans 
and Campbell came at earlier dates, but 
none earlier than 1852. Samuel Place set- 
tled on Section 36. He enlisted in the Union 
army during the civil war, and died in the 
service, leaving no heirs or representatives in 
the county, so far as known. Levi Mills was 
a native of Ohio, and was by vocation a ho- 
tel-keeper when he came into the county. 
The house he built here was of native timber, 
and the shingles were split. He went to 
California some time before 1860, where he 
died, leaving no relatives in this county. 

Amos West was born in Bristol County, 
Mass., January 31, 1784, and died in W^right 
Township April 30, 1880. He lived until 
manhood at his birthplace, and was married 
to Avis Hestor in 1808, who was born Janu- 
ary 30, 1788. They emigrated to Rhode Isl- 
and in 1825, and in Natick in the latter 
State, raised a large family. The latter 
numbered thirteen children, of whom five are 
still living. Mr. West came to Pottawatta- 
mie, with his wife and four daughters, mar- 
ried, as follows: Edward and Mary Ann Dean, 
Cornelius Soper and Avis West; Charles and 
Martha Fenner, and William and Betsey Van 
Riper. Edward Dean was born in Bristol 
County, Mass., in 1810. He removed, at the 
age of seventeen, to Central Falls, R. I., 
where he was emp)loyed in a cotton factory 



for twenty-five years, when he came to Iowa, 
as a member of the W'est family, having mar- 
ried one of the daughters of Amos West in 
1840. He located on Section 35 of Wright 
Township. He has had live children, two 
of whom, Warren and William, are residents 
of the township. His daughter Sophronia, 
that was married, in 1858, to H. C. Shank. 
Charles and Martha Fenner also located on 
Section 35. Charles Fenner and William 
Van Riper, sons-in-law of Amos West, went 
to California in 1859. Fenner came back, 
went to Rhode Island, and, remainiug there 
two years, returned to Iowa, and has made 
this his home ever since. He now lives at 
Griswold, Cass County, a few miles from the 
east line of Wright Township. Amos West 
laid his claim for his land on a land-warrant 
for service in the war of 1812. Mr. Van Ri- 
per is a native of New York City, and after 
reaching manhood, went to Rhode Island. 
He calne with the West family to Iowa. He 
went to California, as already stated, and lost 
his life by a land slide, and was thus buried 
in a drift mine, in which he was working. 
He left three children in Pottawattamie 
County — Mrs. Emma Jane Black, Clarence 
Van Riper and Mrs. Jessie Bertha Wright. 
After his death, his widow married William 
Barnes, and now lives in Cass County. Van 
Riper located on Section 26. 

The religious interests of the township are 
represented by the Whipple Methodist class, 
which was organized in August, 1872, by the 
Rev. Mr. Adair, with the following members: 
Henry W. Rarey, Mrs. Eliza Rarey and Mrs. 
S. J. Weaver. The following spring, Mrs. 
J. N. Bell, jVL". Charles Matthews, Mrs. Sar- 
ah Matthews, James McGinnis, Mrs. Nancy 
McGinnis, Mrs. M. P. Black, William Mor- 
ford, Mrs. Susan Morford, Mrs. Eli Clayton 
and Mrs. Helen Baxter joined the class. The 
present membership is twenty-five. The 



CENTER TOWNSHIP. 



311 



pastors who have had charge of the class since 
its organization, are, in their order, Revs. 
Adair, Abraham, Lampman, A. J. Jefferson, 
Wertz, Sweeley and Tennant. There are two 
branches of the class now — one at the Porter 
Schoolhouse and the other at the Black 
Schoolhouse. The latter was organized in 
March, 1882, by the Eev. Sir. Moore, with 
Nathan Meredith and wife as members; 
Madison Meredith and his wife; William 
Charles and his wife; Leonard Barnes and 
his wife; Mi's. M. P. Black, Mrs. Bershong, 
Elizabeth Smith, David XJtley and wife and 
Mrs. Twing. 

The most prominent citizen in the town- 
ship is Eli Clayton, the owner of one of the 
largest farms in the county, and President of 
the Board of Supervisors, and a sketch of 



whom appears elsewhere in these annals. 
The first school attended by the children 
of the township was taught by Harriet How- 
ard in a log cabin on the southeast quarter 
of Section 2, Congressional Township 74, in 
the summer of 1857. The first building 
erected for school purposes was in Subdistrict 
No. 7, and is what is called the Dean School- 
house. The lumber for this structure was 
hauled from Boone, on the North-Western 
Railroad, in 1866. The distance in which 
the lumber was brought is 140 miles. The 
desks and fiu'niture were of native walnut, 
obtained in the vicinity. Georgiana Hard- 
enbergh was the fii'st teacher in this new 
building and is now the wife of Wan-en 
Dean, and lives in the vicinity. Dean erected 
this schoolhouse. 



CHAPTER XLVII. 



CENTER TOWNSHIP— ITS SEPARATION FROM KNOX— EARLIEST SETTLERS— FIRST JUSTICE OF TH E 

PEACE— HOME GUARDS OF 1861- FIRST MILL— FOURTH OF JULY 

IN 18.57— PROSPECTIVE RAILROAD. 



CENTER TOWNSHIP was taken off from 
Knox Township by A line beginning at 
the southeast corner of Township 76, Range 
39, thence north on the Congi'essional town- 
ship line to the northeast corner of Section 
25, in 76, Range 39; thence west on the sec- 
tion line to the northwest corner of Section 
30; thence north on the Congressional town- 
ship line to the Nisbnabotna River, and all 
that part of Congressional Township 76, 
Range 40, lying west of the Nishnabotna 
River. 

The earliest settlers who came were Joshua 
C. Layton, who arrived on the 2d of April, 
1852; Reuben Mains came in 1855; Joseph 
Layton, Jacob Rust and Joseph Darnell, in 

*By Col. John H. Keatley. 



1854; Louis Huff, Benjamin Palmer, Charles 
S. Robinson, Thomas, Ephraim and William 
McKee, in 1856. Joshua C. Layton has 
lived ever since on the farm fu-st occupied by 
him on the 29th of April, 1852. Joseph Dar- 
nell located near Big Grove, but, in 1860, 
went West, and, when last heard of, was liv- 
ing at Yankee Hill, in the State of Califor- 
nia. Louis Huff is still a resident of the 
township. Benjamin Palmer moved into 
Knox Township, where he died in April, 1882; 
and Jacob Rust now lives in Oakland, Belknap 
Township. Reuben Morris resides whei'e he 
first settled in 1855. Joseph Layton located 
on a part of the claim of his brother, 
Joshua C. Layton, and, after awhile, re- 
turned to Indiana. He came, however. 



312 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



to Keosauqua, Iowa, where he died in 
1875. 

Louis Huff, one of the early settlers of the 
township, was born in Stokes County, N. C, 
February 22, 1811. His parents were John 
Huff and Charity Adams, and his grandfa- 
ther was one of the pioneer settlers of the 
"Old North State." Louis Huff lived in 
North Carolina until 1828, when he came to 
Illinois, and assisted in the erection of the 
first house ever constructed in Monmouth, 
the county seat of Warren County. He sub- 
sequently moved to the vicinity of Rock Isl- 
and, where he opened up and improved a 
farm, but, inspired with the desire to come 
farther west, he arrived in Council Bluffs in 
1853. With oxen and horses he moved his 
effects, in three wagons, to Center Township, 
and befjan to improve the northwest quarter 
of Section 18, Township 75, Range 39. 
There he has ever since lived, first in a log 
house, built at the time of his arrival. For 
three years, from 1861 to 1864, he kept a 
public house on his farm, for the accomjno- 
dation of the many people crossing the State 
on that roiite. He was married, between 
Christmas and New Year's, in Knox County, 
111. , in 1830, to Susan Palmer, sister of M. 
T. Palmer. She died May 20, 1874. By this 
marriage he had twelve children, and all re- 
side in Pottawattamie County. He contract- 
ed a second marriage, on the 5th of August, 
1875, with Mrs. J. D. Rust, whose maiden 
name was Morris, and who was born in Fay- 
ette County, Ind., February 23, 1823. Mr. 
Huff is a member of the Baptist Church, 
and has always been an active member of 
the Republican party, having assisted in 
organizing it in this county. His pres- 
ent wife is a member of the Christian 
Church. By her first husband she was 
also the mother of fourteen children, four of 
whom were twins, and eight of which child- 



ren are still living — five sons and three 
daughters. 

Joshua C. Layton, or Capt. Layton, as he 
is called by his neighbors and friends, was 
born in Clarke County, Ohio, August 27, 1807. 
His father was Robert Layton, and a native 
of Pennsylvania. He, however, became one 
of the original settlers of Clarke County. His 
death occurred when his son, who is the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was only six years old. 
His mother was Ruth Freeman, a native of 
Eastern Pennsylvania, and died in Febru- 
ary, 1821. 

Mr. Layton went to school in a primitive 
Ohio log schoolhouse for about thirteen 
months, and that constituted the sum total of 
his opportunity to acquire an education. He 
lived with his grandfather for several years, 
and finally, striking out for himself, moved 
to Indiana, where he worked for his board 
the first year, and the next made rails for 25 
cents a hundred. In the spring of 1826, he 
completed his time in the cabinet-makers 
trade. In 1830, he was married to Nancy 
Beedle, who was born in Vincent, Ind. , May 
23, 1810. Her father was Joseph Beedle, 
who also emigrated to Miami County, Ohio, 
from Pennsylvania. Mr. Layton continued 
to live in Indiana for twelve years, but in 
1842 he came to Lee County, Iowa, and 
worked at his trade there for one year, after 
which he moved to Kishkekosh, in Monroe 
County. Here he farmed, putting out a crop 
of winter wheat, and built a cabin. Snow 
came before it was roofed, and filled it with 
snow, but, notwithstanding this, he put on 
the roof, Sunday, as it was, and made that 
his home. He spent a few years there farm- 
ing and working at his trade, and finally 
came to Center Township in 1852, as already 
stated. The land was not then subject to en- 
tr)', and was not made so until 1853, after he 
had squatted on it and made a claim. Since 



J 



CENTER TOWNSHIP. 



313 



that date, by his industry and good manage- 
ment, he has increased his possessions until 
they constitute a farm of 600 acres, lying in 
one body. Included in his farm were four 
Mormon claims which he acquired. All the 
other land was improved by his own efforts. 
Mr. Layton has been a member of the Board 
of County Supervisors, and was honored by 
that body by the naming of one of the new 
townships of the county after him. He has 
always been a Republican in politics since the 
party was organized, and, during the civil 
war, was a prominent and active member of 
the Union League. 

The first Justice of the Peace in Center 
Township was Jacob Rust. The first birth 
was in the family of Joseph Darnell; the 
child and his wife died. The first maiTiage 
was between James Mon-is and Lavinia Lay- 
ton, daughter of Joshua C. Layton, and oc- 
curred on the 1st day of July, 1856. Mr. 
Layton was also the first Assessor of Center 
Township, and made the first assessment in 
three days. The first school taught in the 
township was in a log cabin on the northeast 
quarter of Section 7, in Township 75, Range 
39. This was in the winter of 1858-59, and 
was taught by Martin Luther Ligoldsby. 
Center Township has now nine prosperous 
schools and elegant school buildings. The 
streams draining are Graybill Creek, called 
after Levi Graybill, an old settler, mentioned 
in the sketch of Belknap Township; Jordan 
Creek and Spring Creek. 

In 1861, a military organization was 
effecte(J, and called the " Home Guards." J. 
C. Layton was made the Captain. Its first 
duty was to go under -Gen. Dodge to the Mis- 
souri border to meet an apprehended rebel 
raid into Iowa, which has already been men- 
tioned in the biographical sketch of Gen. G. 
M. Dodge. It also marched to Sioux City 
to meet apprehended trouble from the Sioux 



Indians from that quarter. When the draft 
was ordered to fill quotas in the volunteer 
forces of the United States, some threats 
were made by citizens of Pottawattamie 
County that resistance would be made to this 
method of raising troops, and the Center 
Township Home Guards were held in readi- 
ness to aid the United States authorities to 
enforce the draft, but were not called upon 
to do so. Public feeling was exceedingly 
bitter on both sides. Some of those on the 
Union side carried this feeling to the extent 
that they laid a plan to frighten their polit- 
ical opponents into silence. A large tree 
stood near the drill ground of the company, 
on the farm of !Mr Layton, and they gave 
out, in a quiet sort of way, apparently, that 
they intended to hang some of those most 
bitterly opposed to the draft, using the limb 
of that tree for that purpose. A yoimg man 
was sparking one of the girls of one of those 
most strongly opposed to the draft, and made 
it his business to tell his prospective father- 
in-law that the Home Guards had resolved to 
hang the " Secesh, " as they termed their op- 
ponents. The old gentleman was so far con- 
vinced of the truth of the story that he was 
on his way to obtain a warrant against the 
organization to compel them to keep the 
peace against him. The Union League of 
the township was organized with the utmost 
secrecy, and its movements as quietly kept, 
the organization being made in the granary 
of Mr. Layton. 

The first mill established in the township 
was on Jordan Creek, for grinding corn. It 
was pioneer and primitive, being simply a 
very large coffee-mill, with a sack under it to 
receive the meal. Its capacity .was about a 
bushel, and it was run by a Mormon by the 
name of Jordan, after whom the creek was 
called. 

While mentioning other matters connected 



314 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



with the early settlement of this township, G. 
S. Robinson, one of the pioneers, must not 
be forgotten. He is a native of Fountain 
County, Ind., having been born there March 
2, 1828, and resided there until 1850, when 
he came to Wapello County, Iowa. He 
moved to Council Bluffs in 1853, with an ox 
team, with his family. In the spring of 
1855, he settled near Big Grove, on Section 
18, Township 75, Range 39. His first resi- 
dence was a board shanty. His wife's name 
was Mary Rogers, a native of Ohio, born 
December 16, 1826. They have had ten chil- 
dren, nine of whom are still living, all of 
them in Pottawattamie County but one. Mr. 
Robinson was for one term Justice of the 
Peace; is now Township Clerk, and served 
in that office in the early history of the town- 
ship. 

Another old settler is Reuben Morris, who 
was born in Scott County, Ind., in January, 
1830, and moved to Fulton County, 111., and 
to Center Township in 1855. His wife was 
Isabella Rust, who was born in Henderson 
County, 111. Their first home was a log 
cabin. 

Three brothers by the name of McKee 
brought a portable steam saw-mill into the 
settlement in 1856, and afterward sold it to 



I Joseph Layton and Joseph Donnell, who 
moved it to the bridge near Big Grove, and, 
while in use, the boiler exploded and totally 
destroyed the mill. 

The first Fourth of July celebration ever 
held in the vicinity was in 1857, at lola, 
near Big Grove. It was a basket picnic. 
The mention of this place, lola, calls to mind 
I again the futility of human designs in spec- 
j ulating in the future of cities and towns. 
The prospect of a railroad, the American 
Central, through that township at that date 
stimiilated Dr. P. J. McMahon, Dr. S. W. 
Williams, G. J. Reed and Louis Huff to lay 
out and plat a town site, and call the place 
lola. Thomas Tostevin made the survey and 
plat in 1857. Three houses only were built 
in the place, the first by a Mrs. Wilkinson, 
intended for a hotel; the second by the Mc- 
Kee brothers, and this one still stands; and 
i the third by Dr. Fansler. The town site is 
j on the dividing line between Center and Val- 
ley Townships. Frank has become the owner 
of the site, and devotes it to farming pur- 
poses. It was emphatically a town on paper. 
No railroad came to make the speculation 
available, and it is no more now than a mere 
memory, with far less romantic interest than 
Goldsmith's Deserted Village. 




BELKNAP TOWNSHIP. 



317 



CHAPTER XLVIII/ 



BELKNAP TOWNSHIP— THE FIRST SETTLER— FIRST MARRIAGE- FIRST DEATH— FIRST BIRTIl- 
FIRST HOUSE— VEST MURDER CASE— RAILRO \.I>S— OAKLAND, AND ITS BUSI- 
NESS AND OTHER INTERESTS— BIG GROVE, ETC. 



AMONG the most recent creations of new 
townships is that of Belknap, on the 
Nishnabotna Elver, and called such after Gen. 
W. W. Belknap, an Iowa soldier, who became 
President Grant's Secretary of War, upon 
the death of Gen. John A. Eawlins. The 
township was set off for organization by an 
order of the County Board of Supervisors, 
dated September 6, 1872, on the petition of 
TV. Henry Mann, D. W. Hays, Wi lliam Ly- 
man and twenty other citizens of Center 
Township, out of which the new township 
was carved. The order defining its limits 
states that Tcwnship 72, Range 40, except 
Sections No. 1, 12, 13, 24, 25 and 36, and 
the southeast of the northeast quarter of Sec- 
tion 26, and the north part of 75, in Range 
40 in said Center Township, shall constitute 
the new township of Belknap. 

As near as can now be traced and ascer. 
tained, the first settler of the tovmship was 
Orrin Belknap, who came fi'om Ohio, his na- 
tive State, in 1854, and settled on Section 10, 
Township 75, Range 40, the same tract of 
land which he afterward sold to Judge James, 
and is now the farm of Hon. John T. Bald- 
win. In 1857, he went to Central America, 
where he remained about a year, came back 
to Circleville, Ohio, married a second time, 
and died there shortly afterward. 

G. A. Slocum. who still lives in the town- 
ship, was another early settler. He was born 
at Pompey, Onondaga Co., N. Y. , on the 
10th of May, 1811, and became one of the 

*By Cul J. A. Kestlej. 



early settlers in Huron County, Ohio. In 
1834, he returned to New York, but in 1844 
removed to Walworth County, Wis. In 
1847, he went northward, to Marquette, and 
from there emigrated to this county, settling 
in what is now Belknap Township in 1854. 
The trip was made from Wisconsin with an 
ox team and wagon. 

The fij'st marriage in the township occiu-red 
in March, 1857, between Sylvadoy Slocum and 
Marilla Belknap. Mr. Slocum's first residence 
was what is called a "dugout, " made by dig- 
ging into the earth about three feet, and for 
a space of sixteen by thirty feet. Rafters 
were then raised from the banks so made to 
a ridge-pole, elevated twelve feet from the 
ground floor of the excavation, and the whole 
was roofed with sod or tiu'f dug from the 
prairie. The end walls, or gables, were con- 
structed of the same material, jailed up like 
brick laid in a wall. This kind of a struct- 
ure, although not of the neatest externally, 
was warm and comfortable, and sheltered the 
new settlers from the bleak winds of winter. 
The floor was laid with common boards and the 
chimney built of turf. A way was cut in the 
bank and a flight of steps descended from 
the prairie surface to the level of the floor. 
In this primitive dwelling was born the first 
child of white parents in Belknap Townshija. 
The traces of this first home of the Slocums 
are still plainly to be seen where the turf 
cabin stood. The fu'st birth, and the one 
just referred to, was that of Samuel Georo-e 
Slocum, son of G. A. Slocum, on November 



318 



HISTORY or POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



7, 1854. In the Center Township Cemetery, 
on a native stone, is the simple record, " Mi- 
chael Beard, died August 29, 1854, aged thir- 
ty-one years. " This is the earliest record of 
a death among the settlers in the township. 

Levi Graybill, whose post office is at Car- 
son, but who is a farmer in Center Town- 
ship, is one of the earliest settlers of Belknap 
and of the county. He was born in Jackson 
County, Ohio, March 12, 1818. His father, 
Michael Graybill, was a native of Ashe 
County, N. C, and crossed the Ohio into the 
great Northwest on Christmas Day, 1815. 
He afterward moved to Caldwell County, 
Mo., in 1837, to Hancock County in 1842, 
and in 1846, came to Kane Township, where 
he died, in October, 1856. The family can 
be traced back through fom- centui-ies, and 
has always in each generation had a Michael, 
one of Levi Graybill's brothers being also 
called by that name. Michael Graybill, the 
father of Levi Graybill, was the son of Peter 
Graybill and Christina Wampler, the latter 
of whom was born in Germany. Her par- 
ents emigrated to this country when she was 
a mere infant, and when five years old, she 
was stolen by the Delaware Indians and held 
by them until she was about twelve years 
old. 

The first post ofiice in the township was 
established in 1854. George Reed was ap- 
pointed Postmaster, with M. T. Palmer and 
Louis Huff on his official bond as sureties. 
While Mr. Reed held that position, he was 
fatally injured by the kick of a horse, the 
wound being in the side. He was a highly 
esteemed citizen of the county at the date of 
his death. He was succeeded by William 
Lyman, Sr. , and he in turn was succeeded 
by J. A. T. Bates, P. J. Wasson, A. P. Coo- 
per, M. T. Palmer, G. A. Slocum, D. B. 
Freeman, Alvina Eck and L. B. Robinson, 
the post office being called Big Grove, now 



Oakland. Eck became a defaulter, and ab- 
sconded in the spring of 1882. The post 
office was first located in George Reed's 
house, about a mile from Oakland, the resi- 
dence now occupied by J. A. T. Bates. In 
1863, it was transferred to the other side of 
the run, to the residence of William Ly- 
man, Sr., and when Cooper was appointed 
Postmaster, it was taken to his house at the 
cross roads. Parma Post Office, at the other 
side of the grove, was established by the in- 
fluence of M. T. Palmer, in 1871. Abner M. 
Johnson was the first Postmaster, at the store 
of M. T. Palmer, about two miles and a half 
north of the present town of Oakland. Mr. 
Palmer established his store at that point in 
1860. He was a physician and the first who 
settled in the township, as early as 1856, 
and the nucleus of the store was the di'ugs 
kept by him in the practice of his profession. 
To these he added a small stock of dry goods 
and groceries, and occupied a building once 
used as a schoolhouse. The first mail to the 
offices was carried by James A. St. Clair, and 
the mail was kept in the tray of a common 
trunk, so primitive were the offices on the 
frontier in those days. The route on which 
it was carried was from Macedonia to New- 
town, south of the present site of Avoca. 

The second death recorded in Belknap was 
that of Mrs. Orrin Belknap, in 1856. The 
first school taught in the township was by 
William Lyman, Sr., in the beginning of 
1858, on the spot near where Schoolhouse 
No. 1 now stands. It was supported by the 
voluntary contributions of the little commu- 
nity, and the school taught in the dugout, 
built by G. A. Slocum, as already stated. 

J. L. Fetter was the first School Director, 
and as such let the first contract for a school 
building in the township, to Cp'us True, of 
Newtown, for S690. When it came time to 
make payment for the work, it was all done 



BELKXAP TOWNSHIP. 



319 



in silver. The house was finished in 1861, 
and is the one used in District No. 1. 

The fii-8t house in Big Grove, now Oak- 
land, was built in 1856, by William Walker, 
for a storeroom. It still stands neai* the 
run, and being since enlarged, is known as 
the " Bee-Hive." It is now the property of 
the widow and heirs of John Bates. The fii'st 
bridge across the Nishnabotna was begun 
in December, 1855, and finished in March, 
1856. The abutments were timber cribs 
filled in with earth, and the frame was hewn 
oak and black walnut. The structure was 
120 feet long, and the bridgeway fourteen 
feet wide, and consisted of three spans. It 
had a puncheon floor. Before this bridge 
was built, the settlers had to go soiith to Mace- 
donia before they could cross the river. Not 
a dollar in money was expended in the build- 
ing of it. G. A. Slocum procured the set- 
tlers to sign a contract to either furnish la- 
bor or materials, and in this way the bridge 
was built. The principal part of the labor 
was performed by G. A. Slocum, Samuel Day 
and Orrin Belknap, all of whom were me- 
chanics. This bridge was good, and stood 
until 1874, when it was removed and replaced 
by an iron structure. 

The first importation of thoroughbred cat- 
tle was by Abner M. Johnston, in 1874, when 
he brought from the herd of Samuel A. Ten- 
ney, of Durham Hill, Waukesha Co., Wis-, 
a number of Short-Horns, largely of the 
Dutchess blood. The stock and blood came 
through John P. Roe, of Walnut Hill, who 
imported direct from England. The road from 
Big Grove to Council Bluffs ran south ten 
miles to Stutsman's mill, from 1852 to 1856, 
where the river was crossed by a small rope 
ferry. The settlers went to Council Bluffs 
about twice a year to trade and market, and 
the roads were little else than a mere trail on 
the open prairie in many places. 



Deer and such game were quite abundant 
for many years after the first settlers came 
into the country, in fact, until 1856, when 
the severe winter destroyed great numbers. 
The deer were very tame, so tame that it was 
not very diificult to capture the fawns when 
they were quite a size. One of these ani- 
mals for many years was the pet of the whole 
settlement. J. L. Fetter and G. A. Slocum 
were on the prairie and aroused one, and 
giving it chase, Fetter outran Slocum and 
caught the young deer and pi'esented it to 
Mr. Slocum, who kept it as a pet for a long 
time, and until it was shot by some heartless 
and brutal hunter. 

The arrival of some of the original settlers 
can be fixed with a goodly degree of certain- 
ty now. Dr. M. T. Palmer came in 1856; J. 
L. Fetter, the same year; Sarah Beard about 
the same time, but afterward moved to Coun- 
cil Blufis; Michael Emery and John Emery 
in 1856; Samuel Day in 1854, but afterward 
went to Harrison County, where he died; a 
man by the name of Andrews in 1855, and 
William Lyman, Sr., in 1857. Mr. Lyman 
died several years ago, leaving quite a family 
of children, among them Maj. Joseph Lyman, 
the distinguished lawyer of Council Bluffs, 
and who also served with great credit as a 
soldier in the Twenty-ninth Iowa during the 
civil war. Emery Beard, one of the sons of 
Sarah Beard, emigrated to Oregon. 

One of the most noted events of the town- 
ship is what is known as the Vest murder 
case, which caused great excitement at the 
time, the crime having been committed by 
James Vest in the killing of Edward M. Ben- 
ton in the beginning of October, 1868. Ben- 
ton was a native of Watertown, N. Y., had 
lived at St. Paul and Des Moines, and was, 
at the time of his death, in the employment 
of the Western Stage Company, who had a 
' station at Big Grove. Vest was a farm hand. 



820 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



in the employment of one W. M. West. Tbe 
scene of the mnrder was a little log rabin, 
which stood where the rear of the Oakland 
House now is. The place was kept by thi-ee 
women of not very desirable reputation, and 
Vest was boarding there. Benton demanded 
an entrance into the cabin late the night of 
the killing, and Vest refused to admit him. 
Benton then broke down the rickety door 
that barred the way, and made an attempt to 
get m, when Vest picked up a hatchet and 
struck Benton twice on the head with the 
blade, and cut him so severely that he died of 
his injuries before morning. No inquest was 
held, and Vest made his escape, no attempt 
ever having been made to capture him. The 
last intelligence ever received of Vest was 
that he had threatened to kill his brother, 
Thomas Vest, in Missouri, that the latter dis- 
appeared mysteriously and that James Vest 
was sent to the Missouri Insane Asylum as 
incurable. 

In i860, Albert GrifiSth, a young man 
from Oshkosh, Wis. , was plowing in a field 
of J. L. Fetter's with a yoke of oxen, when one 
of them became entangled, and when the 
young man undertook to extricate him, he 
was kicked to death. He was buried in the 
Big Grove Cemetery, in Section 10. Others 
buried there are Peter S. Johns, one of the 
soldiers drafted from James Township; Will- 
iam Elliott, a soldier of the civil war, who 
died while undergoing amputation of a 
wounded leg; an unknown emigrant of 1857, 
who was drowned while bathing in the Nish- 
nabotna River, and the eldest son of J. E. 
Cook, who, in trying to reach the Upper 
Botna Bridge when the river was out of its 
banks, missed the bridge and was drowned, 
March 28, 1875. 

Goods were sold on the present site of Oak- 
land before the town was laid out. Mr. Slo- 
cum had a storeroom and a stock of groceries 



when Jacob Cohn came from Council Blufifs, 
in 1871, to start a general store at Big Grove, 
and the grroceries in stock were transferred 
by Slocum to Cohn. W. H. Freeman put 
up a new building in the Grove, and Cohn 
removed to that. He soon became a bank- 
rupt. D. B. Freeman took charge of the as- 
sets, and he and W. H. Freeman afterward 
opened out in the same place on their own 
account. J. B. Matlock afterward acquired 
W. H. Freeman's interest, and again that of 
D. B. Freeman, after which D. B. Freeman 
became sole owner by puichase from ^Matlock. 
Through successive changes quite rapidly 
made, the business has come into the hands 
of its present owners. Potter & De Graff. 

The building of a branch railroad of the 
Chicago, Eock Island & Pacific Railroad 
down the Nishnabotna Valley, from Avoca, 
changed the character of the hamlet of Big 
Grove as it stood in the primeval forest, and 
transformed it into a prosperous growing 
town. The town of Oakland was laid out by 
Thomas Tostevin and Samuel Denton as sur- 
reyors. The first residence on the new site 
was erected by Dr. S. Stewart, and the first 
store building by J. C. Norton, J. M. Estes 
and E. H. Wineland, in the upper part of the 
town. The plat of the lower part of the town 
was made September 13, 1880, on the lands 
of W. H. Freeman, Daniel Freeman, John 
Bates and Ambrose Bates and Thomas Tos- 
tevin. The next spring, 1881, Thomas Tos- 
tevin platted a portion of the town, in the 
upper part, on the lands of John T. Bald- 
win. 

Since then, the place has grown with con 
siderable rapidity. It has now as business, 
dry goods and groceries, Potter & De Graff, 
G. W. Cooper & Co., Estes & Hislop and 
Bates & Reed; hardware and furniture, Nor- 
ton & Bryant; hardware and implements. 
Strong & Huff; agricultural implements, 



BELKXAP TOWNSHIP. 



321 



George H. Nasb and E. G. Bailey; drugs 
and the post office, L. B. Eobinson & Co., 
and drugs, Toothaker & Balkam; grocery, A. 
M. Louie; restaurant, D. H. Morrison; ho- 
tels, the City Hotel, Dennis McGath, and 
Oakland House, Nathaniel Young; jewelry, 
W. S. Bedford; millinery, Mary Ellis and 
Mrs. Moses; harness shops, William Stotes 
and James Storey; clothier, Henry O'Neil; 
boots and shoes, G. A. Slocum, M. H. His- 
lop and Lee Rudolph; lawyers and insurance, 
L. B. Kobinson and W. W. Bilger, and law- 
yer, W. T. Wilcox; physicians, Drs. S. D. 
Toby, S. Stewart and T. C. Alexander; lum- 
ber, Milner & Caldwell; anti- monopoly com- 
bination, the Barb Fence Factory and Milner 
& Caldwell; livery stables, Mark Neiland 
and Freeman & Co. ; bank, Freeman Bros. ; 
floiu- and feed exchange, John McDonald; 
newspaper, Oakland Acoryi, A. T. Cox; 
blacksmiths, D. Steadman & Co. and W. P. 
Meadows; wagon-maker, M. Howrey; grain 
dealers, S. S Rust and W. H. H. Dabnoy; 
stockbuyers, H. A. Goif, J. I. Reed and H. 
Cooper & Co.; two saloons, Peter King and 
Thomas Collison; furniture, A. P. Cooper & 
Co. ; meat market, C. H Cooper; under- 
taker, fJorton & Bryant; barbers, J. A. Em- 
mettand J. M. Pullen; carpenters, A. N. Cov- 
ert, M. M. Brightman and Daniel McCotter, 
and plasterers, William Farley and the 
Young Bros. 

The town site is in the center of an im- 
mense grove, which at an early day received 
the name of Big Grove and by which the 
point was known until the railroad station 
and new town were designated as Oakland. 
The place is the center of one of the finest 
agricultural regions in the world, and is 
destined to still greater growth and prosper- 
ity. Oakland has been set apart as an inde- 
pendent school district, and has set apart the 
necessary funds for the erection of a large 



and handsome school building for its own 
use, and the same is in course of construc- 
tion. The town was incorporated under the 
laws of Iowa by the Circuit Court of Potta- 
watamie, on the 1st of May, 1882, an elec- 
tion having been held on the 26th of April, 
at which W. H. Freeman was chosen Mayor; 
S. S. Rust, J. L. Caldwell, John McDonald, 
Austin GolT, L. F. Potter and Charles Bry 
ant, Councilmen; E. G. Bailey, Recorder; 
B. F. Freeman, Treasurer; D. H. Morrison, 
Marshal, and W W. Bilger, City Attorney. 

A newspaper, the Acorn, was started by 
John C. McMannima and John G. Julian, 
on the 1st of May, 1881. The first issue was 
dated May 5, of the same year. In August 
following, A. M. Lewis became editor and 
proprietor, and on the 1st of March, 1882, A. 
M. Lewis sold to A. T. Cox, who now con- 
ducts the paper. It is independent of polit- 
ical parties, and devoted to the interests of 
the town and surrounding country. In that 
respect, it fills an important position in the 
community, and its efforts are appreciated by 
the business public in liberally sustaining it. 

Oakland Lodge, No. 442, of the Independ 
ent Order of Odd Fellows, was established at 
Oakland on the 13th of January, 1882, with 
the following officers and members: T. C. 
Alexander, N. G.; N. Young, V. G.; A. M. 
Lewis, Secretary, and W. D. Johnson, Treas- 
urer. Members: H. C. Snyder, William 
Farley, E. A. Coleman, A. J. Richards, A. 
Eck and W. D. Johnson. The present mem- 
bership is thirty- four. 

The Big Grove Grange of Patrons of Hus- 
bandry was instituted by Gen. William Du- 
ane Wilson, editor of the loica Homestead. 
in the spring of 1871. The charter mem- 
bership was twenty, and increased to sixty 
while the Grange continued to act as such. 

For the establishment of a Masonic lodge, 
the first meeting for organization was held 



323 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



at Big Grove, in March, 1874, and the lodge 
instituted, as Ark Lodge, No. 335, under 
dispensation from the Grand Lodge, upon 
the recommendation of Mt. Nebo Lodge of 
Avoca. J. C. Chapman was the Grand Mas- 
ter at that date. The dispensation is dated 
the 10th of June, 1874, A. L. 5874, the year 
of the Grand Lodge thirty-two, and is signed 
by J. C. Chapman as Grand Master, and T. 
S. Parvin as Grand Secretary, and evidenced 
by the seal of the Grand Lodge of Iowa. 
The dispensation constituted Fletcher Dun- 
ham, Master of the lodge; W. H. Freeman. 
Senior Warden; H. H. Gillette, Junior War- 
den. With these the lodge was duly consti- 
tuted, and at the ensuing meeting of the 
Grand Lodge, the subordinate lodge was 
properly and regularly clothed with power 
to work under the jiu-isdietion of the Grand 
Lodge of Iowa. The present ofScers are: W. 
H. Freeman, Worshipful Master; J. A. T. 
Bates, Senior Warden; J. O. Humbert, Jun- 
ior Warden; Freeman Reed, Treasurer, 
and E. G. Bailey, Secretary. 

The Big Grove Missionary Baptist Church 
of Jesus Christ was organized^ August 11, 
1861, with the following as members: Jacob 
Rust, Eda E. Rust, Susan Huff, Margaret J. 
Reed, Eda McGee, M. T. Palmer and Caro- 
line Palmer, seven persons in all. The so- 
ciety was organized under the counsel of the 
Rev. E. W. Hall, pastor of the Baptist 
Chm-ch at Lewis in Cass County, and James 
W. Brown, clerk of the church at Lewis. 
The first meeting was held in the dwelling 
which now constitutes the residence of John 
Bird, the building then being used for a 
schoolhouse. On the second Siinday in No- 
vember, 1861, George I. Reed and Abnas M. 
Huff were received as members, and on the 
second Sunday in December, Mr. Reed was 



baptized and the sacrament of the Lord's 
Supper administered for the first time. A 
series of meetings were held during the fol- 
lowing week, and the following persons joined 
the church by letter: Louis Huff, Benjamin 
and Sarah Morris, and subject to baptism; 
H. J. Reed and William Huff. The succes- 
sive pastors have been E. M. Hall, James 
Lambert, William Arnold, Eli Burch and D. 
C. Adams. The present membership is forty- 
two, and the society is without a pastor. In 
1874, the society purchased a schoolhouse on 
the site of the abandoned town of lola, near 
Big Grove, and fitted it up for a church, but it 
is now unfit for use, and has been abandoned. 
A preliminary meeting was held at Big 
Grove September 16, 1881, for the purpose 
of organizing a Congregational Church so- 
ciety. The confession of faith as laid down 
in the authorized manual was accepted. Ar- 
ticles of faith and a constitution were drafted 
by a committee composed of Messrs. Norton, 
Snyder, Shepherd and De Graff. The fol- 
lowing persons became members by signing 
the same: J. C. Norton, Susie Norton. Sarah 
Lyman, Rhoda Lyman. H. C. Snyder, C. R. 
Johnson, Lottie Shepard, W. L. Nokes, H. B. 
Shepard, M. J. De Graff, L. B. Shepard and 
Frank Shepard. Rev. John Todd, of Tabor 
College preached to the congregation in the 
storeroom of J. B. Estes on the 19th of Oc- 
tober, 18S0. The first officers were: H. C. 
Snyder, Clerk; Mrs. Sarah Lyman, Treasurer; 
A. Johnsim, L, B. Shepard and J. C.Norton, 
Trustees, and J. C. Norton, Deacon. Work 
was begun on a new chui'ch in September, 
1881, a building 28x40 feet in dimensions, 
and was so far completed as to be suitable 
for use in the winter of 1881. The cost was 
§1,500, and the same has been furnished and 
dedicated. 



WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 



323 



CHAPTER XLIX.* 



WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP— ORtfANIZATION— FIRST ELECTION— AN OLD STAGE STATION— SCHOO LS 

-CHURCHES— A TRAGEDY. 



WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP was or 
ganized as a civil township from the 
territory comprising Congressional Township 
75, Range 41, on the petition of C. W. Brown 
and others. It is situated east of Council 
Bluffs, and, among other points, includes the 
old stage station of Pleasant Taylor, on Silver 
Creek, on the old route of the Western Stage 
Company from Des Moines to Council Bluffs. 
The first election was held at the schoolhouse 
near Taylor's Station. The name of Wash- 
ington was given to the township at the in- 
stance of Jerome Tui'ner, a farmer and pub- 
lic-spirited citizen of the township, who has 
been a resident for many years. There were 
only sixteen votes cast at the lirst election. 
Situated, as the township was, at a great dis- 
tance from railroads, and constituted, as it 
was, from raw prairie, with little timber, its 
settlement was exceedingly slow until 1875 
and 1S76. 

The only post office in the township is near 
the old Taylor Station. The old station 
building was destroyed by lire a few years 
ago. T. H. Sketchley is the Postmaster, and 
also keeps a store, having the only one in 
Washington. The first road laid out after 
the township was organized was what is 
known as the Wasson road, from the Nishna- 
botna to a point near Parks' Mill, two miles 
from Covmcil Bluffs. 

The first schoolhouse was built by Jerome 
Turner, near the " station " at Silver Creek, 
in 1860. The district has now eight such 
frame buildings in all, and as many flourish- 

*By Col. J. H. Kcatley. 



ing and prosperous public schools. The first 
teacher in the district was Miss Piles. Soon 
after the fii'st schoolhouse wa3 erected, a Sun - 
day school was organized at that point. The 
first sermon was by Elder Golliday, who was 
then stationed at Council Bluffs. Pleasant 
Taylor came into the township first and 
opened up the stage station, and built the 
only mill ever erected in the township. It is 
now disused, and has gone to ruin. F. A. 
Burke, a Pennsylvanian by birth, but who 
emigrated from West Virginia, where he had 
been a steamboat Captain, was the next set- 
tler after Pleasant Taylor. He has been a 
resident of Council Bluffs for many years, 
and, for ten or more, the City Recorder and 
City Auditor, and a prominent Odd Fellow. 
Jerome and Charles Turner, brothers, came 
in soon after. Charles Turner moved to 
Phillips County, Kan., several years ago, but 
Jerome Turner is still a resident of the town- 
ship, and a prosperous farmer. For many 
years these were the only settlers, and the 
distance to the next, at Big Grove, was six 
miles, and on the west the Dick Hardin Sta- 
tion, as many more miles, the intervening 
space being scarcely more than trackless prai- 
rie. Miss Piles was the first teacher, in 1859; 
Ellen Wood was the second. In 1864, Miss 
May Burke was the first teacher, and Miss 
Belle Burke the second. The first birth was 
Alice Turner, in 1858; the first death, Lu- 
cinda Nolands, a widow, in 1865; and the 
first marriage, James Taylor, son of Pleasant 
Taylor, to Miss Maria Piles, in 1859. Pleas- 
ant Taylor built his mill in 1856. 



324 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



The original settlers in their order were: 
Pleasant Taylor, Jerome Tui-ner, Charles 
Turner, James A. Taylor, William Taylor, F. 
A. Biirke, T. B. Matthews. J. B. Matthews 
and A. F. Carter. 

The first election was held October 11, 
1870. P. B. Matthews, James Taylor and B. 
M. Weak were chosen Trustees; J. B. Mat- 
thews, Township Clerk; and B. M. Weak 
and W. L. W. Wasson, Justices of the Peace. 
The present officers are: J. K. Annis, Jack- 
son Lewis and R. E. Williams, Trustees; O. 
W. Pearce, Justice of the Peace; Jesse Cra- 
ven, Constable; and F. A. Tiu-ner, As- 
sessor. 

The Methodist Protestant Chiu'ch of that 
township was first organized in 1861. There 
is also a Methodist Ejsiscopal, and a Presby- 
terian society in the township, but none have 
any chui-ch building, the services being held 
at the pi;blic schoolhouse at Taylor's Sta- 
tion. 



A tragedy occiu-red on the bridge at the 
crossing of Silver Creek at Taylor's Station 
in December, 1S77, which caused quite an 
excitement in the township. Frank Briggs, 
a young man about twenty years of age, son 
of George W. Briggs, William Martin, and 
a number of other young men of the town- 
ship, were at a religious meeting at the Tay- 
lor Station Schoolhouse, at night. They left 
the meeting before it was over, and, crossing 
the creek, some kind of an altercation oc 
curred between Frank Briggs and William 
Martin, and the latter stabbed Briggs 
through the heart, in the road, and instantly 
killed him. Mai'tin was tried for the mur- 
der, and on the witness stand testified that 
he was simply acting in self defense. The 
j^rosecution was conducted on behalf of the 
State by A. E. Anderson, District Attorney, 
and John H. Keatley, and the prisoner was 
defended by C. R. Scott There was a ver- 
dict of not guilty. 



CHAPTER L.* 



H.\RDIN TOWNSHIP — INTRODUCTORY— DR.A.1N.\CtE— FIRST F.XMILIE.S— ■• OLD DICK H.^RDIN 
RO.\DS .AND BRIDGE.S— CHURCHES .\ND SCHOOLS— RAPID INCREASE OF POPULATION. 



~| TE who attempts to present with accuracy 
-* — *- the annals of a country or even of a 
district no larger than a township, the his- 
tory of which reaches back to the date of the 
settlement of the first white man within its 
boundai'ies, imposes upon himself a task not 
easily accomplished. The difficulties to be 
met with in performing such a task are often 
aiigmented by statements widely at variance, 
furnished by eai'ly settlers and their descend- 
ants, as data from which to compile a ti-ue 
and faithful record of past events. To claim 
for a work of this character perfect freedom 

*By Frank SI. Wright. 



from all inaccuracies would be to arrogate 
to one's self a degree of wisdom and infalli- 
bility possessed by no mortal man. To give 
facts onl)', should be the highest aim of 
every writer who professes to deal with in- 
cidents of the past. This shall be oiir aim 
in the pages following, and when statements 
disagree with the opinion of the reader, he 
will bear in mind that we have chronicled 
the events which seemed supported by the 
greatest weight of evidence. 

Originally, and as far back as we know, 
this great Western country belonged to the 
Indians. Undisturbed in those primeval days 



HARDIX TOWNSHIP. 



325 



by the pale-faced race, beneath the shadows 
of his wigwam, the Indian smoked his [jipe 
in peace and dreamed not of the time when 
his people must make room for the pale- face 
and the Westward strides of civilization. 
The relics left by the red man and his ante- 
cedents are the only historic chapters handed 
down to us to tell of the people whose feet 
once pressed the earth around our own pleas- 
ant homes. With these people there were no 
learned men to record the history they were 
making, though among them unlettered sages 
and warriors there may have been. With us, 
how different ! We know the uses of letters, 
printing presses, books and telegraphs, and 
there is no reason why we should die and 
leave no sign. The history we are making 
can be handed down to posterity in the ages 
that are to come, for thousands of years, when 
other and higher races of men shall have 
taken our place. 

Hardin Township was organized in 1869, 
but for many years prior to this formed a part 
of temtory known as Kane Township. It is 
a full Congressional Township, lying in the 
form of a square, and containing thirty six 
sections. Its boundaries are: Norwalk Town- 
ship on Ihe north, Washington Township on 
the east, Keg Creek Township on the south, 
and Garner Township on the west. It 
is a section of land sis miles square, and 
forms a part of a vast rolling prairie, which 
in some places is inclined to be broken. The 
original timber growth, so far as is known, 
consisted of small groves along the streams. 
The growth of cotton-wood, box elder, maple 
and walnut has been largely cultivated on al- 
most every farm in the township. Hardin 
Township, like the greater portion of Potta- 
wattamie County, is well adapted to farming 
aud grazing purposes. The soil is very pro- 
ductive, and in some of the creek bottoms 
farming has been carried on for many years 



without requiring fertilizers; indeed, but lit- 
tle need has been felt thus in any portion of 
the township for fertilizers. The higher 
lands, so long as they have been farmed in 
different localities, seem to have lost none of 
their productive qualities. Hardin Township 
is, perhaps, as well adapted to stock-raising 
as any town.ship in the county, on account of 
the advantages derived from running streams, 
which furnish a supply of water for stock 
during a greater portion of the year. Keg 
Creek is the largest stream in the township. 
Its name originated through the following 
incident: During the early settlement of the 
whites in Pottawattamie County, the sale of 
intoxicating liquors to Indians was carried on 
to such an extent as to have been prohibited 
by law. Then, as now, the prohibitory laws 
did not always jjrohibit, and the tradei's con- 
tinued to sell whisky to the Indians. An 
abundance of "fire-water" was not calculated 
to preserve peace among the Indians, and the 
officers were diligent in their efforts to detect 
the giiilty dealers. A trading-post on the 
bank of Keg Creek was visited by the officers, 
but the trader, having been warned of their 
approach, rolled his stock of live barrels of 
whisky into the stream, and sunk them from 
view. The stream has since torne the name 
of "Five Barrel," or Keg Creek. The streams 
all flow through Hardin To\vnship in almost 
a direct line from north to south. Weasel 
Run, in the southwest part of the township, 
and which empties into Little Keg Creek, 
being the only exception. Keg Creek enters 
Hardin Township about the northwest corner 
of Section 1. It is joined by one of its trib- 
utaries in Section 2. In Section 15 another 
tributary, Mamie Creek, empties into it. 
This stream was without a name until, in 
1875, when an Atlas of Iowa was being 
completed, and one of the gentlemen en- 
gaged in preparing the map of Pottawattamie 



326 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



County for that work, named this stream in 
honor of Miss Mamie Cress, who lived near 
it. In Section 27, Little Keg Creek emjsties 
into the main stream. It rises, in Section 28 
of Norwalk Township, and is joined by Weasel 
Run In Section 20 of Hardin Township. 
Flowing across the southeast corner of the 
township is one of the tributaries of Silver 
Creek, known as Little Silver Creek. 

The first permanent settler of the township 
was Mr. Eees D. Price, who came fi-om Wales 
in 1849, and settled in Hardin Township in 
1850. In Section 20, where Mr. Price set- 
tled, there was a village of thirteen log huts, 
where lived a number of Mormon families. 
In Section 32, there was another settlement 
of Mormons of eleven huts. In the summer 
of 1850, the Mormons left without having 
made any improvements of a lasting charac- 
ter. Their departiu'e left the family of Jlr. 
Price entirely alone. In 1854, Mr. Price 
moved one mile south of his original claim, 
and settled on the place where he now re- 
sides. His original place is owned by his 
son, J. A. Price. Perhaps the first white 
man who lived for any length of time within 
the boundaries of Hardin Township, was 
Richard Hardin, in honor of whom the town- 
ship was named. "Old Dick Hardin," as he 
was familiarly called, became a resident of 
the township long before the coming of Mi'. 
Price. He spent most of his time in hunt- 
ing, trapjjing and trading with the Indians, 
and for a number of j-ears kept a atation on 
the old stage route. He now lives near St. 
Joseph, Mo., having been a resident of that 
State prior to becoming one of Pottawattamie 
County. 

The valuable lands of Hardin Township 
attracted the jaioneers, and within a few years 
a number of families had settled there, 
Stephen Williams settled at an early day on 
Section 27 on the Council Bluffs & Lewis 



Stage road. Mr. Williams now lives in 
Council Bluffs, aud Mr. J. C. Barnard owns 
h's old place. Mrs. Gratin Perry and family, 
of Vermont, were among the settlers as early 
as 1857. She purchased the property of a 
Mr. Augustus Ayers, who was living alone in 
a miserable old hut. Mrs. Perry passed 
through some of the hard times incident to 
pioneer life. In these early years, the ques- 
tion of providing supplies presented not un- 
frequently a very dilficult problem. The 
first season, she paid S4 per bushel for seed 
potatoes, and §1.25 per bushel for wheat to 
feed her team. Mr. James Wild came from 
England in 1857, a short time previous to the 
coming of Mrs. Perry and family, and settled 
on his present place. Mr. E. C. Thomas 
also came in the year 1857 from Vermont, 
and has followed farming and stock-raising 
since living in Hardin Township. He is now 
seventy-three years old, but a hale, hearty 
old gentleman, who is never behind his neigh- 
bors in any local enterprise. Soon after and 
in 1857, Mr. W. K. Eames, also from Ver- 
mont, came to Hardin, but did not purchase 
his farm until 1865. There were others who 
came to this township early, but only re- 
mained a short time. Those mentioned are 
among the principal early settlers. 

The first road in the township was the old 
Council Bluffs & Lewis Stage road, which 
ran across the southern part of the township, 
east and west. It was over this route that 
such an extensive business was done by the 
Western Stage Company on their line from 
Council Bluffs to Des Moines and Iowa City. 
There is one station on this line, in Hardin 
Township, known as Hardin Station, so called 
after Richard Hardin, or ' ' Old Dick " Hardin, 
the popular station agent for a number of 
years at this point. 

The first bridges built in the township were 
on this road. There were two, and both made 



HARDIN TOWNSHIP. 



327 



of logs, one crossing Keg Creek at Hardia 
Station and the other built across Weasel 
Run. The balance of the roads in the town- 
ship are of more recent date, and most of 
them run east and west, centering at Council 
Bluffs. Changes are being gradually made 
in these roads, and they are now much more 
confined to section lines than they were when 
fii-st broken for travel. As farms are being 
fenced and brought under a state of cultiva- 
tion, the roads are changed to wind around 
them. There are many small wooden bridges 
in this township crossing the creeks. These 
were erected at the expense of the county, 
and are perhaps more in number than there 
otherwise would have been but for the agita- 
tion of the question of dividing the county, 
the people of the eastern portion of the coun- 
ty desiring to be severed from the western 
half and organized into a new county. The 
question has come to a vote, but the bound- 
aries remain the same. With this feeling 
in the community over the probability that 
the county would some day be divided, the 
citizens, east and west, felt like making pub- 
lic improvements, while the entire popula- 
tion was subject to taxation. 

"The groves were God's first temjiles," 
and so they are yet so far as Hardin Town- 
ship is concerned, as there is not a church 
building in the township. This, however, is 
not because the people are not religiously in- 
clined, nor because they are less'moral than 
in other parts of the county. They have 
preferred to wait until their societies grow 
stronger, when they will be able to build a 
better and more substantial edifice than they 
can now afford to erect. The Methodist Epis- 
copal society is the largest, and has now 
about twenty members. It was organized in 
1880 by Rev. M. D. Collins, of Council 
Bluffs. Their first pastor was Rev. Jackson, 
and their present pastor is Rev. Branstone. 



This little society is deserving of a great deal 
of credit. Some time ago they organized a 
Sabbath school, which has been maintained 
with much interest and success, now having 
an average attendance of forty scholars. This 
is the only Sabbath school that has ever been 
organized in the township which has become 
thoroughly established, and which those most 
interested in it feel assured has now arrived 
at a point beyond an experiment. In con- 
nection with the Sabbath school, and as an 
additional feature of interest, they have a 
circulating library. Other Sabbath schools 
have been organized in other parts of the 
townships, but none have survived for any 
length of time. In the absence of churches, 
sermons are delivered fi"om time to time in 
the several schoolhouses. 

The first school ever taught in the town- 
ship was by INIi'. Lorenzo Burr, in 1857. ]\Ir. 
Burr was engaged to teach by ]Mi\ Rees D. 
Price, and school was held in a log cabin be- 
longing to him. The settlers continued to 
have a school, though under great disadvan- 
tage, until 1860, when the first schoolhouse 
in the township was erected. This building 
was built in Section 27, and though there is 
no school building in that section at present, 
there is one in the section both east and west 
of it. The first teacher secm-ed to teach in 
the new building was an English priest by 
the name of Middleton. The lu'st school- 
house built by the township is located in Sec- 
tion 18, near the residence of Mr. James 
Wild. This is known as Schoolhouse No. 1. 

The statistics for the year 1881, in regard 
to the schools of Hardin Township, are as 
follows: 

Number of subdistricts 5 

Number ungraded in each district 5 

Average number of mouths taught 7 

Teachers: Number employed — Males, 2; fe- 
males, 7; total 9 



338 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUKTY. 



Average compensation per month — Males, $30; 

females. |30; total $60 

Pupils: Number between the ages of 5 and 21 

years— Males, 103; females, 83; total 184 

Number enrolled in each district 110 

Total average attendance in whole district. . . . 61^ 
Average cost of tuition per month for each 

pupil.... 13 51 

Schoolhouses — Frame, 4; brick, 1; value of 

same $1,,500 

Hardin Township is as yet without a village, 
the general market being Council Blnfl's. 
There is, however, a small store located on 
Silver Creek, but it supjjlies the people of 
only a small vicinity with the smaller articles 
of merchandise, most of the citizens of the 
township buying their supplies at Council 
Bluffs. There is one post ofHce in the town- 
ship, the name of which is Snapp, and of 
which Mr. H. S. Alexander is Postmaster. 
The first election in the township was held at 
what is known as the Hardin schoolhouse. 
There were twenty eight votes polled at that 
election. Now there are about two hundred 
residents of the township who are legal vo- 
ters. According to the census of 1880, the 
population of the township was 549. It has 
increased very rapidly since that date, as then 
but little more than half of the land of the 
township was under fence, while at present 
very little of it remains unfenced. This is 
of itself the best evidence that improvements 



are rapidly progi-essing, and that the popula- 
tion is increasing. The first birth of a white 
child that occurred in Hardin Township was 
that of J. A. Price, on November 16, 1850. 
He is the son of Eees D. Price, whose biog- 
raphy appears in this work. The first death 
of a white person in the township was that 
of Lorenzo Dunn. This also occurred in 
1850. Mr. Dunn was buried near the Mor- 
mon settlement, on what was sometimes called 
Log City. The first marriage in Hardin 
Township was that of Jonathan Patridge. 
He and his wife subsequently removed to 
Salt Lake, and have since been numbered 
among the Latter-Day Saints. 

Most of the residents of Hardin Township 
were possessed of but little property at the 
time of their settlement. Energy, industry 
and economy was the capital required to de- 
velop the resources of the country. A drive 
across the township would convince any one 
that the investment had been made and a 
handsome annual dividend declajj'ed by the 
stockholders. Among those who may be con" 
sidered as esjjecially fortunate, and who are 
usually mentioned as the leading or promi- 
nent citizens of the township, are the follow- 
ing: Newell Birchard, Peny brothers, Eev. 
J. S. Eand, J. A. Price, C. Barnard and Will- 
iam F. Phinkett. 



CHAPTER LI. 



GARNER TOWNSHIP— THE MORMON SETTLERS— CARTERVILLE— THE OLD INDlAxV MILL— OTHER 
MILLS— ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNSHIP— ORIGIN OF ITS NAME— TIMBER, STREAMS, SUR- 
FACE—FIRST .SALE OF REAL ESTATE IN THE COUNTY— EARLY SCHOOLS— RAILROADS. 

'T^HERE was but little that was romantic 
-^ aboitt the loaded wagons, weary, worn- 
out women and children, slowly moving teams 
of oxen and tired, traveled-stained and anx- 
ious drivers, as they wended their way over 
hills, through groves of timber and across the 



unbridged streams, and at last settled on the 
banks of a little stream, which they subse- 
quently named Mosquito Creek, on account 
of the millions of these insects which hatched 
from the stream, and proved a great annoy- 
ance to them while they were yet in camp 



GARNER TOWNSHIP. 



329 



preparing to build rude huts to shelter them 
from the rays of the hot sun and summer 
storms. They were Mormons, and had 
traveled in and formed a part of the great 
wagon train of that people which ci-ossed the 
prairies of Illinois and Iowa in 1846, and 
halted near Kanesville, according to the 
orders of their leader. Those who settled in 
Garner Township were among the first of the 
wagon trains to arrive. They had not made 
any definite settlement when the war with 
Mexico broke out, and many of them enlist- 
ed and engaged in that struggle. Pottawat- 
tamie County had not yet been organized 
when they arrived. Township and section 
lines were unknown boundaries to them until 
1853. Looalitieg and boundaries were better 
fixed in their descriptions by the ranges of 
bluffs along the Missoiu-i River and the little 
streams rising a few miles in the interior, and 
winding their way to the river. 

From Lewis Township to Roekford Town- 
ship, the two extreme townships which border 
on the Missoui'i River, there was perhaps not 
a single township excepting Kane which be- 
came the halting place of so many of the Mor- 
mons as did Garner. Not because the hills of 
Garner aflforded a better protection or a more 
abundant supply of wood and water, were the 
pioneers induced to pitch their tents or erect 
cabins on the Mosquito Creek, but because the 
little old and already half worn out corn mill 
located on the bank of that stream promised 
the best facilities for getting what they must 
have — a little corn meal. 

This mill had been built in 1836 by the 
Government for the benefit of the Pottawat- 
tamie Indians. Stutely E. Wicks was the 
last Government agent who ran the mill, and 
when the Pottawattamies were removed to the 
reservation granted them in Kansas, the old 
mill was unheeded as Government property, 
and Mr. Wicks remained in undisputed pos- 



session. He had married a half-breed squaw 
of the Pottawattamie tribe, who bore him a 
large family of children. Mrs. Wicks re- 
mained a resident of Garner Township until 
her death, which did not occur until the 
winter of 1881. A number of her sons and 
daughters are among the respected and well- 
to-do farmers of the county, and one son and 
a daughter are with the Pottawattamie tribe 
in Kansas. There was no mill nearer the 
Indian mill than one on Rock Creek, Mo., 
which was known as Meek's Mill. It was a 
larger and better mill than the Indian mill, 
but distant from it about one hundred miles, 
and it was only on rare occasions that a trip 
was made so far away from home. 

William Garner, Adam Ritter, both of 
whom now live on Section 16, and J. D. Hey- 
wood, on Little Mosquito Creek, were among 
the first settlers of the township, and they 
are perhaps the oldest in the county who have 
followed farming as a business. They came to 
the county in 1846, and are now owning the 
same farms upon which they then settled. 
M B. Follet, J. B. Dingman, George and 
Simeon Graybill, J. J. Johnson, Thomas 
Williams, William F. Childs and Mrs. Mar- 
garet Stoker were also among the pioneers. 
They came in 1846, and were soon followed 
by large numbers, many of whom still live in 
the township, some of whom are dead and 
others that moved on westward in a few years 
and found a final home, and many of them a 
last resting place in Salt Lake City., Utah. 

Just below the point where Little Mosquito 
Creek empties into the larger stream by the 
same name, a village of huts known as Car- 
terville grew and flom-ished. The place was 
named in honor of one of the first settlers at 
that point, and before it was deserted h'ad 
grown to about eighty huts. 

The residents of Carterville were all Mor- 
mons, and when the body of that people moved 



330 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUXTY. 



onward toward Salt Lake in 1S52, tliey formed 
a part of the caravan. 

They had made but little improvements in 
or near the village of huts of any consequence, 
and when ready to leave the huts themselves 
were of so little value that they made no 
efforts to sell them, and the site of the town 
is now owned by J. D. Heywood, whose resi- 
dence is in the immediate vicinity. All that 
was picturesque about the bluffs, glens and 
running streams of Garner Township was 
passed unheeded by the pioneers. They had 
traveled over hundreds of miles of country, 
which presented all manner of landscape 
views,'and cared but little for anything but rest 
and the necessaries of life upon their arrival. 

Wick's Mill, as it was usually called by the 
first settlers, was but a poor affair at best. 
Built by the Government for the benefit of 
the Pottawattamie Indians, the settlers were 
unable to get any grinding done save at such 
times as the Indians were not needing the 
mill. But little else was ground except corn; 
grain of all other kinds was very scarce, and 
what little wheat did come to the mill was 
simply ground, the bolting being done by the 
settlers as best they could. There was also 
a saw mill attached to the Indian mill, which 
was rigged with an old-fashioned up-and- 
down saw, or what was usually called a sash 
saw. The sawing and grinding were both 
done by the same water wheel. The demand 
for lumber was easily supplied, but so many 
new patrons overtaxed the grinding capacity 
of the mill, and settlers were so often disap- 
pointed, and compelled to wait until the In- 
dians were through, thatthey rigged all man- 
ner of devices for pounding their corn at 
home. Usually a tire was built on the top of 
a burr oak stump, and the hollow thiis formed 
was scraped clean of the charred part, and in 
this they poured their corn and pounded it 
with the head of an iron wedge to the re- 



quired fineness. Corn was scare, and was 
bought and sold at enormous prices. Ox 
teams and wagons were plenty, and many of 
the settlers prefeiTed making the trip of 100 
miles to Meek's Mill, on Rock Creek, Mo., 
rather than to depend on the Indian mill or 
pound their corn at home. Grain could be 
bought cheajaer in the vicinity of Meek's 
Mill, and they could start with an empty 
wagon and two or three yokes of oxen, and 
make the joiu-ney there and back in about 
two weeks. 

Many of the Mormons had not time to 
leave their families provided for when they 
entered the army to engage in the war with 
Mexico. William Garner was one of these, 
and while avyay Mrs. Garner was almost 
wholly dependent upon her own resources to 
provide for the approaching winter of 1S47- 
iS. Unable to get corn at reasonable prices, 
and the further prospect of the diificulty of 
getting it ground at the old Indian mill, in- 
duced her in the^ fall of 1846 to undertake 
the difficult task of going to Meek's Mill. 
Provided with a good wagon and three yokes 
of oxen, the same that had brought them 
through from Quincy, 111., Mi-s. Garner 
started out bravely for ■ the mill, 100 miles 
distant. Experience had taught her the 
management of the cattle, and the driving and 
care of them on the journey was undertaken 
by herself. Three weeks of weary travel, 
and she returned with provision for the 
winter, but solemnly declaring that had she 
known the difficulties to be surmounted she 
never would have started. 

The old Indian mill was run until 18-1:9, 
when Mr. Wicks built a new mill beaile it 
and used the old machinery. In 1851, this 
mill was injiu-ed by high water, biit was re- 
paired and kept running until 1863, when it 
tumbled down, by reason of the water having 
washed away the foundation. 



GARNER TOWNSHIP. 



331 



It was still grinding away to the last, and 
when it, fell there were 700 bushels of grain 
in it. It was never of a very substantial 
character, as those afSrra who attended a 
grand dance or ball given by Mr. "Wicks, and 
held in the mill on Christmas of 184:9, the 
tim& of its completion, that at that time it 
seemed very shaky. 

Long before the old Indian mill had been 
rebuilt, Mr. J. D. Heywood and another party 
put up a mill on Little Mosquito Creek about 
half a mile above the point where the old 
CouncirBluifs and Lewis stage road crossed 
that stream. This mill was first run by hand, 
but this process of grinding being so slow 
and laborious, they constructed a shaft to 
reach the whole width of the mill, built a 
dam and removed the mill to it. Paddles 
were put into the shaft, which were aiTanged 
so the water would pour through a series of 
troughs upon them. By the power thus gen- 
erated, they were enabled to grind as much 
as forty bushels of corn per day. Mr. Hey- 
wood and two other gentlemen biiilt a saw 
mill on Honey Creek, which was fitted up 
with a circular saw. This was the first saw 
of the kind brought into the county. They 
ran this mill with twelve horses, and manu- 
factured lumber very rapidly, but there was 
no money in the country, consequently no sale 
for lumber, and the business was abandoned. 
About this time, a gentleman named Hamilton 
built a small mill on Indian Creek, and ran 
it by horse power. It lasted but a few years, 
when larger and better mills left it unpatron- 
ized. 

The second mill built in the township of 
any importance was located about three miles 
above the old Indian mill, on Mosquito 
Creek. It was erected by William Garner in 
1858, the machinery being purchased by Mr. 
J. J. Johnson at Rock Island, III, while on 
his way to Ohio. This mill was run success- 



fully for a few years, but eventually became 
an unprofitable piece of property, and was 
let go to ruin. February 12, 185B, Pottawat- 
tamie County was divided into three town- 
ships — Rocky Ford, Kane and Macedonia, 
Garner Township then formed a portion of 
Kane, and remained as such until June 10. 
1876, when the township of Lewis was organ- 
ized and it became a part of the newly made 
township. April 2, 1877, a little less than 
ten months after it became a part of Lewis, 
a petition was presented to the Board of Su- 
pervisors of Pottawattamie County, signed by 
J. J. Johnson,'\V. F. Childs, John White and 
sixty-eight other citizens of Lewis Township, 
asking the Board to divide the township of 
Lewi'j into two townships, divided as fol- 
lows: That all the territory comprised in 
Township 74, Range 43, and Township 74, 
Range 44, outside the limits of the city of 
Council Bluffs, shall constitute one civil 
township to be known as Lewis, and all the 
territory comprised in Township 75, Range 
43, and Township 75, Range 44, outside the 
limits of the city of Coimcil Bluffs, shall be 
known as Garner Township. This division 
created the following boundaries, which still 
exist: Crescent and Hazel Dell Townships 
on the north, Kane Township and the Mis- 
souri River on the west, Lewis and Kane 
Townships on the south, Harlan Township 
on the east. Its greatest length along the 
northern tier of sections is eleven miles. 
It contains an area of about forty and one- 
half square miles, and the sm'faee is high 
hills, rugged bluffs, deep ravines and some 
low and unvaluable river bottom land. 

The township was named in honor of Will- 
iam Gamer, whose name has already been 
mentioned. Mr. Garner was born in 
Davidson County, N. C, January 22, 1817, 
and is the son of David and Jane (Stephens) 
Garner, both natives of North Carolina. His 



332 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



father died in September, 1S73, aged little over 
one hundi-ed and four years old. and liis mother, 
who became a resident of California, lived to 
be almost ninety years old. Her death occurred 
in 1871. Sir. Garner was seventeen years 
old when his people moved from North Caro- 
lina to Quincy, 111. He remained there 
about eleven years, and during the time was 
married to Miss Sarah Workman. In 1846, 
they joined the Mormons at Nauvoo, 111., and 
were among the first to arrive in what after- 
ward became Garner Township. Mr. Garner 
did not remain long to investigate the advan- 
tages or disadvantages of the location on 
which he had settled, but entered the army 
and engaged in the war with Mexico. When 
he returned, he found his wife at Winter 
Quarters, on the Nebraska side of the Mis- 
souri. They located near their first stop- 
ping place in Garner, and when the survey 
was made by the Government in 1853, the 
claims of William Garner, Alex Marshall, 
George Scofield and Joseph Love were 
found to be in Section 16, which, accord- 
ing to the State laws, belonged to the public 
schools. The above-named gentlemen pur- 
chased the section from the School Commis- 
sioners before there was a land office estab- 
lished in Council Blufi's. They then deeded 
the land to the owners of claims, each one 
paying his proportion of the purchase money. 
This was the first purchase or sale of land in 
Pottawattamie County. 

Mr. Garner has since remained a resident 
in Section 16, where he now has a farm of 
350 acres, besides having given to each of 
his eleven childi'en a fine farm, all of whom 
reside withic six miles of the old home. 

There are but few good farnis in the 
township, and these few are situated betweeti 
the ranges of hills. About two- thirds of the 
township is timber land which, where the 
timber is heavy and has not been too much 



culled, is considered more valuable than the 
prairie lands on the eastern border of the 
township. It possesses a value over the 
prairie on account of the value of the timber 
when worked up into firewood, which sells 
readily almost any season of the year in 
Council Bluffs at fi-om §6 to $8 per cord. 
Oak, hickory, ash, walnut and box-elder are 
the principal varieties. 

Garner Township is drained by Mosquito 
and Indian Creeks and their tributaries. 
The former is much the more important 
stream of the two. It enters the township 
near the northeast corner, and flows in an ir- 
regular southwest direction through Sections 
1, 2, 11, 10, 15, 16, 21, 29, 28 and 32, leav- 
ing the township near the southwest corner. 
There are a number of small tributaries, 
which rise in the hills of Garner Township 
and join the main stream within its bound- 
aries. Little Mosquito Creek, however, is 
the only tributary of importance within the 
township. It rises a few rods east of the 
township line, in Section 18 of Hardin 
Township. Its course is southwest through 
Sections 13, 14, 23, 22, 27 and 28, joining the 
main stream near the southwest corner of the 
latter section. Indian Creek, so called by 
the early settlers for the reason that they al- 
ways found such numbers of the Pottawatta- 
mie Indians hunting, fishing or trapping 
along its banks, has since acquired a name, 
which, though less classic, is probably more 
appropriate. It is now usually spoken of as 
Lousy Creek. This name was given it by 
the early settlers of Council Bluffs, who were 
so annoyed by its always bursting all bounds 
in times of high water, and running, creep- 
ing or crawling into cellars, outhouses and 
every conceivable place where it was most in- 
convenient for them to have a creek run. 
Indian Creek enters Garner Township from 
Hazel Dell Township about the northeast 



GARNER TOWNSHIP. 



335 



corner of Section 5. Its com-se from this 
point is almost due south through Section 5, 
southwest through Section 8, crossing the 
corner of Sectiou 7, and then again flowing 
almost due south until it leaves the town- 
ship, after having crossed Section 18 about 
the center. 

The first main road through Garner Town- 
ship was the old Council Blufifs & Lewis 
stage road, which passed through the south- 
ern part of the township. Next, a road was 
opened between Mosquito and Pigeon Creeks, 
and this was followed by a road down the valley 
of the former. The first bridges built across 
Indian and Mosquito Creeks, were rude log 
affairs, which were usually badly injured or 
entirely carried away by the spring freshets. 
These in time were succeeded by a substantial 
class of wooden bridges. The jjoint where 
the old stage road crosses the Mosquito alone 
being considered worthy of a strong iron 
bridge, which was built and has been in use 
for a number of years. 

The first term of school ever taught in 
Pottawattamie County is claimed to have been 
held in the little Mormon village of Carter- 
ville in 1847. A Mr. Curtis was the teacher 
and was pi'omised $12 per mouth for his serv- 
ices, but when his school had closed and he 
undertook to collect his salary, the patrons 
conchided they had promised him too much, 
80 compromised tiie matter by paying him a 
part of it. Not long after this, a young man 
named Joshua Grant taught a school in Sec- 
tion 10. In a short time, another term was 
taught in a little cabin near the present resi- 
dence of ilr. Scofield, James Gettis being 
the teacher. 

Each succeeding year found some new im- 
provement in the school system or in the 
character of the buildings erected for school 
purposes. Following ai'e the statistics for 
Garner Township schools for the year 1881 : 



Number subdistricts, 10 ; number un- 
graded in each district, 12; average number 
of months taught, 7^. Teachers — Number 
employed: males, 5; females, 7. Average 
compensation per month: males, $35; fe- 
males, $33.40. Pupils — Number of persons 
between the ages of five and twenty-one 
years, males, 167; females, 134; number en- 
rolled in whole district, 300; total average 
attendance in whole district, 137; average 
cost of tuition per month for each pupil, 
$3.13; number of school buildings, 12; 
frame, 4; brick, 8; value, $6,300. 

There are no church buildings in Garner 
Tovrnship, nor as yet any organized denomi- 
nation of Christians. There are, however, 
many residents of the township who are mem- 
bers of chm-ches elsewhere located. In 1867. 
the Chicago & North- AVestern Railroad was 
completed through Garner Township. This 
was the first to be completed of the three 
railroads which now cross the to\vnship. It 
enters the township from the north, through 
Section 3. follows the valley of the Missouri 
and leaves the township at the southwest cor- 
ner of Section 13. In May, of 1869, the 
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Raihoad was 
comjjleted, entering the city of Council Bluifs 
on May 10. This road enters the township 
through Section 2, and follows the valley of 
Mosquito Creek until it leaves the township in 
Section 29. 

The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Rail- 
road was completed in July of 1882, and runs 
beside the Rock Island road the entire dis- 
tance across the township. Though Garner 
Township is so well supplied with railroads. 
there is not a railroad station within her 
boundaries. There are, however, four sa- 
loons, one grocery store, one water mill and 
a Grange hall in the township; also a small 
post office on the old stage road, the name 
of which is Scottswood, with a Mr. McNair 



336 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



the present Postmaster. The Grange hall is 
located just east of the point where the old 
Indian mill stood. It is a frame building 
60x24 feet, and was built by a stock com- 
pany. There were about one hundred and 
twenty members when the lodge was organ- 
ized, and it is still in a flourishing condition 
with Mr. William Childs as Master. 

The water mill stands on the site of the 
old Indian mill, which went down in 1863, 
as before stated. In 1865, the present mill 
was built by George Parks and Samuel Bayless. 
It is a two-and-a-half-atory frame structure, 
and bears on the north end the name " Em- 
pire Mills." It is. however, always men- 
tioned by the citizens as Parks' Mill. It is 
supplied with two run of stone, and does the 
principal part of the custom milling for Gar- 
ner Township. An industry that has not 
yet been mentioned, and which, perhaps, was 



the largest and most extensive private enter- 
prise ever undertaken in the township was 
the Garner Woolen Mills. In 1861. Mr. 
William Garner built this mill in Section 10. 
on Mosquito Creek, about three miles above 
the site of the old Indiao Mill. He employed 
about twenty hands, and did carding, spin- 
ning and weaving. It was kept in oper- 
ation until 1872, when the business was 
abandoned, and the buildings used for barns 
by the sons of Mr. Garner. This was the 
last to go down of al' the mills started in 
this township. Parks' Mill alone stands as 
a monument of all that have gone before it. 
Its location on the very spot where the first 
mill was erected in Pottawattamie County is 
a fitting illustration of the progress made by 
those early settlers who now patronize it. and 
who patronized the little old corn mill built 
by the Government in 1836. 



CHAPTER Lll.* 



LEWIS TOWNSHIP— ITS SEPARATION FROM KANE TOWNSHIP— BOUNDARIES— ORIGIN OF NA.ME- 
RAILROAD.S— DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTE— PLUMER SETI'LEAIENT, ETC. 



TZ"ANE TOWNSHIP, until its separation 
-L^ into Garner and Lewis Townships, and 
the limiting of Kane to the boundaries of the 
city of Council BlulTs, extended fi-om north 
to south from the south line of Crescent to 
the Mills County line. In 1875. Kane was 
subdivided into thi'ee townships, and Garner 
was set off its eastern end and Lewis fi'Om 
its southern extremity. In this way being 
set off, it reaches from the city of Council 
Bluffs to the north line of Mills County, and 
from the Missouri River eastward to Keg 
Creek Township. Its earlier history is iden- 
tified with that of Kane Township and Coun- 
cil Bluffs, and for that reasou whatever of 

*By Ci.l. John U. Keatley. 



attractive incident belongs to it, has been 
narrated in the history of Council Bluffs. 
The western side of the township is the Mis- 
souri bottom, the most fertile soil in the 
world. Skirting this is the line of bluffs 
which rises in many jjlaces like huge but- 
tresses, and again, they slope gentl}^ outward 
and are clothed with timber. Beautiful val- 
leys cut the bluffs laterally, and out of these 
flow brooks that have their source in springs 
far up the gorges. The east side of the town- 
ship is rolling prairie, and there is little of 
it that cannot be cultivated. The township 
is well settled and contains some of the finest 
farms in the county. 

The three Lewis brothers who have been 



LEWIS TOWNSHIP. 



337 



settled there many years, gave the name to 
the municipality. Their farms are on the 
east side and on the north of the road leading 
from Council Blufls to Macedonia, and be- 
sides being under a high state of cultivation, 
have tine orchards that demonstrate that 
fruit-growing in Western Iowa is thoroughly 
practicable. No other township in the county 
has more railroads than Lewis, except Kane 
itself. The Kansas City and Chicago, Bur- 
lington & Quincy come direct from the south, 
and the Kock Island, the Milwaukee & St. 
Paul and the Wabash from the east, passing 
out through the gorges of the bluffs. 

After the railways through the townships, 
the most important public improvement is 
the Deaf and Dumb Institute of the State 
of Iowa, located on eighty acres of land, 
in the north end of the county, and adjoin- 
ing the southern limits of Council Bluffs. 
This is a foiu-story brick building, about 
live hundred feet in length, with a center 
and two broad wings. It stands on a 
broad table-land some twenty-five feet above 
the level of the river bottom, and at that al- 
titude presents an attractive appearance ar- 
chitectui'ally. Besides the main building, 
which is used as recitation rooms, and dor- 
mitories for the 350 pupils who are now in 
attendance, the State has provided large 
work- shops where the pupils are taught the 
various handicrafts that will eventually make 
them useful citizens. The building is heated 
by steam generated in a set of boilers in a 
building detached from the main edifice. 
The managers have also provided a printing 
establishment, with funds furnished by the 
State, where all the blank work is done for 
the institution, and a weekly journal printed 



and published by the labor of the pupils. 
One of the most important institutions in 
the township is the nursery of H. C. Ray- 
mond, whose industry and skill have been 
directed to make fruit-growing in Westeru 
Iowa practicable and successful. His orchard 
is one of the most attractive spots in the 
county, and at the season when fruit is ripe 
is as handsome as a pictiire. The bluffs which 
traverse considerable portions of the township 
are particularly adapted to grape growing. 
Vineyards already cluster along the slopes, 
and more are planted that have not yet began 
to yield fruit. 

The Plumer settlement, which begins in 
Mills County, extends northward into Lewis 
Township, into Pottawattamie. This settle- 
ment takes its name from a family of frugal, 
shrewd and industrious German farmers who 
settled in the neighborhood at an early day, 
and who have multiplied and prospered until 
they are among the wealthiest farmers in the 
county. Their lands under cultivation ex- 
tend for miles north and south, and are a 
perfect paradise in appearance. 

The Wabash Railroad has established a 
station at Poney Creek, five miles from Coun- 
cil Bluffs, at which great quantities of grain 
from the rich farms of the county are shipped 
to market. The township is specially adapted 
to stock-raising. Thomas P. Treynor, who 
was for many years City Recorder and Post- 
master of Council Bluffs, and the Bentons 
are the principal farmers engaged in that 
business, and have made it a complete suc' 
cess. The school interests of the township 
have been well cared for. Each subdistrict 
has ample school facilities in good, substan- 
tial school buildings. 



338 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



CHAPTER LIII.* 



KEG CREEK TOWNSHIP — ORGANIZATION — FIRST OFFICERS- 
SETTLERS. ETC. 



ORIGIN OF THE NAME— EARLY 



THE general history of Keg Creek Town- 
ship is that of Silver Creek up to 1873, 
when it was carved out of Silver Creek. 
This was done by an order of the Board of 
Supervisors, made on the 14th of October, 
1873 ; and it was also ordered that the tirst 
election should be held at the brick school- 
house known as the Keg Creek Schoolhouse, 
on the west side of Keg Creek, and near 
what is knovm as the Dick Hardin farm. 
This is about twelve miles from Council Bluffs, 
and at the crossing of the stage road at Keg 
Creek, a station was kept for many years by 
Richard Hardin, son of the Col. Hardin who 
brought the Pottawattamie Indians to their 
reservation, whei-e Council Bluffs now stands. 
Eichard Hardin, or "Dick, "as he was called, 
continued to keep a public house at that 
point until in 1874, when he sold oiit the 
farm to John T. Baldwin, and removed to 
Amazonia, a few miles north of St. Joseph, 
Mo. , where he still lives. The township was 
named, as its name indicates, after the prin- 
cipal water-course in the township, a large 
mill stream, which finds its way to the Mis- 
souri River after passing Glenwood, in Mills 
County. The creek was named after a curi- 
ous circumstance. Some pioneers hunting 
along its banks had the luck to find several 
kegs of whisky hidden, or cached, near the 
stream, and the water-coiu'se then being 
without a name, it was called Keg Creek — 
Barrel Creek first. 

Among the early settlers who have become 
most prominent, and who have contributed 

»By Col. John H. Keatley. 



most to the development of this township of 
incomparable soil, are Wooster Fay, A. W. 
Wyman, Samuel G. Underwood and Col. 
William Orr. Mr. Orr's estate is what is 
known as Hardindale, a short distance from 
the Dick Hardin Stage Station. Mr. Orr is 
a native of Western Pennsylvania, and in 
early life was engaged in the manufacture of 
iron in his native State. Coming West in 
the early history of Iowa, he settled in Har- 
rison County, and assisted in the material 
development of that section of the State. 
About ten years ago, he settled in Keg Creek, 
on the Hardindale farm. \Ir. Orr has devot 
ed much time, and that successfully, to the 
raising of blooded horned cattle, and given 
material aid to increasing the interest which 
has since grown up among Pottawattamie 
County farmers in that respect. He has one 
of the finest homes in Iowa, and his hospi- 
tality is proverbial. Mi'. Orr was the Dem - 
ocratic nominee for State Senator from this 
county, his successful opponent being George 
F. Wright, of Council Blufls. Wooster Fay 
has resided in the township, and, besides be- 
ing one of its leading citizens, has for years 
been one of the leading citizens of the coun- 
ty. He has been a member of the County 
Board of Supervisors for several terms, serv- 
ing as President of the Board when a mem- 
ber of it, and winning the highest esteem of 
his fellow-citizens by his conservative con- 
duct in that responsible station. Samuel G. 
Underwood, a Scotchman by birth, is another 
of the pioneers of Keg Creek Township, and 
one of its largest and most prosperous farm- 



KEG CKEEK TOWNSHIP. 



339 



ers. At the autumn election, 1881, he was 
elected a member of the County Board of 
Supervisors for three years, and in the year 
that he has served the public in that capacity, 
has demonstrated the principle that the man 
who is most successful in the conduct of his 
private affairs always makes the most com- 
petent public officer. Judge Wyman, a 
neighbor of Mr. I'nderwood'a, is also a large 
farmer, who has assisted in the development 
of the township, and is one of its leading and 
prosperous farmers. 

Keg Creek Township has now a post office, 
at the farm of J. D. Carson, a short distance 
east of the residence of Wooster Fay. There is 
also one church organization in the township, 
known as the Evangelical, the members of 
which are Germans mainly. The pastoral 
supply is fi-om Council Bluffs. The build- 
ing in which they worship was erected in 
1874 ; and the tirst pastor was William 
Knoehe, and through his personal efforts the 
church was built. At that time, there were 
forty members, but it has since increased to 
sixty. The pastors who succeeded him are 
August Hauser, Phillip Frase, Gotlieb Hen 
miller, Christian Smith, and the Rev. Mr. 
Ashenbrenner and Louis Smith. Peter Bel- 
sor, of Council Bluffs, officiates as the pres- 
ent pastor. The church property is fi-ee fi'om 
debt. 

The first officers of this township were A. 
W. Wyman and Frederick Miller, Trustees; 
Wooster Fay, Trustee, and George Kirby, 
Justice of the Peace. The present officers 
are: William F. Frohardt, William Orr and 
A. B. Perkins, Tnistees; Joseph McNay, 
Township Clerk; J. D. Carson and Fred Hen- 



winkle, Justices of the Peace, and Rasmus 
Campbell, Constable. 

The first road laid out was what is known 
as the State road, established in I860, by J. 
P. Cassady, County Judge. It is what is 
known as the Council Bluffs & Lewis road. 
For many years this was the only road in the 
township. It was located nearly on the line 
of the old stage road, but not quite. 

The tirst school of which there is any rec- 
ord, is one taught in the summer of 1856, in 
an old log cabin that had been moved out of 
Moffatt's Grove onto the edge of the prairie. 
Miss Catharine Buliington being the teacher. 
The winter of 1856 was so severe that it was 
impossible to have any school in the town- 
ship that season. The school district now 
owns eight excellent schoolhouses. 

The following are some of the old settlers 
who came in 1856: Thomas Moffatt, from 
North Carolina, who lived on the farm now 
owned by S. G. Underwood; J. D. Craven, 
also from the same State, who afterward 
moved to Missouri, the farm he left being 
the one occupied by 'Mx. Schell. Moffatt and 
his wife are both dead. A man named 
Breckinridge came into the township at the 
same time, but afterwai'd removed to Nebras- 
ka. William Campbell also came from New 
York in 1857, and opened up the farm occu- 
pied by J. D. Carson. Campbell went to 
Harrison County, but his son, Rasmus Camp- 
bell, is still a resident of Keg Creek. Henry 
Kams, of Council Bluffs, opened up a farm at 
that date in the township. Rasmiis Campbell 
is the oldest living settler, and Wooster Fay 
the next after him. Mr. Grierson came when 
the earliest did, but died in the fall of 1855. 



340 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



CHAPTER LIV; 



SILVKR CHEEK TOWN'SHir— FIRST SETTLEMENT BV THE MORMONS— FIRbT SETTLERS— SEPARA- 
RATION FROM KANE TOWNSHIP — TiiWN-FlU' OFFICERS— A TER- 
RIBLE TRAGEDY— SCHOOLS— RELIGIOUS, ETC. 



^T^HIS township was lii'st settled by Mor- 
-*- mon emigrants, who were connected with 
the Nauvoo exodus. They made some claims 
in the township before the lands came into 
market, and, remaining a single season, either 
sold their claims or abandoned them to Gen- 
tiles, who came after them. 

The tirst to open a stage station between 
Wheeler's Grove and Council Bluffs was a 
Mr. Gardner, and at that time it was the 
only one between the two points. He, how- 
ever, soon sold out to Issac Moore, and moved 
on with the Mormons to Salt Lake. In 1854, 
John Bratten bought out Isaac Moore, and, 
for three years more, that was a stage route. 
A post oifice was also kept at the station, but 
was discontinued in ISo-i. It was abolished 
when Mr. Moore removed from that point. 

The first settler who came to Silver Creek 
with the intention of staying was Pleasant 
Taylor, Silver Creek Townshij). He is now 
a resident of Washington Township, and es- 
tablished Taylor's Stage Station, on the stage 
road from Council Bluffs through what is now 
Oakland, then called Big Grove. He is a 
native of Tennessee, and, in 1865 and 1866, 
spent some time in the mining regions of 
Montana. He is known among his neighbors 
as Gen. Taylor. John Bratten was the sec- 
ond permanent settler in Silver Creek. He 
is a Pennsylvanian by birth, but emigrated 
from Ohio. He is now a resident of Silver 
City, in Mills County, on the line of the Wa- 
bash Railroad, only a few miles from the 

*Bj Col. John H. Keatley. 



home he made for himself in Silver Creek 
Tovimship, Pottawattamie County. The fii-st 
schoolhouse was at the Station, and it was 
simply a log hut, with a tm-f roof. The tirst 
teacher was Miss Maggie Weirich, of Council 
Bluffs. The school was established in 1857. 
In 1861, a frame school building was erected, 
and also a chui'ch. In 1860, a Protestant 
Methodist Church was organized, with seven 
members, but withoLit any regular pastor. 

When the township was cut off fi'om Kane, 
Silver Creek and Keg Creek Townships were 
one election precinct, and the elections were 
held alternately in Silver Creek and in Keg 
Creek Townships. There were hardly enough 
of voters in the townships to fill the necessarj' 
offices. Jason Parker was the first Justice 
of the Peace. The first marriage was between 
George E. Smith and Mi's. Clarissa Wheel- 
ing. This was in 1860. The first child born 
in the township of whom there is any recol- 
lection now was in September, 1855, Will- 
iam, the son of Thomas Wells. IVIrs. Bratten 
attended the birth of this child. Mr. Wells 
lived on the corner of what is now the James 
Frazier farm. Mrs. Bratten followed the 
profession of midwife for all that region of 
country for years, and her husband that of a 
preacher in the sparse settlement, both do- 
ing good. The first death of any adult per- 
son after Mr. Bratten came into the township 
was Mrs. Margaret Piles, in August, 1857. 
An infant of hers died in July of the same 
year. They were both buried near the stage 
station. During the Pike's Peak mining ex- 



SILVER CREEK TOWNSHIP. 



341 



citement, the stage station in Silver Creek 
Township was a lively point From sixty to 
seventy emigrant wagons to the gold regions 
passed through that point daily. In Septem- 
ber, 1856, 500 Mormon emigrants passed 
along this stage route, with hand barrows, on 
their way to Salt Lake. There was not a sin- 
gle horse in the entire caravan. They were 
a motley crowd. Many of them had never 
realized the character of the journey when 
they left England, as many of them did. 
They wore silks and other fine goods, and, 
when they reached this county in the long 
and weary tramp across the State, many of 
them were in a sorry plighi They did con- 
siderable trading with Mrs. Bratten at the 
station, their taste running more particularly 
to ribbons and soap. Council Bluffs was then 
the nearest trading point. AVhen Mr. Brat- 
ten moved into the township, it was with ox 
teams, and he and his family were eight 
weeks on the road. Mi-. Bratten moved into 
Mills County, then back into Pottawattamie, 
and then into Mills again. In 1865, Mr. 
Bratten was elected County Judge of Potta- 
wattamie County, and served nearly two 
years, having resigned in May, 1867. He 
has lived in Mills County ever since. Thom- 
as Wells, as an early settler, has already 
been mentioned. He now lives in Missouri, 
and James A. Frazier owns the fai-m Wells 
opened up. Mr. Grimes, a Methodist local 
preacher and exhorter, also came into the 
settlement at an early date, but left for Mis- 
souri with Mr. Wells. The McHanna broth- 
ers came in at an early date and opened up 
farms. Ole Lawson and Henry Ouren, who 
are still prosperous farmers of the township, 
arrived together in 1866. Malcolm McKen- 
zie, H Scotchman by birth, went from Prince 
Edward's Island, Nova Scotia, to the West- 
ern mountain regions, and then came to Sil- 
ver Creek Township in 1867 and settled, 



opening up and improving one of the finest 
farms in the coiinty, about seven miles 
north of Silver City. He was followed by 
several brothers, who also became farmers. 
John Anderson was also one of the original 
settlers. 

The present (1882) township officers are: 
J. W. Anderson, James Summers and Mr. 
Brauchman, Trustees; S. H. Gregory, Town- 
ship Clerk; and Isaac Hoopes, Assessor. 

A terrible tragedy was enacted in this 
township in the summer of 1875. Jordan 
Clark, a man nearly sixty years of age, moved 
into the township some years before, with a 
large family, and opened up a farm. From 
the same neighborhood in Illinois also came 
a man by the name of Joab Stoves and wife. 
During the winter of 1874 and spring of 
1875, a clandestine correspondence sprang up 
between Clark and the wife of Stoves, and 
meetings of an improper kind occurred be- 
tween them. Stoves at last became suspi- 
cious of their conduct, and intercepted a letter 
from Clark to the woman. After this discov- 
ery, an attempt was made to negotiate a set- 
tlement of the affair, Stoves in part agree- 
ing, for a money consideration, to abandon 
his wife to Clark; but friends interposed, and 
induced Clark to desist from such a foolish 
matter. The parties came to Council Bluffs 
to complete the negotiation, coming to the 
city in the same wagon, and returning in the 
same. When here, Clark was advised that 
his life was in danger, and warned to be on 
his guard, but he treated the matter with 
contempt, and even with derision. It was 
harvest time, and all were engaged in the 
same place harvesting, at Stoves'. It rained 
so that it was impossible to work in the fields. 
The forenoon was spent about the house in 
various kinds of amusement, and to outside 
persons the friendship that appeared to exist 
between Stoves and Clark appeared to be real. 



342 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



After dinner, some one proposed that they go 
out into the stubble tields to hunt for prairie 
chickens. Stoves had the shot-gun, and a 
man named George Howser and Clark trudged 
on ahead of Stoves through a small grove, in 
the road. When Clark and Howser were 
about fifteen yards ahead of Stoves, the re- 
port of a gun was heard, and when Howser 
looked around, just before he ran away in his 
fright, the smoke was clearing and curling 
away from the muzzle of Stoves' gun, and 
Clark fell in the road, dead, with a terrible 
gash torn in the back of his head with a load 
of shot. Stoves was arrested for the murder, 
and, at the December term of the District 
Court, he was tried for the crime. B. F. Mont- 
gomery and C. R. Scott conducted the defense, 
it being that of emotional insanity, brought 
about by the discovery of the clandestine 
correspondence between Clark and Mrs. 
Stoves. The District Attorney, H. R. Mc- 
Junkin, and John H. Keatley, appeared for 
the State. The trial was concluded by a 
verdict of the jury declaring Stoves not 
guilty. Stoves and his wife moved back to 
Illinois in a short time, and lived together 
as before. 

The first schoolhouse in the township was 
erected on Section 32, near the residence of 
John Vankirk. There are now six excellent 
schoolhouses in all in the township. The 
last one was completed in the summer of 
1882, at a cost of SI, 200. 

The first road in the township was the old ) 



stage road, already mentioned, through the 
south portion of the township. This was 
changed to a line three miles farther north, 
for the reason that the expenses of keeping 
the stage outfit was cheaper at Taylor's Sta- 
tion. The first county road laid out was what 
is known as the Living Spring road, the peti- 
tion having been circulated by Henry Ouren, 
for the accommodation of the settlers between 
the Big Silver and the Little Silver Creeks. 
The bridge was built mainly at private ex- 
pense, by those anxious to obtain the use of 
the road. The heavy timbers were contrib- 
uted by some citizens of Macedonia who de- 
sired to use the road. 

The religious interests of the township are 
mainly in oae church organization. In 1878, 
W. H. Hartman, of Glenwood, Mills County, 
organized a branch of the Christian Church 
at Schoolhouse No. 3, what is known as the 
Pontious Schoolhouse. The meetings were 
held at this schoolhouse until the spring of 
1881, when, owing to the fact that the great- 
er bulk of the membership lived near what 
is called the Silver Center Schoolhouse than 
the other, the place of meeting was changed, 
and where the meetings are now held. Elder 
McFadden is the pastor of this society, he 
also having several charges in Mills County. 
In the spring of 1877, a Sunday school was 
organized at tho Pontious Schoolhouse, and in 
1882 one was also instituted at the Silver 
Center Schoolhouse, both continuing to flour- 
ish. 



MACEDONTIA TOWNSHIP. 



343 



CHAPTER LV.* 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP— ORGANIZATION— FIRST SETTLER — EARLY PRIVATION'S — MILLS— OLD 
MACEDONIA— CARSON— NEW MACEDONIA-CHURCHES— SCHOOLS— SOCIETIES- 
BUSINESS INTERESTS— THE FIRE OF 1882— THE CYCLONE, ETC. 



THE date of the organization of Mace- 
donia Townsbip is given at the begin- 
ningof the chapter on Ruckford Township, and 
it is not necessary to repeat it. The history 
which follows, relating to that township, of 
course, will comprise the annals of that por- 
tion of the old township, as near as may be, 
as still bears the original name. The dates 
when her limits were contracted by the form- 
ing of new townships out of her territory, or 
in part from it, will be given when those sub- 
sequently created organizations come to be 
mentioned in detail and in their order. 

The first settler in what was then a lonely 
region, and remote from other settlements, was 
Thomas Jefferson King. It will always remain 
a matter of some interest to know some of the 
personal history of a man who was emphat- 
ically one of the pioneers of the county. He 
was born in Massachusetts on the 20th of 
May, 1804, and, when six years old, removed 
with his parents to Vermont, where his father 
died in July, 1810. His mother emigrated 
to Pennsylvania with her children, and died 
there in 1824, leaving them to buffet the 
world alone. Being only twenty years of 
age, Mr. Rinar came to St. Louis, and re- 
mained there two years. Taking a steam- 
boat, he reached Louisiana, Mo. In 1848, 
he started for Western Iowa, overland, and, 
reaching what is now known as Pottawatta- 
mie County, settled that year near the site 
of the old town of Macedonia, on the fertile 
bottom lands of the Nishnabotna River. He 

•By Col. John n. Ktatley. 



arrived on the 1st day of May, and was in 
time to raise a crop of corn that year. He 
was already married, having gone back, in 
1824, to Vermont, and was maiTied on the 
23d of January, 1824. He had also three 
children when he came to the county. His 
wife, who was born in September, 1804, and 
who cheerfully shared with him the hardships 
and the privations of carving out a new home 
in the wilderness of the West, died Novem- 
ber 8, 1873. 

During that interval, from 1848 to the 
present, only a single year has witnessed 
what might be termed a crop failui'e in the 
township. In 1850, when the overland emi- 
gration to Salt Lake City and Utah Territory 
was at its height, the Nishnabotna River was 
out of its banks for about three months, and 
caused great delay, embarrassment and suf- 
fering to those who were on their way West, 
and were compelled to cross that stream. 
There were no mills then within reach. Mr. 
Ring, before the river rose, got a supply of 
flour from Council Bluffs, and this he divid- 
ed with those in need on the east side of the 
river. This source of supply then failed, and 
there was no recourse except pounded corn. 
A rude appliance was made for this purpose, 
after a primitive fashion, and the family 
kept from starvation in that way for more 
than three weeks, and until the water subsid- 
ed so that they could cross in such boats as 
they had and reach Council Bluffs. When 
once over, it took seven days to make the 
round trip, such being the condition of the 



344 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



trail and the intervening streams and water- 
courses. The next settler who arrived after 
Mr. Eing was one by the name of Jacob My- 
ers, from Ohio, who built a saw-mill, and 
then a grist-mill, in connection with one 
Hawes, at the old town of Macedonia, just 
below the present bridge. The mill was built 
in 1848, but was washed out in the great flood 
which followed its construction, and Myers 
returned to Michigan, and was ever after 
lost sight of. Before it was washed away, a 
half-interest was purchased by J. B. Stuts 
man, the first Gentile merchant of Council 
Bluffs, and the other half by William Mar- 
tin. Martin & Stutsman erected a saw mill 
there in 1851, and in 1853 they had another 
grist-mill in operation, on the same site, un- 
der the management of J. Z. Losh as a mil- 
ler, for a year, and under others until 1861, 
when another flood took the second mill 
away, md the location was abandoned. My- 
ers & Hawes erected a dwelling house on the 
old Macedonia town site before the Govern- 
ment had surveyed the public lands, and be- 
fore any entries could be made. Next came 
a man by the name of Tuttle, and began to 
open up the farm now owned and occupied 
by Capt. Beasley. Tuttle eventually moved 
on to Salt Lake City with the Mormon emi- 
gration. The fli'st store opened in the town- 
ship was by J. B. Stutsman, who is mentioned 
elsewhere in this work as a resident of Har- 
lan, Shelby County, and the first Gentile 
merchant in Pottawattamie County. He 
opened his moderate stock of goods at Mace- 
donia in 1851. The next season, a man by 
the name of Householder brought a stock of 
merchandise and sold them out in the same 
building. 

The Mormon and other emigration 
West made a blacksmith shop at that 
crossing a matter of some importance, and 
one was started in 1852 by Henry Adams, 



and conducted by him until 1854, when he 
left, and was succeeded by John McDermott, 
now conducting the same business in Council 
Bluffs. The first school ever opened in the 
township was by Maj. Joseph Lyman, of 
Coimcil BlulTs, who was then a boy not more 
than sixteen or seventeen years of age. He 
afterward served with distinction in the civil 
war, as Major of the Twenty-ninth Iowa, and 
is now one of the most prominent and most 
successful lawyers in the western part of the 
State. He emigrated with his father from 
Ohio, and settled on the west bank of the 
Nishnabotua, opposite the town of Big Grove, 
as it was for years called, but now designated 
as Oakland. It is impossible to fix the exact 
date of that school, but it was not earlier 
than 1854, and not later than 1^55. The 
school was taught in a building rented for 
that purpose, and, there being no means for 
the erection of one at the public expense, and 
the one leased not being again attainable, 
two years elapsed before any school was again 
taught in the township. 

Old Macedonia, as it was termed, never 
grew much. It was always a hamlet, with 
two stores, two blacksmith shops, a hotel, 
drug store, post office, saddler shop and a 
wagon-maker's shop. The first Postmaster 
was Calvin Beebe, who lived on the William 
Tompkins farm. Here the office was kept, 
and here the first election, after the organiza- 
tion of the township was ordered to be held. 
Frink & Walker had the contract to carry the 
mail, then from Fort Des Moines, now the 
capital of the State, and Council Bluffs. 
There was a weekly service each way, the cai'- 
rier starting from Fort Des Moines on Mon- 
day morning, and reaching Council Bluffs on 
Saturday evening, and returning in the same 
time. As soon as events justified it, the 
Western Stage Company put daily coaches on 
the route, and contracted and handled it un- 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 



345 



til the opening of the Rock Island Railroad 
in June, 1869. 

The first schoolhouse built at public ex- 
pense was erected a short distance east of the 
old town, A. M. Denton being the contractor. 
The building was frame, twenty feet wide 
and forty feet deep. The finishing lumber 
was hauled by wagon from Booneville, a dis- 
tance of seventy miles, and the contract price 
of the structure was $1,100. The first Pres- 
ident of the Board of School Directors was 
Andrew Rayburn; and R. H. Woodmansee 
was the first Treasurer; the first teacher in 
that building, George A. Clark; and the sec- 
ond, Mrs. R. H. Woodmansee. 

The survey of the public lands under the 
authority of the General Government, and the 
opportunity to enter them, they being among 
the most fertile in the State, and the conti- 
guity of such a fine stream as the Nishnabot- 
na, and its excellent water-power, contributed 
greatly to the early settlement of the portion 
of the original township of Macedonia. J. Z. 
Losh came into the county, as is already 
stated, and conducted the mill for Stutsman, 
but in 1S56, his eye fell upon a mill site sev- 
eral miles above that, near the south line of 
Section No. 3, and there he erected what 
long afterward have been known as Losh's 
Mills. The new town of Carson, the rival of 
Macedonia, since the advent of the Rock Isl- 
and Branch Railroad, has sprung into exist- 
ence only a shoi-t distance east of the mills, 
and displaced the latter as a post office for 
that community, a position it long held. 
Since Mi-. Losh erected these mills, they have 
never been unemployed, except one season, 
when there was a pause for repairs. They 
are still owned and operated by him, who is 
highly regarded over the whole county as one 
of the most upright of citizens. The futiu-e 
history of this section of the county will not 
be included in any annals of Macedonia 



Township, inasmuch as it has been author- 
itatively set off to assist in constituting the 
new township of Carson. One of the most 
important improvements in Macedonia Town- 
ship was the construction of a King iron 
bridge, 100 feet long, in 1872, to replace the 
old wooden structure put there in the early 
days of the community. The Methodist 
Episcopal Chui'ch established a station at the 
old town of Macedonia quite early in the his- 
tory of the settlement, and constituted it a 
part of the Council Bluifs Circuit, the serv- 
ices being held in the schoolhouse in the vi- 
cinity until 1873, when they built a church 
at the old town. There are no data in reach 
now as to the exact period when this first 
took place. 

Regarding the territory embraced within 
Macedonia Township as valuable for a feeder, 
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad 
Company began the construction of a branch 
northward from their main line at Hastings, 
in Mills County, and completed the same, and 
had their trains runuing to a j)oint thi'ee- 
quarters of a mile east of the old town site, 
at the river, on the 4th day of July, 1880. 
Here a now town, also called Macedonia, was 
laid out by a town company, consisting of 
Hon. B. F. Clayton and R. H. Woodmansee, 
of Macedonia, T. J. Evans, of Council 
Bluffs, and T. J. Potter, General Manager of 
the Chicago, Biu-lington & Quincy Railroad. 
The first store erected in the new town was 
by R. H. Woodmansee; the first shop, by 
J. T. Bird, for carpentering; and the first 
blacksmith shop, by Henry Keeler & Co. A 
new school building is in course of construc- 
tion, the old building in the old town still 
being in use for the inhabitants of both, and 
will be until the new is fit for use. 

The Cumberland Presbyterian ChiU'ch or- 
ganized a society at Macedonia as early as 
April 1, 1871, under the auspices of the Rev. 



346 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



J. W. Carter. The original members were 
Jackson Buekner, Jemima Btickaer, Alfred 
Buckner, E. E. Williams, J. H. Smith, 
Agnes Smith, John Dungan, Mary E. Dun- 
gan, T. J. Simpson, Sidney A. Simpson, A. 
L. Bryan, Martha A. Bryan, Joanna Bry- 
an, Kebeeca Rayburn, Fanny J. Clark, Mary 
Watson, Rev. J. W. Carter and Malinda Car- 
ter. The Ruling Elders were A. L. Bryan, 
Jackson Buckner and J. H. Smith. T. J. 
Simpson and R. A. Williams were chosen 
Deae...n8. No change has since been made 
in the pastor since Mr. Carter first took 
charge of the congregation. The present 
membership is forty- four persons. From the 
date of the organization of the society, in 
1871, to 1880, religious services were held at 
the public schoolhouse at Old Macedonia, 
but in the fall of the latter year, a neat 
church edifice was erected in the new town, 
at a cost of §2,000, and without incurring 
any debt. 

The date of the erpction of the Methodist 
Chixrch at Old Macedonia has been given. 
The society was organized with a member- 
ship of about fifteen persons, under the di- 
rection of the first pastor, the Rev. Thomas 
H. Smith, now Presiding Elder of the Atlan- 
tic District of the Des Moines Conference. 
It was re-organized in 1873, under the super- 
vision of the Hev. Henry De Long, of Coun- 
cil Bluffs, and under whose auspices the 
church was built. When the new town was 
established, and population tended in that 
direction, the old edifice was sold and used 
for public school purposes, and a new one 
erected at a cost of $3,000, at the new town. 
It is a frame structure, thirty feet wide and 
fifty feet long, and has a bell and a bell-tower, 
the last being serenty feet high. The 
ministers, besides those already named, who 
had charge of the congregation in the inter- 
vening years, were Rev. W. A. Wiseman, 



Rev. L. McKay, Rev. Campbell, Rev. J. W. 
Martin, Rev. R. W. Farlow, Rev. Osborn, 
Rev. G. W. Griffiths and the Rev. E. M. H. 
Fleming. At this date, the membership is 
sixty persons. Since the organization of the 
new town, the Presbyterians have established 
a church, this having been done on the 20th 
of Jime, 1880, by the Rev. J. R. Brown, of 
Emerson, Mills County. The members at 
the date of organization were B. I. H. Mitch- 
ell, Joseph C. Bearss, Mrs. Mana Bearss, 
Mrs. Joseph Carse, Mrs. Elizabeth Carse, 
Miss Anna I. Carse, Mrs. Julia Lowe, J. H. 
Mitchell and Mrs. N. I. Mitchell, William 
Throp and his wife, Carrie Throp, J. H. 
Smith and Mrs. Agnes Smith, and George 
Reimond and his wife, Barbara Reimond. 
The pastors since organization were J. R. 
Brown and F. K. Miron. They have no 
church edifice, and the membership is thir- 
teen. The Ruling Elders are J. H. Smith, 
George Reimond and E. A. Vanvranken. 

The first child born in New Macedonia was 
in September, 1880, to Mr. and Mrs. Will- 
iam Dye. The first death was that of Mrs. 
Emma Mitchell, in the same month. She 
was the wife of Brutus Mitchell, engaged in 
business in the firm of Mitchell & Mitchell. 
In A-Ugust, 1881, the first marriage ceremony 
was performed in the town, by Rev. J. W. 
Carter, in the marriage of Mr. Charles Beas- 
ley and Miss Ora Lowe. 

The town was no sooner established than 
an Odd Fellows Lodge was constituted. The 
organization was effected on the 4th of Feb- 
ruary, 1881, with W. Dye, of Fort Madison 
Lodge, No. 159, Iowa; E. L. Cook, Red 
Oak, Iowa, Lodge; A. M. Cale, of Green - 
Top Lodge, Missouri; E. A. Vanvranken, 
Past Grand of Mystic Lodge, Mt. Pleasant, 
Iowa; A. S. Staggers, Rapids City Lodge, 
Illinois; and J. J. Rainbow, as charter mem- 
bers. The officers installed at the organiza- 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 



347 



tion were: W. Dye, Noble Grand; A. M. 
Cale, Vice Grand; E. L. Cook, Secretary; 
and E. A. Vanvranken, Treasurer. The lodge 
held their first meetings in the second story 
of the store building of W. Dye & Co. ; but 
thih building was destroyed by fire in March, 
1882, and all the property of the lodge was 
destroyed at the same time. Until a new 
brick building, with a hall over head, war 
erected, the lodge held none but business 
meetings. The membership in the meantime 
has increased to forty-two; and E. L. Cook, 
Noble Grand; J. S. Carter, Vice Grand; J. 
C. Bradley, Recording Secretary; W. L. 
Russell, Permanent Secretary; and F. P. 
Stari'ett, Treasurer, are the present officers. 
The lodge is working under a dispensation 
from the Grand Lodge of Iowa, and within 
its jurisdiction. 

The first hotel was the Macedonia House, 
and was opened by George H. Kaler. The 
post ofiice was removed from Old Macedonia 
to New Macedonia, and Ohio Knox made the 
first Postmaster. Through his especial 
efforts, it was declared a money order office 
shortly after it was opened. There are two 
general stores in the place, one devoted to 
hardware, an agricultural implement estab- 
lishment, a millinery store, and caiTiage and 
wagon factory, with blacksmith and other 
shops. The drug store of J. M. Kelley & Co. 
was started in March, 1881, and the building 
in which the business was conducted was de- 
stroyed in the generally destructive tire of 
March, 1882. Dr. E. L. Cook has his office 
in this establishment, and the business is 
managed by L. L. Harlam, a registered phar- 
macist. 

Macedonia is in the center of one of the 
most prolific grain-growing sections of the 
State, and to reach these crops, Meckelivart 
& Young erected a steam elevator in ISSO. 
It is a frame structure, forty by forty-eight 



feet in length and width, and sixty-three feet 
high. The first grain was handled by the 
proprietors in September, 1880, and, diu-ing 
the first season, managed about two hundred 
and fifty thousand bushels, and in 1881 
shipped over five hundred car-loads. The 
resident manager is T. J. Young, the other 
partner, Mr. Meckelivart, being a resident of 
Glenwood, in Mills County. A new Howe 
truss bridge was erected across the Nishna- 
botna at the old town of Macedonia in 1881, 
which gives access to the rich country on both 
sides of the valley. 

A joint-stock company was organized at 
Macedonia in July, 1880, to conduct a bank- 
ing business under the corporation laws of 
Iowa, and known as the Macedonia Bank, the 
shareholders being George Meckelivart, Rich- 
ard Meckelivart and D. L. Heinsheimer, of 
Glenwood, and William Dye, ot Macedonia. 
The bank, as now organized, has for its Pres- 
ident George Meckelivart; Vice President, 
William Dye; and Cashier. J. M. Kelley. 
The capital stock was increased from $13, - 
000, when the bank first organized, to $25,- 
000. Hon. B. F. Clayton, of Macedonia 
Township, who, from January, 1877, to 1881, 
was a member of the House of Representa- 
tives in the Iowa Legislature, and is now the 
President of the Board of Trustees of the In- 
stitute for the Deaf and Dumb at Council 
Bluffs, is also of the Directory of the bank. 

The Masonic fraternity established them- 
selves in the new town shortly after it was 
laid out, Euba Lodge being organized in the 
winter of 1881, with a membership of seven- 
teen. John Craig was made the first Worship- 
ful Master; J. M. Kelley, the first Senior War- 
den; L. D. Bulla, the first Junior Warden; 
Ohio Knox, Secretary; B. F. Clayton, Treas- 
xirer; S. A. Jones, Senior Deacon; D. W. 
Bomfi", Junior Deacon; J. W. Carter, Chap- 
lain; and A. B. Rayburn, Tiler. The lodge 



348 



HISTORY or POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



room, at the date of the organization, was 
the same as that occupied by the Odd Fel- 
lows, but met the same fate in the disastrous 
fire of March, 1882. The lodge opened un- 
der a dispensation, but, at the meeting of the 
Grand Lodge of Iowa, in the summer of 
1882, a charter was granted, under which the 
subordinate lodge is now working. 

The annals of this township ought not to 
be dismissed without the mention of the 
erection of a fine flouring-mill on the West 
Nishnabotna, in 1876-77, by L. S. and Sala- 
thial Pruden. Its location is about a mile 
and a half southwest of Macedonia, and the 
river at this point is crossed by a handsome 
bridge, and the highway leading from Mace- 
donia to Hastings, in Mills County, on the 
main line of the Chicago, Burlington & 
Quincy Railroad. Hastings, for many years 
after the opening up of the Chicago, Bur- 
lington & Quincy Railroad through Mills 
County, in the fall of 1870, was the market 
town of all that section of country now trib- 
utary to Macedonia itself. 



The most notable event of recent years was 
the great fire, which, in March. 1882, de- 
stroyed the main portion of the new town. 
The buildings thus consumed were rapidly 
replaced. In the annals of Center Township 
will be found the narrative of a destructive 
cyclone which passed the vicinity of Wheel- 
er's Grove and destroyed considerable prop- 
erty, and the lives of the Ossler family. The 
same cyclone passed near the old town of 
Macedonia, and was clearly witnessed as it 
whirled its destructive way, with great rap- 
idity, toward W^heeler's Grove. liarge num- 
bers of men were engaged at work on the 
grade of the railroad at the time, and were 
barely able to find refuge under culverts to 
escape the storm. Trees were uprooted, ani- 
mals were carried great distances, the ground 
was mowed, iron plows were borne off and 
broken into fragments, and the barn of Capt. 
Beaseley, which was in the edge of the track, 
was unroofed and otherwise injured, the fiuy 
of the storm spending itself with the greatest 
violence in Center Township. 



CHAPTER LVL* 



OROVE TOWXSHIP— INTRODUCTORY— BOUNDARIES— DRAINAGE— " OLD MORMON TRAIL "—FIRST 
SETTLERS— MILLS— ROADS AND BRIDGES— SCHOOLS AND CflURCHES- THE GRR.\T CYCLONE 



ALTHOUGH so much has been said by 
those living in the sections of country 
covered with a natural growth of dense for- 
ests about the necessities of timber in the 
prairie States, an examination of facts shows 
that what has been considered a scarcity of 
timber has great agricultvu'al attractions 
rather than otherwise. No doubt the prairies 
of Iowa have kept, and are still keeping, some 
from locating within her borders. For all 
agricultui-al, and for most mechanical pur- 
poses, the State does not lack for timber yet, 

•B}- Frank H. Wright. 



I and in view of the fact that the quantity is 
I increasing, with care and artificial groves, 
rather than decreasing, there appears no 
time, even in the distant future, when the 
! State will want for timber. The best esti- 
mates give the State 3,522,880 acres of native 
timber, or about one acre of timber to ten of 
prairie land. This would give every farm of 
a quarter section sixteen acres of timber. It 
is true that it is not quite equally distrib- 
uted, and that the remote distances of some 
farms from timber, necessitates a few extra 
days labor each year iu hauling, but the fa- 



GEOVE TOAVNSHIP. 



349 



cility with which prairie land can be put un- 
der cultivation and a highly productive farm 
obtainel, far more than counterbalances the 
temporary inconvenience in some sections of 
obtaining fencing and fuel. We say tem- 
porary, for the rapidity with which timber 
grows will enable any farmer within five 
years to gather from his own land all the 
timber required, if he will but plant. Many 
beautiful sections of the fine prairie land of 
Pottawattamie County, which were destitute 
of trees and homes a few years ago, to-day 
present the appearance of having been natu- 
ral timber land, so numerous are the orchards 
and groves. When an abundant supply of 
timber for farm purposes may be grown in 
five or six years, during which time a prairie 
farm may be brought to the highest state of 
cultivation, how much greater the natural ad- 
vantages of the pioneers of Pottawattamie 
County over those of the rough timbered 
country of the Middle States who were 
obliged to spend from ten to fifteen years in 
hard toil to remove the heavy growth of tim- 
ber, which, to them at that date was so worth- 
less that it was not at all uncommon for 
them to roll together the finest of walnut logs 
and burn them to make room for their crops. 

Grove Township, as its name suggests, and 
by which its name originated, has within its 
boundaries a number of fine groves, on the 
banks of the Farm and Jordan Creeks. The 
rich, fertile soil, fine groves of timber and 
running streams of pure, cool spring water, 
which the early settlers found in that part of 
Pottawattamie County, which afterward be- 
came Grove Township, were the natural at- 
tractions which caused that township to be 
one among the first settled in the county. 

Grove Township was included in the terri- 
tory of Macedonia Township until September 
25, 1858, on which date, by the authority of 
the County Judge, the territory was divided. 



and the following minute of the division 
placed on record : 

" Now, on this day, was organized a town- 
ship, to be called Grove Township, to consist 
of Congressional Township 74 north, of 
Range 39 west, and the same is declared an 
election precinct, and it is ordered that an 
election be held therein at the schoolhouse 
therein on the second Tuesday of October, 
to wit, on the 12th day of October A. D. 
1858." The election was held as ordered, 
and the following oiScers elected: George 
B. Otto, Township Clerk; E. W. Knapp, 
Justice of the Peace; Cornelius Hurley, 
Constable; David Watson, Assessor; Thomas 
Conner. A. J. Field and S. M. B. Wheeler, 
Trustees. 

The present boundaries of the township 
are Center Tovmship on the north, Waveland 
Township on the east, Montgomery County 
on the south and Macedonia Township on 
the west. 

Two fine streams of unsually pure water 
run through the township, which are in- 
creased within its boundaries by a number of 
tributaries. Jordan Creek rises in Section 12 
of Center Township, and flows west of south, 
and enters Grove Township about the center 
of Section 3, on the north side. It then 
flows south and west to the center of Section 
4, where it is joined by a tributary called 
Spring Creek. It then flows south and south- 
west through Sections 9, 17, 19, 20 and to 
the center of 31, where the waters of Farm 
Creek join it, from which point it flows al- 
most directly west for about half a mile and 
empties into Graybill, or Second Creek, which 
crosses the northwest corner of the township. 
Farm Creek and its tributaries drain the 
southern and eastern portions of the town- 
ship. It rises in Section 1, and flows south- 
west through Secti >ns 1. 12, 11, 14, 23. and 
west through Section 22. thence southwest 



350 



HISTOBY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



again through Sections 28, 29, 32, and then 
west to the center of Section 31, where it 
empties into Jordan Creek. Three tributa- 
ries have their rise and join Farm Greek with- 
in the boundaries of the township; all of 
them, also, empty into the main stream in 
Section 22. These streams are fed by nu- 
merous springs, and do not dry up during 
the hot summer months, nor freeze over in 
the winter in shallow places where the cur- 
rent is rapid. 

The origin of the names of these streams 
was through the following incidents. During 
the early settlement of the township, many of 
the pioneers selected their farms along the 
banks of a running stream of pure water. 
Farm Creek oifered the greatest attractions 
in this respect, and before other parts of the 
township had become settled. Except a farm 
here and there, the land bordering this stream 
had been occupied by settlers, and a series of 
farm improvements made on either side; and 
through this choice of land and through the 
improvements which followed, the stream be- 
came known as Farm Creek. Among the first 
to settle on this creek were J. A. Watson and 
Messrs. Winegar, Stedham, Burris and 
Bagley. The name is certainly very well ap- 
plied, for no nicer stream, for farm and stock 
purposes, can be found in the county. 

Long before Grove Township had been or- 
ganized, and even before the first permanent 
settler had found a home within its bounda- 
ries, a line of travel had worn a trail across 
the township. This was known as the " Mor- 
mon Trail," and was the route taken by that 
people when they moved from Nauvoo, 111., 
to Kanesville, now Council Bluffs, which was 
their halting place when on their way to Salt 
Lake in IS-tT. Whei'e this trail crossed Jor- 
dan Creek, a man by the name of Jordan had 
settled near the ford. In their efiforts to de- 
scribe the points along the line, the travelers 



gave this stream its name, by referring to the 
settler at the ford. This trail, which after- 
ward became the first public road in the 
township, crossed the township line about the 
northwest corner of Section 1, and took a 
southwesterly course through Sections 2, 10, 
16 and 20, thence west through Section 19, 
crossing Jordan Creek about the center of 
this section, thence westward to Kanesville. 
Her fine groves of natural-growth timber, 
streams of living water, and fertile, undulat- 
ing prairies, makS'Grove Township one of the 
most desirable for stock-raising and agricult- 
ural pursuits in Pottawattamie County. Her 
citizens claim that not a single foot of the 
land is uutillable if properly worked. The 
varieties of original timber growth were prin- 
cipally black and white hickory, burr and red 
oak, black walnut, red and water elm, ash, 
hackberry and basswood. In area there were 
about 3,000 acres of timber land in the town- 
ship, but little of it has been cleared and 
the land utilized for farming purposes, 
though in instances where the timber has 
been cleared away and a crop raised, has 
proved very prductive. 

During the early settlement of the town- 
ship, when mills were erected and the larger 
timber cut for lumber, it usually occurred in 
the winter. From the stumps of the trees 
cut in winter, the settlers found these started 
in the sprin:^ a vigorous growth of sprouts. 
These usually, except one or two, died about 
the second year, -when the growth of those 
which survived was very rapid and now are 
the required size for fence posts. 

In 1848, there moved into Grove Town- 
ship the following settlers, with their fami- 
lies; they came over the old Mormon trail 
from Illinois: James Watson came with ox 
teams and settled in Section 32. George 
Owen di'ove both ox and horse teams, and se- 
lected his home in Section 16. George 




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GROVE TOWNSHIP. 



353 



Taylor, who came with ox teams, also settled 
in Section 1(5, and John Jordan chose Sec- 
tion 17 as his future home. Jacob Anderson, 
who came with his family the same year, drove 
horse teams and settled in Section 20, where 
he made a claim, and when the Government 
survey was made, in IS52, entered about 000 
acres, half of which was prairie and half tim- 
ber land. In 1853, he removed to Califor- 
nia, where he died some years later. His 
widow and son, A. J. Anderson, came back to 
the old farm about 1865. and began improv- 
ing it. They have since added to it and have 
now 1,000 acres of tine land. John Winegar 
and David Bagley came from Illinois in 18-19; 
both drove ox teams through over the old 
Mormon trail. The former settled in Section 
21 and the latter in Section 28. David 
Stedman and S. M. B. Wheeler followed in 
1851, Mr. Stedman settling in Section 21, 
and Mr. Wheeler in Section 16. The former 
came from Pennsylvania. Mr. Wheeler, 
after whom the grove in Section 16 took its 
name, now lives in Lewis. Cass Co., Iowa. 

The first settlers of W^he»ler's Grove were 
a Mr. Orman, George Graybill and Jacob 
Anderson. Mr. Wheeler bought the farms 
of Orman and Graybill; the former went to 
California, and the latter now lives on Mos- 
quito Creek, in Pottawattamie County. A. 
J. Field, J. R. Traver and Thomas Conner 
also were among the early settlers, the latter 
having a son and daughter living in the 
township. In 1848, 1849 and 1850, a num- 
ber of Mormon families stopped in Grove 
Township, raised a crop or two and then fol- 
lowed the march of their leader to Salt Lake. 

The first saw-mill in Grove Township was 
built and owned by John Smith in 1853. and 
was located on Farm Creek. Prior to the 
building of this mill, the settlers built their 
cabins of round logs, and chinked the cracks 
with a mixture of mud and prairie hay. The 



roofs were almost invariablj' made of prairie 
sod, which, when properly cut and laid, was 
very substantial. Smith's mill was washed 
away during a freshet, and was rebuilt in 
1856 by' C. Huidey, Sr., and again washed 
away. The next mill was built in 1858, by 
J. S. Watson, and was located about two 
miles farther down stream than the Smith 
Mill. In 1859, S. M. B. Wheeler built a mill 
on Jordan Creek. These were all saw-mills 
and run by water-power. The next mill was 
built on the site of the old Smith Mill, by 
Orman Osier, and was intended for a grist 
mill, but when the building was completed 
and a part of the machinery put in, there 
came a freshet, and the mill was partially 
destroyed. The remainder was moved irom 
over the stream and has since been used as 
a barn. 

Great difficulty was experienced by the 
early settlers in getting their milling done. 
They were obliged to go to the old Indian 
mill, in Garner Township, or to Meek's Mill, 
on Rock Creek, in Missouri. Sometimes the 
traveling was bad, and when such was the 
case and they could not go to mill, they re- 
sorted to pounding their corn. To do this 
they would scoop a hollow in a block of 
wood, a ad fasten an iron wedge, or some 
other heavy instrument, on the end of a pole, 
which was rigged like the old- fashioned well- 
sweep. W'ith this arrangement, they man- 
aged to make very good corn meal. Even 
when they did travel the long distance from 
their homes to the Indian mill, they were 
often obliged to wait until the Indians were 
through; as the mill had been put uji by the 
Government for the special benefit of the 
Pottawattamie Indians, and when there was 
nothing to grind for them then the settlers 
j could have their grinding done. Mills were 
built by enterprising citizens in a few years, 
and this great difficulty obviated. 



354 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUISTTY 



The old Mormon trail, previously men- 
tioned, was used when these trips were made to 
the mills, and for a number of years it was 
the only public road in the township. 

Public roads were gradually opened to 
meet the wants of the community, and those 
now in the township usually follow the sec- 
tion lines. The first bridge built in the 
township was where the old Mormon trail 
crossed Jordan Creek. Bridges now span 
all the streams in the township at the cross- 
ing of the public roads. The largest bridge 
in the township erected by the county spans 
a ravine near the residence of J. W. Conner. 
It is ninety feet in length and thirty-five 
feet above the water. 

In 1850, the township had become so thick- 
ly settled that the question of a school of 
some sort began to be talked of. The settlers 
became so thoroughly interested in the matter 
that they hired a Dr. Williams to teach a 
school in one room of the residence of Jacob 
Anderson. The result of this experiment 
was so satisfactory that a second term was 
taught at the residence of S. M. B. Wheeler, 
by a Mr. John Day. In 1854, a term of 
school was taught in a little log cabin situated 
just east of S. M. B. Wheeler's, by Mr. D. T. 
Kelly. The first building erected in the 
township for school purposes was located 
about forty rods north of the center of Sec- 
tion 20. It was built in 1855, and was con- 
structed of logs, with puncheon floors and 
seats. This was used as a school building 
for a number of years, when it finally became 
unfit for use. In 1865, the next sehoolhouse 
was built. It was located in the southeast 
corner of the southwest quarter of the south- 
west quarter of Section 21. This school- 
house was used by the entire township 
until 1868, when the township was di- 
vided into three subdistricts, and three new 
schoolhouses erected. Subsequently, the 



township was again subdivided into subdis- 
tricts, and this time the number increased to 
nine and new houses built. The township 
contains just thirty-six sections, and in the 
last division into subdistricts, it was divided 
into squares of four sections each, and the 
schoolhouses located in the center, or at the 
point where the foui' sections meet. School- 
houses Nos. 1 and 2 were destroyed by the 
cyclone of June 9, 1880, but have since been 
rebuilt. The statistics for the year 1881, 
collected by the County Superintendent of 
Public Schools, show the following for Grove 
Township: 

Number of subdistricts, 9. Schools — num- 
ber of ungraded schools, 8 ; average number of 
months taught, 5|. Teachers — niimber em- 
ployed, males, 5; females, 10; total, 15. 
Average compensation per month — males, 
130.86; females, 129.70. Pupils— number 
of persons between the ages of five and twen- 
ty-one years — males, 175; females, 160; 
number enrolled in district, 234; total aver- 
age attendance in whole district, 114; average 
cost of tuition per month for each pupil, $2. - 
43. Schoolhouses — frame. 8; value, .$2,800. 

There are but few foreign residents of 
Grove Township, aud in all movements tend- 
ing to the advancement of public schools they 
have been in enterprise equal to the Ameri- 
cans. 

It is very evident the broad, rolling prairies 
possessed natui'al advantages, and were more 
attractive in a state of nature to the pioneers 
than the country surrounding Grove Town- 
ship. When that band of followers of Brig- 
ham Young had traveled over hundreds of 
miles nf the old trail, which wound its way 
through heavy timber and over rolling prai- 
rie, and any number could have had millions 
of acres from which to choose a farm, why 
did so many of them wait to settle on the 
banks of the little stream, fed by numerous 



GROVE TOWNSHIP. 



355 



springs, which was afterward known as Farm 
Creek, unless it was the beauty of landscape, 
fertility of soil and all that nature had done 
to make the place so attractive? They were 
good judges, those travel-stained, hardy emi 
grants, and their settlement in one of the 
finest sections of country in the county was 
not by chance, when they had the libei'ty of 
staking out a claim almost anywhere in the 
thousands of acres of unoccupied lands on all 
sides of them. They could have forsaken 
their claims and improvements, and have 
obeyed the demand of their leader, in 1852, 
and joined in the march to Salt Lake. They 
preferred to stay where they were, and the 
result of their industry has proved the cor- 
rectness and accuracy of their judgment. 
The finely improved farms, good buildings 
and many evidences of prosperity, which in a 
short time marked their halting place on the 
banks of Farm Creek, grew too dear to them 
to be deserted. 

They left Nauvoo, 111,, expecting to con- 
tinue the march to the final place of settle- 
ment, but when they found in the beautiful 
country bordering Farm Creek all that tbe best 
farmer could desire, and were not restricted 
in their religious liberty, those few who had 
laid the foundation for a fuuu'e competency, 
remained behind when the exodus occurred. 
So many settlers of one religious denomina- 
tion were natm-ally the first to effect an or- 
ganization, and so it happened that in 1863 
the fiiBt organization of a religious body m 
Grove Township was that of the Latter-Day 
Saints. E. W. Briggs and W. W. Blair were 
the organizers, and the original members 
were John Smith and wife Sarah, E. W. 
Knapp and wife Melissa, A. J. Fields and 
wife Sarah, James Otto and wife Mehitable, 
Lewis Graybill and wife Patience, John 
Winegar and wife Elizabeth, Joseph Smith 
and wife Bachel, and Stephen Smith. John 



Smith was their first President, and E. W. 
Knapp their first Clerk. The present officers 
are : John Winegar, President, and Heber New- 
berry, Clerk. Services were at first held by 
them at the residences of the different members 
of the church, and sometimes, in later years, 
in the schoolhouses. The society becoming 
more wealthy and the membership gradually 
increasing, they decided, in 1874, to erect a 
church building. It was a frame building, 
and cost §763. 85. 

The present membership is ninety, and a 
Sabbath school is maintained, with a regular 
attendance of thirty pupils. 

The Wheeler's Grove class of the M. P. 
Church was organized in 1865 by its original 
members, among whom were Isaac Denton 
and wife Cordelia. Jacob Elswick. Alexander 
Osier and Susan A. Stedman. Their church 
is a frame building, and was erected in 1875 
at a cost of $1,300. It is located one-half 
mile north of Wheeler Grove Post Office. 
The present membership is about sixty, and 
a Sabbath school has a regular attendance of 
thirty-five pupils. The pastors who have 
presided at this chiurch, as given by Jlr. A. 
W^. Pearce, one of the present members, 
were: Eev. William Van Vleet, Rev. J. Davis, 
Rev. J. Bratton, Eev. T. E. Pershall, Rev, J. 
Burch. Rev, T. W. Sketcherly, Rev. W. F. 
Price, Rev. E, M. Garheart, Rev. A. Overton, 
Rev. J. A. Bolton, and the present pastor, 
Rev. Josiah Sanders. 

Pleasant Grove congregation of the C, P. 
Chm-eh was organized July 1, 1876, by Rev. 
J, W, Carter, and received imder the care of 
the West Iowa Presbytery of the C, P, 
Chiu-ch, August 18, 1876, The original 
members were Jackson Buckner and wife Je- 
mima, Jonathan Watson and wife Mary S,, 
George Shinn and wife Martha M., Esperam 
Co.mts and Margaret McMullen. Rev. J. 
W. Carter was their first, and continues to be, 



356 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



their pastor. Their church is a frame build- 
ing, and was erected in 1879, at a cost of |1,- 
400. It is located in Section 27, near 
Wheeler's Grove Post Office. The present 
membership is twenty-eight, and they sup- 
port a Sabbath school with an attendance of 
thirty pupils. 

The Christian Church was organized by 
Rev. Cephas Ellis and Rev. Samuel Johnson. 
The original members were S. Brown and 
wife Rachel, Franklin Pullen and wife Mary, 
Thomas Dillardy and wife Rebeca, George 
Hauser and wife Sarah, John Fender and 
wife Millie, Cephas Ellis and wife Rachel, 
Thomas Moxley and wife Rachel, and Jesse 
Brown. Their pastors have been Rev. Sam- 
uel Johnson, Rev. Samuel Smith, Lewis C. 
Bishop, and the present pastor, Rev. Cephas 
Ellis. They began building a church in 
1881. It is not yet completed, though nearly 
so, and when finished will cost about $1,100 
or $1,200. It is located in Section 16. The 
society numbers sixty members at present, 
and they support a Sabbath school with an 
attendance of fifty pupils. 

The village of Eminence, in which Grove 
Post Office is located, was laid out in 1875, 
by L. D. Woodmansee, Esq. It is a neat, 
thriving place of business, and is located in 
Section 28. The first i-esident of the place 
was Mr. Woodmansee, who built a storeroom 
in 1875, and has since been engaged in a 
general merchandising business. He was 
also appointed Postmaster, and continues to 
hold that official position. Dr. A. J. Michael 
was the next to risk the result of establishine 

o 

a business by making Eminence his place of 
residence, and he was followed by Malcomb 
McKenzie, the only blacksmith of the place. 
J. L. Harrell made the fourth business man 
of the little town, where he engaged in the 
manufacture and sale of harness. Later, a 
store of general merchandise was opened by 



F. E. & N. Pershall, brothers, and who are 

' still engaged in business. 

Grove Township has no railroad, but the 
business men of Eminence are fully able to 

I compete with the business men of the railroad 
towns in the vicinity, and, being located 
near the center of the township, they do an 
extensive business. 

The present officers of Grove Township are 
as follows: Alex Osier and L. D. Woodman- 
see, Justices; A. W. Pease, Clerk; John 

i Rankin, Assessor; George Bolton, Stephen 

1 Smith and George B. Otto, Trustees. 

September 30, 1863, the wife of Mr. Isaac 
Denton gave birth to three children, which 
were named respectively William, Wallace 
and Williard. They lived, however, but a 
short time, the dates of their deaths being 
given in the biography of Mr. Denton. This 
event caused a great deal of interest to be 
manifested in the affair by his neighbors and 
friends, but their excitement and wonder were 
greatly increased, when, on August 17, 1864, 
the same lady gave bii'th to twins, one of 
which lived but four and the other six hours. 
The cyclone which occurred June 9, 1880, 
and which has previously been mentioned, 
was the most eventful incident in the history 
of Grove Township. The following report 
from the Nonpareil of June 12, 1880, gives a 
description ot the scene: 

" About 7 o'clock, Wednesday evening, the 
cyclone was discovered by a gentleman by the 
name of W. C. Lowrey, who resides about 
three-quarters of a mile northwest of Macedo 
nia. Mr. Lowrey says it ajsjjeared to him as 
a great funnel, formed of deep, dark clouds 
of the most furious appearance, which seemed 
to be hopjiing and skipping first to the heav- 
ens and then to the earth, and traveled at a 
rapid rate. When it struck the earth, it took 
everything in its course. It so swung and 
revolved around, that while watching its ap- 



GROVE TOWNSHIP. 



337 



pearance, it struck a house occupied by Mr. 
Denitty, whose family had also been watch- 
ing its maneuvers, and, realizing their danger, 
had vacated the building and thereby saved 
their lives. In an instant, the roof of the 
house was carried high in the air, and the 
body of the house badly injm-ed, and the loose 
material, such as timber, farming machinery 
and vehicles, was carried away. The next 
house that came in its way was that of Capt. 
Beasley, one of the best known citizens of 
Pottawattamie County. Here it also carried 
off the roof of the house, as well as farming 
implements, besides doing considerable in- 
jury to stock. Next it, running in a north- 
east direction, struck the shanties occupied 
by the workmen engaged in the construction 
of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Rail- 
road, on the Macedonia Branch thereof. The 
occupants, realizing the danger, repaired to a 
culvert hard by, and crowding into it to the 
number of forty, thereby saved their lives. 
It then passed on at a furious rate and struck 
a hoiv?e occupied by a gentleman named 
Smith. Here it seemed to redouble its fiuy, 
and tearing the house and barn asunder, com- 
pletely carried them away, carrying also the 
household goods. The next house with 
which it came in contact was that of Mr. 
Fender, tearing his house into a thousand 
pieces, it crossed what is called Second Creek 
and struck the classic Jordan. About half a 
mile distant, it struck the residence of Mr. 
Buckingham, tearing the entire lai-ge frame 
structure in pieces, and carrying away not 
only the house, but the household goods, as 
wfll as farming implements and stock. The 
next house it struck was that of Mr. C. Run- 
nels, carrying off the roof of the house and 
carrying the barn away and killing a vast 
amount of stock. 

" Leaving this, it continued its course on up 
the Jordan, dealing death and destruction 



with every possible thing with which it came 
in contact, until it reached a residence occu- 
pied by a gentleman by the name of Lyman. 
Here it seemed to have reached its zenith, 
and its exact actions were indescribable. 
Here birds were beaten almost entirely into 
the ground, and not a feather left on their 
bodies. Wire fences were torn and twisted 
into a thousand pieces. Speeding on its 
com'se, it reached the residence of our once 
much loved and respected fellow-citizen, Jesse 
Osier. This family consisted of Mr. Osier, 
his wife and two children, a boy and a girl, 
aged respectively eight and six years, besides 
three hired men, namely, John Davis, A. F. 
Tiderick and Jesse Pettitt. The hired men 
had come in from the field and had cared for 
their teams, when they saw the storm's ap- 
proach, and spoke to Mr. Osier about it. Up 
to this time, Mr. Osier had been fanning his 
little son, who lay sick. Rising to his feet, 
Mr. Osier said it was true that a bad storm 
was almost upon them, and called for the en- 
tire family to go with him to the cave, which 
was in the yard but a few feet from the door. 
Thereupon he gathered his sick child in his 
arms and started for the door, but he was too 
late; the elements were almost upon them, 
and their only remedy was to stay in the 
house. The doors blew open at this junctiu-e 
and the wind lashed them about as though 
they were so many matches, and the fact that 
two strong men undertook to hold them shut 
made no difference. The house, a strong, 
two-story frame structure, went to pieces like 
a pile of dust before a whirlwind, and not a 
splinter of it the size of a man's arm was left 
to tell where the once beautiful residence of 
Jesse Osier stood, and Jesse Osier and his en- 
tire family were at the same instant dashed 
into eternity. When the storm had passed, 
the only human being about the place that 
had apparent life left was Mr. Tiderick, who 



353 



HISTORY OF FOTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



was blown about six rods into some gooseber- 
ry bushes. Davis and Pettitt were blown 
about twenty rods, and when found their rea- 
son had fled. They were cared for, and some 
neisrhbors havincr arrived, the search for teh 
missing Osier family began. The body of 
Mr Osier was found about twenty rods south- 
west of the house, and the remains of Mrs. 
Osier were found blown fiilly forty rods' 
across the meadow southwest of the house, 
and the children were found eight or ten rods 
west of where the house had stood. ]\Ii's. 
Osier was dressed in her usual day wearing 
apparel when the storm broke upon them, and 
when found she was stripped of the last ves- 
tige of her garments, except one garter string. 
The children were also stripped. It was a 
sight sickening and sad in the extreme when 
entering the residence of Mr. G. Naugle, one 
of the near neighbors of the Osier family, to 
find a whole family lying cold and dead. 
The dead bodies were all badly mangled, 
and, in fact, almost past recognition, the top 
of the little boy's head being entirely torn 
away. Under the efficient care of physicians, 
Messrs. Tiderick, Pettitt and Davis will prob- 
ably recover. The house of Mr. Alexander 
Osier, a large two-story frame, stood upon a 
hill to the northwest of his dead brother's 
about forty rods, and hence, just the edge of 
the storm struck it. An addition built onto 
the east end of the structure was completely 
torn away, and the main portion badly shat- 
tered. Mr. John Naugle and Mr. G. Nau- 
gle, residing about eighty rods west of this, 
also felt the effects of the storm. It twisted 
a portion of the roof off of Mr. J. Naugle's 
house, and tore down the well curb and some 
trees at the residence of Mr. G. Naugle. 
These well-known gentlemen were both at 
home and witnessed the storm pass by them, 
and when asked to deseride it, said it sounded 
like ten thousand threshing machines all in 



motion at one time. At Mr. J. Osier's place, 
there were also many horses and cattle killed 
and dead pigs and chickens were visible all 
about the place. The storm sped on up the 
Jordan about a quarter of a mile, when it 
reached a small house upon the bank of a 
stream occupied by a poor family by the name 
of Mills. Fortunately, they were all absent 
from home and escaped injury, but returned 
to find only the cellar where their little homo 
once stood. At this point, the Jordan takes 
asharjjturn to the southeast, and its banks were 
thickly studded with timber, which was com- 
pletely torn away. Trees as thick as the body 
of an ordinary man were twisted off and blown 
away, and what few shrubs were left were con- 
spicuous for their covering of bed quilts, pil- 
lows, petticoats, carpets and clothing of every 
conceivable kind. Next, the monster reached 
the residence of I^Ir. Samuel Smith. Mr. 
Smith owns a nice farm, situated on a beau- 
tiful declining bank of the Jordan. He had 
a good substantial house, sm'rounded by a 
fine young orchard of about three hundred 
trees. His family consists of himself, his 
wife and seven children, all of whom went 
into the cellar. The house was carried from 
over their heads and the cellar filled with 
debris, but, strange to say, none were hurt. 
The orchard was completely ruined, evea the 
bark being stripped from the trees. On the 
northeast corner of Mi'. Smith's farm stood a 
schoolhouse. This was more than an ordi- 
nary fi'ame country schoolhouse, built in 
1878, but a few brick scattered about is all 
that is left to mark the place where it stood. 
A few rods farther in a northeast direction, 
the grim monster caused more death and de- 
struction. Samuel Osier, a brother of the 
dead Jesse, had a residence on the south 
bank of the Jordan, but a few rods from the 
stream. There he resided with his wife and 
one child. In an instant after the storm 



WAVELAND TOWNSHIP. 



359 



struck it, the house was in ten thousand pieces. 
Mr. Osier states that the first thing he realized 
he was hanging to the limb of a tree some 
rods distant from the house, with a young 
neighbor boy, who was visiting at his house, 
in his arms. The limb broke and they fell, 
bnt Mr. Osier manfully clung to the boy and 
by catching upon the limbs as they fell, he 
so broke the fall that he and the boy were 
but li tie hurt. Mrs. Osier was found north- 
west of the house about six rods, thrown 
down an embankment, probably twenty feet, 
helpless and senseless. The child, a babe 
born in February, was found about four rods 
distant from the house, almost entirely cov- 
ered with dirt and mud, mutilated almost be- 
yond recognition. A threshing machine, 
which stood iu the yard, was entirely blown 
away and no trace of it is yet found. About 



forty rods farther up on the Jordan, the storm 
struck the residence of Mr. Lewis Starts. 
Mr. Starts and family saw the storm coming, 
and went into the cellar, or rather an outside 
cave, and were saved. The house was torn 
into a thousand pieces, and carried away, 
with all the fiu-niture. The storm sped on 
up the Jordan, killing horses and cattle, some of 
which it is stated were carried three -quai-ters 
of a mile. It passed on its course into Cass 
County, wrecking the residence of Mr. Spur- 
geon, killing his team and smashing his wag- 
ons. The residence of Mrs. Thomas Paist 
was next in its path. Mrs. Paist and a young 
son, thirteen years old. were instantly killed. 
The storm seemed to have spent its fury a 
short distance from this point, and but little 
further damage was done by it. " 



CHAPTER LVII.* 



WAVELAND TOWNSHIP— ORGANIZATION— TOWNSHIP OFFirERS—STP>EAMS— CHURCHES— SCHOOLS 

—A TRAGIC AFFAIR. 



^ I "'HIS township was originally called Wal- 
-*- nut Creek, and was organized in 1856. 
The petition for its organization by a mis- 
take was made to include what is now Grove 
and Center Townships to the west of it. This 
gave offense to the voters in these last town- 
ships, and at the election in 1856 they came 
in a mass to the polls, and at that time the 
boundaries were rectified in a proper applica- 
tion, and duly approved by the county author- 
ities. In 1873, Wright and Waveland Town- 
ships were formed of Walnut. Waveland is 
in the extreme southeast of the county, and 
adjoins Cass County on the one hand and 
Montgomery County on the other. The first 
birth in the township was William Black, 
born on the 4th of July, 1854. The first 

•By Col. John H. Keatlej-. 



death was Zolphes Williams, in September, 
1854. He was buried on the banks of the 
Nishnabotna River early in the morning. He 
and a child were the only ones interred in 
the burial ground in Section 14, Township 
74. The first election was held in 1855. at 
which time the following persons were chosen 
to the township offices: Ed. Dean, JohnWil- 
son and William Mewhirter, Trustees; Fred- 
erick Mewhirter, Justice of the Peace; Frank 
Hostotter, Constable, and William McCart- 
ney, Assessor. 

The present officers are: Clarkson Godfrey, 
D. K. Parker and C. M. Potter, Trustees; 
Eobert Wilson, Clerk; G. L. Mundorf and 
W. L. Cocklin, Justices; William Gray, Con- 
stable, and William Mewhirter, Assessor. 

The first marriage was that of Levi 



360 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Smith and Miss Sara Wilson, in the fall of 
1S59. 

The first mill of any kind built in the 
township was a saw-mill, constructed on the 
east side of the East Nishnabotna River in 
1857 by a man named Davenport, who after- 
ward moved it off. The second saw-mill was 
built by Isaac Bobb on the west bank of the 
same stream, on Section 13, in 1867. There 
are seven principal bridges in the township, 
two over the east Nishnabotna, and five over 
Walnut Creek, on the Walnut Creek and 
Wheeler's Grove road. There are two 
church organizations — the Methodist Ejiiseo- 
pal and the Chinstian — but neither of them 
have edifices of their own, and the services are 
held in the public schoolhouses. The first 
school was taught by a Mrs. Wan-en in her 
own hoiise, on Section 13, in 1857, and the 
second by Mary Ann Hackin, in an old log 
house in the same section, in 1859. The first 
public schoolhouse was erected in 1861. 
There are now eight excellent school build- 
ings in the township. A post office was es- 
tablished at the Mewhirter bridge across 
the Nishnabotna River. Levi Persons was 
its second Postmaster, but the office has been 
discontinued. The first ten settlers in Wave- 
land, and who came in 1S54, 1855 and 1S57, 
were Granville Pierson, who came from Mon- 
roe County in 1854; Joseph Pierson. who 
came at the same time and from the same 
county; W. P. Black came in the same year; 
Johnson Brandon arrived from Missovu'i in 
1854; William and Frederick Mewhirter, 
brothers, from Ohio in the same year; George 
Boyer, from Pennsylvania, and Peter Cocklin 
and John Wilson from the same State in 1855, 
and John Flint from Illinois in 1857. All 
these settlers traveled the old Mormon trail, 
and built log cabins with turf roofs until they 
could provide better habitations. They were 
compelled to go to mill at Ironston, in Cass 



County, or to Stutsman's Mill, near Macedo- 
nia. The name of the township was made to 
correspond with that of the post office then 
existing for the accommodation of the settlers. 

There are two principal streams in the 
township, the East Nishnabotna, and Walnut 
Creek. There are about fifteen hundred acres 
of young timber and 1,000 acres of old timber 
in the township. The first bridge built was 
over Walnut Creek, on the Walnut Creek 
and Wheeler's Grove road. The first road 
laid out was the one leading from Lewis, in 
Cass Coimty. to Sidney, in Fremont County. 

Granville Pierson is a native of Kentucky, 
and was born July 14, 1827. His father, 
Robert Pierson, was a Virginian by birth, 
and died in 1843. Granville Pierson's 
mother was Nancy Rendler, of Boone County, 
Ky., and died in 1839. Both his parents 
died after removing to Indiana. Mr. Pier- 
son was mai'ried in Kenton County, Ky, No- 
vember, 1850, to Elizabeth Fray, who was 
born in Boone Coimty, Ky., December 3, 
1830. Her father, John Fray, was a Virgin- 
ian. Pierson moved to Indiana, and from 
there to Polk County, Iowa, and to Wave- 
land Township in 1854, where he has ever 
since resided, following the pursuit of a farm- 
er. He was a soldier in Company I, of the 
Twenty-third Iowa Infantry, having enlisted 
in 1862, and was at the battles of Port Gib- 
son, Jackson, Champion Hills, Black River 
Bridge and Milliken's Bend and the siege of 
Vicksburg. He was also at the attack upon 
Fort Esperanda, in Texas, and Spanish Fort, 
Mobile, and was mustered out of the service 
June 16, 1865. He is the father of ten 
children, namely, May Jane, George, Milton, 
Tabitha, Ida, now dead; Sophronia and 
Henry, twins; John, James and Emeline. 
In politics, he is an Independent. 

A very distressing and tragic affair occurred 
in Waveland Township in August, 1876, 



WAVELAND TOWNSHIP. 



361 



resulting in the death of Dr. J. H. Hatton, a 
physician residing a few miles from Wave- 
land Post Office, in Cass County. Dr. Hat- 
ton practiced in Waveland Township, and 
about a year before that was the family phy- 
sician of Frederick Mewhirtor, one of the 
oldest settler and the largest land-owner in 
the township. Hatton attended Mrs.Mewhirter 
in childbirth, and it was alleged by ]VIr. Me- 
whirter that Dr. Hatton in the treatment of his 
wife was guilty of malpractice, which re- 
sulted in permanent injury to the lady. A 
suit was brought for this alleged misconduct 
on the part of the physician in the coiu'ts of 
Cass County, and on some preliminary ques- 
tion the decision of the court was against Dr. 
Hatton. An appeal was taken to the Su- 
preme Court. Diu'ing the pendency of these 
proceedings, it was claimed that the treat- 
ment of the lady by the physician so preyed 
upon the mind of Mr. Mewhirter that his 
mental faculties became impaired to the ex- 
tent of limiting his responsibility for acts 
that would otherwise be criminal. Dr. Hat- 
ton and his father, an ^old man seventy years 
of age, went to the post office at the Mewhir- 
ter bridge to visit a patient on Sunday after- 
noon, and after completing their errand they 
started to return with two horses and an open 
buggy. When on the road opposite Mr. 
Mewhirter' s residence, the latter came through 
the fence armed with a Henry rifle. Nothing 
was said as he took the track in fi'ont of the 
horses and fired at Dr. Hatton, striking him 
so that the ball passed through the liver and 



the kidneys. He fell forward on the knees 
of his father. Help was soon obtained, and 
he was taken home, where he lingered until 
the second Sunday, a week, and died. Mr. 
Mewhirter came to Council Bluffs and sur- 
rendered himself to Sherift' Doughty, and ad- 
mitted to bail. When death ensued, he was 
taken into custody, a hearing had before 
Judge Reed, and committed to prison to 
await trial on the charge of murder in the 
first degree. This came on in the December 
term of the District Court at Couucil Bluffs. 
The Grand Jury indicted him for the highest 
grade of homicide, and he was put on his 
trial. District Attorney Mc J unkin and C. E. 
Richards, of Red Oak, and John H. Keatley 
appeared and conducted the prosecution, and 
Montgomery & Scott conducted the defense. 
The burden of the latter was the insanity of 
the prisoner, growing out of the conduct of 
the deceased toward the prisoner's wife, the 
claim being made that he was a monomaniac,, 
made so by brooding over the subject. After 
a long, tedious and well-conducted trial, the 
defendant was convicted of murder in the 
first degree. The highest penalty for the 
offense at that date was imprisonment in the 
penitentiary for life, and Judge Reed accord- 
ingly gave that sentence. An appeal was 
taken to the Supreme Court of the State, but 
the judgment of the court below was affirmed 
and the sentence executed. A civil action 
was also brought for the wrongful killing, 
and a verdict and judgment obtained in the 
sum of 15,500. 



362 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



CHAPTER LVIII. 



APPENDIX— SCHOOL STATISTICS OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY FOR THE YEAR 1882. 



^ I "* HE following statistics of the public 
-*- schools of Pottawattamie County have 
been furnished from official sources, and we 
give them in a separate chapter, rather than 
to incorporate them with the township chap- 
ters: 

Rockford District — Number of subdistricts, 

7. Schools — ungraded schools, 7; average 
number of months taught, 8. Teachers em- 
ployed—males, 3; females, 5; average com- 
pensation per month — males, $33. 93 ; females, 
$33. 93. Pupils — Number of persons between 
the ages of live and twenty-one years, male, 
159; females, 164; number enrolled in dis- 
trict, 242; total average 'attendance in the 
whole district, 118; average cost of tuition 
per month for each pupil, $2.03. School- 
houses — Lumber of frame, 7; value, $3,700; 
value of apparatus, $3.85. 

Pleasant District — Number of subdistricts, 

8. Schools — number of ungraded schools. 
8; average number of months taught, 8. 
Teachers — number employed, males, 4; fe- 
males, 20; average compensation per month 
—males. $32.50; females, $27.19. Pupils 
— number of persons between the ages of five 
and twenty-ime years, males, 109; females, 
99; number enrolled in district, 170; total 
average attendance in the whole district, 95; 
average cost of tuition per month for each 
pupil, $2.56. Schoolhouses — number of 
frame, 8; value, $4,400. Apparatus —value 
of apparatus, $2. 56. 

Lincoln District — Number of subdistricts, 

9. Schools — number of ungraded schools, 8 ; 



average months taught, 7;^. Teachers — num 
ber employed, males, 1 ; females, 23 ; average 
compensation per month — males, $30; fe- 
males, $26.80. Pupils — number of persons 
between the ages of five and twenty-one 
years, males, 119; females, 111; number en- 
rolled in the district, 405; total average at- 
tendance in the whole district, 84; average 
cost of tuition per month for each pupil, $2.- 
93. Schoolhouses — frame, 9; value, $5,200. 
Apparatus — value of apparatus, $12.45. 

Lewis District — Number of subdistricts, 7. 
Schools — number of ungraded schools, 7; 
average number of months taught, 7f. 
Teachers — number emjaloyed, males, 4; fe- 
males, 6; average compensation — males, $34,- 
67; females, $32.29. Pupils— number of 
persons between the ages of five and twenty - 
one years, males, 113; females, 104; total 
average attendance in the whole district, 87; 
number enrolled in district, 179; aver- 
age cost of tuition per month for each pupil, 
$2.74. Schoolhouses — number of frame, 4; 
brick, 3; stone, 1; value, $3,500. Appara- 
tus — value of apparatus, $150. 

Knox District — Number of subdistricts, 8. 
Schools — number of ungraded schools, 8; 
average number of months taught, 7|. 
Teachers — number employed, males, 6; fe- 
males, 15; average compensation per month 
— males, $33; females, $30. Pupils — num- 
ber of persons between the ages of five and 
twenty-one years, males, 154; females, 152; 
total average attendance in the whole district, 
117; munber enrolled in each district, 157; 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



363 



average cost of tuition per month for each 
pupil, |3. 50. Schoolhouses — frame, 8 ; value, 
$2,900. Apparatus — value of apparatus, $78. 

Keg Creek District— Number of subdis- 
tricts. 7. Schools — number of ungraded 
schools, 7; average number of months taught, 
7. Teachers — number employed, males, 5; 
females, 9; average compensation per month 
—males, $30.83; females, $31.75. Pupils- 
number of persons between the ages o|, five 
and twenty-one years, males, 136; females, 
115; total average attendance in the whole 
district, 81|; average cost of tuition per 
month for each pupil. $3.15. Schoolhouses 
— number of frame, 7; value, $3,275. Ap- 
paratus — value of apparatus, $2. Library — 
books in library, 63. 

James District — Number of subdistricts, 
9. Schools— number of ungraded schools, 9; 
average number of months taught, 7f . Teach- 
ers — number employed, males, 4; females, 
14; average compensation per month — males, 
$29.96; females, $29.70. Pupils— number 
of persons between the ages of live and 
twenty -one years, males, 118; females, 100; 
number enrolled in district, 218; total 
average attendance in the whole district, 82; 
average cost of tuition per month for each 
pupil, $3. 23. Schoolhouses — number of 
frame, 9; value, $1,500. 

Hazel Dell District — Number of subdis- 
tricts, 9. Schools — number of ungraded 
schools, 9 ; average number of months taught, 
6^. Teachers — number employed, males, 4; 
females, 14; average compensation per month, 
males, $29.16; females, $26.87. Pupils- 
number of persons between the'ages of tive 
and twenty one years, males, 184; females, 
196; number enrolled in district, 376; 
total average attendance in the whole district, 
240; average cost of tuition per month for 
each pupil, $2.28. Schoolhouses — number 
of frame, 8; value, $4,075. 



Center District — Number of subdistricts, 
12. Schools — number of ungraded schools, 
10; average number of months taught, 7f. 
Teachers — number employed, males, 11; fe- 
males, 16; average compensation per month 
-males, $31.22; females, $30.84. Pupils- 
number of persons between the ages of five 
and twenty-one years, males, 220; females, 
257; number of pupils enrolled in dis- 
trict, 344; total average attendance in the 
whole district, 181; average cost of tuition 
per month for each pupil, $2.31. School- 
houses — number of frame, 5; value, $4,700. 
Apparatus — value of apparatus, $25. 

Belknap District — Number of subdistricts, 
6. Schools — number of ungraded schools. 
5; average number of months taught, 9. 
Teachers — number employed, males, 3; fe- 
males, 9; average compensation per month 
— males, $35; females, $30.97. Pupils — 
number of persons between the ages of five 
and twenty-one years, males, 88; females, 
75; number enrolled in each district, 138; 
total average attendance in the whole district, 
71; average cost of tuition per month for 
each pupil, $2.11. Schoolhouses — number 
of frame, 5; value, $2,250. 

Boomer District — Nvunber of subdistricts, 
9. Schools — number of ungraded schools in 
each district, 9; average number of months 
taught, 6|. Teachers — number of teach- 
ers employed, males, 3; females, 12; average 
compensation paid teachers per month — 
males, $32.44; females, $26.83. Pupils- 
number of persons between the ages of five 
and twenty-one years, males, 199; females, 
186; number of pupils enrolled in each dis- 
trict, 335; total average attendance in the 
whole district, 134§; average cost of tuition 
per month for each pupil, $1.89. School - 
houses — number of frame, 8; brick, 1; value, 
$4,690. Apparatus — value of apparatus, 
$295. 



364 



HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY. 



Silver Creek District — Number of subdis- 
tricts, 6. Schools — number of ungraded 
schools in district, 5; average number of 
months taught, 8f. Teachers — number em- 
ployed, males, 3: females, 12; average 
compensation per month — males, $30.22; fe- 
males, $29.25. Pupils — number of persons 
between the ages of five and twenty-one 
years, males, 110; females, 77; number en- 
rolled in district, 130; total average attend- 
ance in the whole district. 62i; average cost 
of tuition per month for each pupil. 82.51. 
Schoolhouses — number of frame, 5; value, 
$1,900. 

Valley District — Number of subdistricts, 
9. Schools — number of ungraded schools in 
district, 9; average number of months taught, 
8. Teachers — number employed, males, 18; 
females, 14; average compensation per month 
—males, $33.50; females. 132.50. Pupils- 
number of persons between the ages of five 
and twenty-one years, males, 159; females, 
161; number enrolled in district, 25-t; total 
average attendance in the whole district, 
127|^; average cost of tuition per month for 
each pupil, $2.58. Schoolhouses — number 
of frame, 9; value, $4,050. Apparatus — 
value of apparatus, $300. 

Washington District — Number of subdis- 
tricts, 8. Schools — number of ungraded 
schools in district. 8; average number of 
months taught, 6|. Teachers — number em- 
ployed, males, 3; females, 8; average com- 
pensation per month — males, $30; females, 



$27. 86. Pupils — niunber of persons between 
the ages of five and twenty-one years, males, 
132; females, 92; number enrolled in dis- 
trict, 185; total average attendance in the 
whole district, 861; average cost of tuition 
per mouth for each pupil, S3. 07. School- 
houses — number of frame, 7; value, $2,700. 
Apparatus — value of apparatus, $85. 

Wright District — Number of subdistricts, 
9. Schools — number of ungraded schools in 
district, 9 ; average number of months taught, 
8|. Teachers — number employed, males, 4; 
females, 11; average compensation per month 
—males, $27.78; females, $27.34. Pupils- 
number of persons between the ages of five 
and twenty-one years of age, males, 108; fe- 
males, 117; number enrolled in district, 250; 
total average attendance in the whole dis- 
trict, 134; average cost of tuition per month 
for each pupil, $2.50. Schoolhouses — num- 
ber of frame, 8: value. $5,100. 

Waveland District — Number of subdis- 
trictH. 8. Schools — number of ungraded 
schools in district, 8; average niuuber of 
months taught, 6J. Teachers — number em- 
ployed, males, 5; females, 12; average com- 
pensation per month — males, $30.80; fe- 
males, $28. 12. Pupils — number of persons 
between the ages of five and twenty-one 
years, males, 133; females, 145; number en- 
rolled in the district, 267; total average at- 
tendance in the whole district, 121i; average 
cost of tuition per month for each pupil, 12.- 
12. Schoolhouses — number of frame, 8; 
value, $3,250. 







PA RT II. 



Biographical Sketches, 



PART II. 



Biographical Sketches. 



COUNCIL 

E. E. AYLESWORTH, Judge of Superior 
Court of city, came to Council Bluffs in Octo- 
ber, 1866; opened a law office the same year; 
formed partnership with AV. S. Williams in fall 
of 1867, and continued in that firm until the 
spring of 1872; he then formed partnership 
with James & M3'nster, that being the time of 
the organization of the firm of James, Ayles- 
worth & M^-nster. Mr. Mynster withdrawing 
from the firm in 1879, James & Aylesworth con- 
tinued in business together until the spring of 
1882, when Mr. Aylesworth was elected Judge 
of Superior Court of Council Bluifs for a term 
of four years. He was born in Otsego County, 
N. Y., in 1838; was educated in Hartwick Semi- 
narj-. New York, and Delaware Literary Insti- 
tute, Delaware County, X. Y., and commenced 
the study of law in January, 1861, in Portland- 
ville. N. Y., with R. M. Townsend. He was ad- 
mitted to the bar at Binghampton, N. Y., Ma^- 
12. 1863; commenced the practice of law the 
same 3'ear, at Portlandville, N. Y., and con- 
tinued there until 1866. He ran for Judge of 
Circuit Court on the Democratic ticket against 
C. F. Loof bourow (present incumbent) Republi- 
can, and was defeated by a small majority", run- 
ning, however, 2,800 ahead of party ticket. In 
politics, he is a Democrat. He is of English 
and Scotch descent. 



BLUFFS. 

EDWIN J. ABBOTT, Justice of the Peace, 
Council Bluflrs,was born in London, Eng., May 27, 
1841, and came to this countr}' with his parents, 
who located at Cleveland, Ohio. He received his 
education in the preparatory schools of London. 
Eng., and the public schools of Cleveland, Ohio. 
In his early days he followed railroading in 
Ohio and the South. He was married, in Ely- 
ria, Ohio, in 1861, to Sarah A. Packer, sister of 
Mrs. John Hammer, and Ijj" this union they have 
been blessed with four children, two of whom 
are deceased. During the late war, he served 
as a private in the One Hundred and Thirtj-- 
fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry-, and, after the 
close of the war, became a member of the Cleve- 
land police force, and, while serving in that ca- 
pacitj', received a wound which produced lock- 
jaw. He arrived in Council Blufl's April 7. 1870, 
where he was elected Constable, and was after- 
ward Dcput}' Recorder of this county for three 
years. Ho then became book-keeper and man- 
ager for John Hammer, contractor and builder, 
which position he held sis years, and, during 
that time, was three times elected Township 
Clerk of Kane Township, on the Republican 
ticket. After leaving Mr. Hammer, he was ap- 
pointed Census Enumerator of the First Ward 
Council Bluffs in 1880, and in the fall of that 
year, was elected Justice of the Peace on the 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Republican ticket, and still holds that office. 
During the years 1880 and 1881, he was City 
Finance Clerk. He is the only charter member 
now belonging to the order of the original lodge 
of Knights of Pythias for a number of years; 
he was a member of the grand lodge of Knights 
of Pythias. He became a member of the I. 0. 
0. F. at twenty -one years of age. 

W. S. AMENT, attorner, Council Bluffs, has 
been a resident of Council Bluffs since August 
13, 1877. On the 15th of the same month, he 
became the junior member of the firm of Sapp. 
Lyman & Ament. He remained a member of 
this firm for three and a half years, when he 
formed a new partnership under the firm name 
of Ament & Sims, which still exist. Mr. Ament 
is a native of Princeton, Bureau Co., 111. He 
graduated from the high school of his native 
town, and then went to Lincoln, 111.; he had 
spent about two j'ears there as a salesman, 
when he was appointed Deputy County Clerk, 
and held that position but three months, when 
he was appointed Deputy Circuit Clerk, and 
discharged the duties of that position for about 
two years; he then began the study of law with 
Mr. D. H. Harts, of Lincoln, with whom he re- 
mained two years, and then attended, and sub- 
sequently, graduated from the Albany law 
school of Albany, N. Y. Since becoming a 
resident of Council Bluffs, he has devoted his 
time exclusivelj- to the practice of law, and has 
met with good success. 

CHARLES ATKINS, Railroad Pool Commis- 
sioner, Council Bluffs,was born in Maine in 1831; 
was educated in his native State, and,when twent3- 
j-ears of age, went to California, where he re- 
mained four years. In 1856, he came to Iowa, 
and settled in Onawa, where he engaged in 
merchandising. In 1873, he left Onawa, and 
began railroading on the Union Pacific Rail- 
road, and, in 1875, was tendered the position of 
General Agent of the Chicago & North-Western 
Railroad. In the spring of 1880, he went to 
Colorado as President of the Colorado Mining, 



Smelting & Investment Company, which posi- 
tion he still holds. In Onawa, Iowa, in 1860, 
he married Miss Mary Sears, of that place, and 
they have one child, Carrie, aged twenty years. 
Mrs. Atkins' father kept the Pacific House in 
Council Bluffs in 1854. Mr. Atkins is at pres- 
ent Pool Commissioner for the Iowa lines at the 
Transfer Yards of Council Bluffs. 

JOHN E. AHLES, blacksmith. Council 
Bluffs, came to this city in 1856, and was 
employed on the Utah expedition against 
the Mormons, and shortl}- afterward was 
engaged by the Western Stage Co. to con- 
duct their blacksmith shops located here. 
In 1860, he started in business for himself, 
and carried it on with great success. In 
1859, he went to California, but returned the 
following year. While absent, he was engaged 
in an Indian fight, and he still carries a ball in 
his bod^' as a token of remembrance of that 
occasion. When Abraham Lincoln was here in 
1858, he (subject) was instructed by N. S. 
Bates, city agent of the Western Stage Co., 
and also an old neighbor of Mr. Lincoln's to 
show him all possible courtesy, and to take 
him down on the bottom and show him his 
large farm, which mission Mr. Ahles fulfilled, 
and on their return the party stopped at a 
saloon, near where Lentzinger's bakery now 
stands, and all with the exception of 3Ir. Lin- 
coln took a glass of beer, he remarking that 
he " would take a drink if he felt like it." In 
Basil, Switzerland, is the seat of the largest 
German and Swiss institution for missionary 
purposes. In 1857, they sent out two mission- 
aries and four colonists among the Crow and 
Blackfeet Indians that were roaming about the 
Black Hills. They stayed among them two 
years, when, through the influence of Canadian 
missionaries, their huts were burned and four 
killed, the remaining two returning to Council 
Bluffs. These latter were very positive of the 
existence of gold in the Black Hills, which 
fact our subject published in the Allentown 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



Weltburger, and also in Frank Leslie's Illus- 
trated, this being the first knowledge of gold 
existing in the Black Hills. Our subject claims 
to the first man to correspond in German with 
the Eastern press from Colorado, Utah and 
Nevada. The Germans of Council Bluffs cele- 
brated the one hundredth anni versarj- of the birth 
of the poet Schiller, and soon after our subject 
recevied a letter from the daughter of the poet, 
thanking them for the honor shown her father's 
memory. Mr. Ahles enlisted in the Fifth 
Iowa Cavah'y, but was rejected on account of 
physical disabilities. He has built many small 
houses for poor tenants, manj- of whom are 
to-daj- thanking him for their homes. Mr. 
Ahles' shop is situated on South Main street, 
where he does general blacksmithing and 
wagon work. He has twice been a member of 
the Democratic State Convention, and once a 
member of the National Convention of the 
Democratic part}-. 

.^IRS. L. C. ARBUTHNOT, milliner, Coun- 
cil Bluflfs, was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., and 
lived there until her marriage. Her husband, 
George B. Arbuthnot. died in 1S65. He 
was a cotton broker in the South, and lost his 
property in the rebellion. They had one boy — 
George W. Arbuthnot, aged twenty-two years, 
who is now in Omaha. ;\Irs. Arbuthnot em- 
ploys twelve girls in her millinery and dress- 
making establishment. She came to Council 
Bluffs iu 1865, from New Orleans, where her 
husband formerly lived. 

JUDGE A. S. BRYANT, retired. Council 
Bluffs, whose portrait appears iu this work, 
was born in Powhatan County, Va., twenty 
miles from Richmond, July 1, 1803. When he 
was nine years old, his parents moved to 
Georgia, and soon after to Frankfort, Ky., 
where he was reared and educated, and where 
in 1831, he married Miss P. G. Montgomerv. 
In 1849, he was elected County Judge of Put- 
nam County, Mo., and in 1S52 came to Council 
Bluffs, and engaged in buying and selling real 



estate. He owns twelve houses in Council 
Bluflfs, and also has a fine tract of land near, 
consisting of 250 acres. He speaks very high- 
ly of the early IMormon settlers here, whom he 
describes as honest and industrious. He was 
a friend of Orson Hyde, the Mormon elder, 
who was at Council Bluflfs in 1852; the dispute 
between the Mormons and Gentiles at that 
time being settled by Judge Bryant and Elder 
Hyde, who were chosen arbitrators. When 
Judge Bryant first came -to Council Blufl^'s it 
was a place of about five hundred inhabitants, 
but there were flush times then and money was 
plentiful. He auctioned off at one time $12,- 
000 worth of cattle where the Broadway 
Methodist Church now stands. He canned 
$3,000 in gold on his person from Council 
Bluffs to Missouri, a journey at that time at- 
tended with considerable peril to the traveler. 
His success in life has been owing to his un- 
tiring energy and industry. He spends the 
winter seasons at Beebe, White Co., Ark., 
where he owns some property. His name in 
full is Archibald S. Bryant; has no children; 
is an uncle of R. T. Brjant, of Council Bluffs. 
JOHN N. BALDWIN, attorney. Council 
Bluflfs, was born in Council Bluffs July 9, 1857, 
where he has since resided. He was educated 
at the Iowa State University, graduating from 
the law department in June, 1877. He began 
the practice of law in Council Bluffs as a mem- 
ber of the firm of Rising, Wright & Baldwin. 
In 1880, Rising left for Colorado, and the firm 
then changed to Wright & Baldwin, as it now 
stands. Mr. Baldwin has achieved remarkable 
success as an attorney, whi^h, perhaps, is due 
to his natural ability as an orator, though, as a 
sharp, shrewd and far-seeing lawj'er, he ranks 
among the old attorne3's of his native city. 
Every succeeding year since he began practic- 
ing, has found him higher in the estimation of 
the people, and deeper in the m3'steries of law. 
Future honors maj- be easily won by him, if the 
past maj- be any criterion from which to judge 



6 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



In December of 1878, he was married to Miss 
Lilla G. Holeomb, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

HENRY BEECROFT. livery. Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Blutl's in 1860, and engaged in 
teaming. He commenced draj-ing in 1 865, with 
one team, and kept increasing until at present 
he has four teams at work. He bought his liverj- 
stable September 9, 1832, but still keeps three 
teams at work dra\'ing and two cabs running; 
he has fourteen horses in livery stock, besides 
several boarders; he employs five men. Mr. 
Beeeroft was born in England in 1840, and came 
to the United States in 1851, his parents set- 
tling in Missouri. In two years, they removed 
to Salt Lake, our subject remaining there three 
years; he was married, in 1863, to Miss Mary 
Reeves, of Council Blutfs, and thej- have eight 
children, equally divided, four boys and four 
girls. Mr. Beeeroft is a Republican in politics. 

PETER BECHTEL. proprietor of Bechtels 
Hotel, Council Bluffs, is a native of Bavaria, 
Germany, born in 1827, and came to America 
in 185-4. After traveling for a short time, he 
located in Chicago, where he remained one 3'ear, 
after which he went to Lake Superior. After 
remaining there a few months, he went, in 1856. 
to La Crosse, where he remained till 1859, when 
he removed to St. Joseph, Mo.; he remained in 
St. Joseph for two years, and carried on the 
restaurant business there, and, in 1861, came to 
Council Bluffs; here he opened a hotel, and in 
1864, bought his present stand, which he re- 
fitted and improved in 1867; he does a good 
business, having from fift^' to sixtj' boarders, 
and being also well patronized by transient 
guests. In Havre de Grace, in 1854, he mar- 
ried Miss Anna Wentzl, of the T3-rol, Germany, 
and by this union they have been blessed with 
two children — Louis, twent3'-six, and Anna, 
twenty-four 3-ears of age. 

NAPOLEON J. BOND, grain-dealer. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born near Waterloo, 111., in 1832, 
and is a descendent of the Bond family who 
came to America in 1 634. with Lord Baltimore, 



and assisted in founding the cit3' of Baltimore. 
In 1781, a great-great-uncle came to Kaskaskia, 
111., with Gen. George Rogers Clark, who was 
followed, about the year 1800, b3' Shadraek 
Bond, who was elected the first Governor of 
Illinois, in 1819, about which time Shadraek G. 
Bond, father of Napoleon, came to Illinois. 
The subject of this sketch remembers manv of 
the thrilling incidents related to him by his 
famih' of the early pioneers of Illinois. After 
receiving a common school education, he taught 
school for a time, and read law with Colonel, 
afterward Governor, Bissell, of Illinois. A favor- 
able opportunity offering, he went into the bus- 
iness of merchandising at Waterloo, III., in 
1852. Closed out in 1853. and removed to 
Sulphur Springs. Mo., where he carried on the 
mercantile business for a 3-ear and a half, and 
while engaged in business studied medicine, 
and in 1855 sold out, and went to Carlyle, 111., 
where he continued the study of medicine, un- 
til he again engaged in business for himself, in 
1857, in which he remained but a short time. 
Removed to Trenton, 111., where he again em- 
barked in the mercantile business, and failed in 
1859. Closed up affairs, and again took up the 
law, and in the spring of 1861, crossed the 
plains to Colorado, with the gold-seekers, and 
was fortunate enough to strike a bonanza in 
the shape of a gold mine called the Phillips, at 
Buckskin Joe, which was the leading mine of 
Colorado in 1861. He was, soon after his ar- 
rival in the mining camp, elected President 
and Judge of the district, which position he 
held until the Territorial organization. Was 
a member and President of the Council 
of the first Colorado Legislature, and assisted 
in organizing the Territorial Government of 
Colorado. Left Colorado in 1863, and went 
to Virginia City. Mont., in 1864, with the 
gold excitement there, engaged in mining and 
merchandising, and in the spring of 1865 re- 
moved to Helena, where he built one of the 
first houses built in that city, and saw 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



Johnnj- Keen, alias Bob Black, hung on 
hangman's tree, who was the first of sixteen 
hung on it at different times. Closed out in 
the fill! of 180)5, and returned to the States ; 
fitted out a mule train and freighted across the 
plains ; again to Virginia City, Mont., in 186ti, 
where he engaged in business, and in March, ; 
1867. started with his train and goods for Sal- 
mon Kiver Mines, Idaho ; the severest weather 
of the winter was experienced after his leaving, 
the thermometer ranging from zero to -i7° be- 
low : but bj- making sleds, which he had to do, 
with the mercury 20° below, and placing his 
wagons ou them, was enabled to cross the 
main snowy range of the Rocky ilonntains, 
over snow from three feet to fortj' feet deep, 
which feat he accomplished without frost biting 
a man. or losing a single mule, and claims to be 
the first and only person who ever successfully 
crossed the main snowy range of the Rocky 
Mountains with a train in the middle of the win- 
ter. Arriving at Salmon River, seventeen miles 
from the mines, at the foot of the mountains, in 
company with Col. George L. Shoup, they laid 
out a town which they named Salmon Cit}-, 
which in about two weeks had a population of 
1.200 inhabitants. But the mines proving a 
partial failure, a stampede set in from them, 
and in three months there were only about 100 
out of the 1,200 left. After an eventful season, 
he closed out, and returned to the States, stop- 
ping on his wa}' home at Council Bluffs, where 
an opportunity offered, and in the spring 
of 1868 engaged in the grain, produce, 
hide and wool business, with Thatcher and 
Mulholland, under the firm name of Bond, 
Thatcher & Co., which was dissolved in the 
spring of 1869, N. J. Bond continuing the bus- 
iness. In 1872, the hide and wool business 
was sold to Oberne, IMcDonald & Co., and the 
balance of the business closed out, after which 
he removed to Vermillion, Dak., where he 
bought grain during that j'ear, and loaded the 
first steamboat load of wheat ever shipped out 



of the Territory-, and after a successful trade 
over the Dakota Southern Railroad, the fol- 
lowing year, again returned to Council Bluffs, 
and in the fall of 1874 again went into the 
grain and produce trade in Council Bluffs, in 
which he has continued until the present time. 
During the most of the time, he has been work- 
ing and developing his old mine in Colorado, 
which he has at last succeeded in developing 
into a second Bonanza. Although a life-long 
Methodist, he, with his wife, who was a Mrs. 
Harvey, whose maiden name was McClelland, 
are now both members of the Presb3'terian 
Church of Council Bluffs. 

D. W. BUSHNELL, book and news dealer, 
Council Bluffs, was born in Ashtabula County, 
Ohio, in 1844; was educated there, and re- 
mained till 1859, when he moved to Boone, 
Boone Co., Iowa, where he lived on a farm two 
}'ears; he then entered the army as a private in 
Fifteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantrj-, and, at the 
close of the war. returned to Boone, where he 
filled the office of Deputy County Treasurer 
for two years; he then engaged in the book 
business, which he carried on under the firm 
name of Moffatt & Bushnell to the fall of 1872, 
when he came to Council Bluffs; here he bought 
an interest in L. Brackett's Post Office Book 
Store, and carried on business in company with 
Mr. Brackett until 1876, when he sold out to 
W. C. Erb. Aftei two years, he again bought 
an interest in the business. On first coming to 
Council Bluffs, Bushnell & Brackett started a 
store on upper Broadway, and they have 
operated that and the post office book store 
ever since. In the spring of 1882, the post 
office store was removed five doors above the 
post office. The Pearl street store is 100 feet 
long and twenty feet wide, and occupies one 
floor, where they carry on both wholesale and 
retail business, keeping a full stock of goods in 
their line; this store is conducted by Mr. Bush- 
nell. The store on Upper Broadway is con- 
ducted by Mr. Brackett, and a full stock of toys 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



are kept in addition to the books and news busi- 
ness; this store is seventy feet long and fifty feet 
wide. Mr. Bnshnell's ancestors came to this 
country many generations back. 

REUBEN T. BRYANT, real estate and 
mining, Council Bluffs, was born in Scotland 
County, Mo., in 1837, and is of Scotch-Irish 
descent, although his ancestors came to this 
country' many generations past and settled in 
Virginia. He remained in Scotland County, 
Mo., until the spring of 1851, when he came to 
Council Bluffs, and after living there a year 
and a half, moved back to Scotland County, 
Mo. He received his education in the schools 
of Scotland County and Council Bluffs. He 
returned to Council Bluffs in 1863, and attended 
school, and also taught until 1866, when he 
went to Chicago and took a business course in 
Eastman's Business College. Returning to 
Council Bluffs- the following year, he taught 
school for two years, then engaged in real 
estate business. In December, 1869, he went 
to Avoca, Iowa, where he engaged in general 
merchandising until the fall of 1872, when he 
was elected Clerk of Court on the Republi- 
can ticket, and he accordingly sold out his 
business in Avoca and entered upon his duties 
as Clerk in January, 1873, and held that posi- 
tion for four years. During this time he had 
carried on the real estate business, and on 
leaving the Clerk's office he gave his attention 
to that business. In the spring of 1879, he 
took a trip to Colorado, and while there became 
connected in the mining business with the Sen- 
eca Mining & Tunnel Company, and the R. T. 
Bryant Mining Company (named after subject), 
and afterward became interested in some 
placer mines located on Mandano Creek, on the 
south side of Sangre de Christo Mountains, 
Col., in San Luis Valley, and in some copper 
mines on Pass Creek, the company being known 
as the Huerfano Mining Company. At Council 
Bluffs, in 1872, Mr. Bryant married Miss Anna 
C. Drain, of that city, and by this union they 



have been blessed with one child — Faunie 
Anna, aged four years. 

GEORGE C. BROWN, dentist, Council 
Bluffs, was born in Watertown, N. Y., February 
11, 1859 ; removed, in 1869, tj Council Bluft's, 
where he received his education in the public 
schools. He has lived in Council Bluffs ever 
since, with the exception of the time spent in 
acquiring his knowledge of dentistry. He 
began studying dentistry with Austin & Darby, 
of St. Joseph, Mo., in the spring of 1877, and 
in the fall of that year entered the Penn.sylva- 
nia College of Dental Surgery. In the spriug 
of 1873. he returned to the office of Austin 
& Darby, where he pursued the stud}' of his 
chosen profession, and in the fall of the same 
year entered the University of Pennsylvania, 
from which he graduated March 12, 1879. In 
the summer of that year he began the practice 
of dentistry corner of Pearl street and Broad- 
way, Council Blufls. His office is now in room 
11, in the same block, on Pearl street. 

REV. P. F. BRESEE, one of the most 
active members of the Iowa clergy, was born 
in the township of Franklin, Delaware Count}-, 
N. Y., December 31, 1838. His father. P. P. 
Bresee, at that time farming in Franklin, is a 
native of the same count}', as is also his 
mother, Susan, daughter of Luke Brown, who 
came to Delaware County from Massachusetts 
at an early day. Mr. and Mrs. Bresee had one 
daughter and two sons — ^Diantha, P. F. our 
subject, and Reed, who died at one year of age. 
Diantha married Mr. Giles Cowle}' in New 
York. They all came West, pursued farming 
in Iowa Count}*, this State, for a time, then 
removed to Des Moines in 1864, and engaged 
in milling and merchandising, and, in 1872, 
came to Council Bluffs, where Mrs. Cowley 
died April 20, 1875, leaving one son, Fred. P. 
P. Bresee, our subject, attended the common 
schools of his native home, and later the 
Franklin Seminary. He spent a portion of 
his youth in a general store in Davenport, in 



COU^TCIL BLUFFS. 



which his father for several years owned an 
interest. He experienced a change of heart at 
sixteen j-ears of age, joined the Methodist 
Church in Davenport, Delaware County, and 
from that time was inclined to the work of the 
ministry. Two years later he came West, with 
a view of ultimately entering the religious 
field. Owing to a great need of ministerial 
workers in Iowa, he almost immediately joined 
the Iowa Conference. Although being at that 
time but eighteen years of age, he was assigned 
a charge as junior Pastor of the Marengo work, 
comprising six or eight appointments. It was 
a year of hard work, but success crowned his 
labors, and the church was greatly strength- 
ened. Mr. Bresee first came to Council Bluffs 
in 1870 as Pastor of the Broadway JI. E. 
Church, and remained there three years. He 
labored earnestly for the prosperity of the 
church, and during his pastorate the member- 
ship was greatly increased, and a much higher 
state of spiritual power was enjoyed. He has 
ever been careful to educate his people on 
every moral question, and has ever been a rad- 
ical temperance man. He was sent as delegate 
to the General Conference in 1872, held at 
Brooklyn, N. Y. From Council Bluffs he 
labored at Red Oak, Iowa, three years, 
then in Clarinda three years, and next in 
Creston two years, and, in 1881, he returned 
to Council Cluffs, where he is now actively 
engaged in a new and most important work of 
organizing a new society and erecting a mag- 
nificent new church edifice. Mr. Bresee has 
been assigned this special work because of his 
well-established reputation as a worker, an 
organizer and a man of marked executive 
ability. The success of this enterprise at the 
time of writing is assured by large subscrip- 
tions of money, and the efficient manner in 
which Mr. Bresee has thus far conducted the 
business, not only contributing to the work his 
undivided attention, but liberallj- from his pri- 
vate purse. Mr. Bresee has been engaged in 



the work of the ministrj' for more than twent3-- 
five years, and during the entire time in the 
State. He first joined and worked in the Iowa 
Conference until 1864, when that Conference 
was divided, and his field of labor put into the 
Des Moines Conference. July 31, 1860, he 
married Miss Maria E. Hebbard, daughter of 
Horace and Samantha (Hoyt) Hebbard. Mr. 
Hebbard was a native of the Empire State, and 
a farmer by occupation. Mrs. Hebbard was 
born in the State of Connecticut. They had two 
sons and three daughters — R. L., Debora, N. H., 
Maria E. and Mary. Mrs. B. was born Novem- 
ber 1 5, 1836. She received her education at the 
schools in Davenport, Delaware Co., N. Y., 
where she lived until after her marriage. Mr. 
and Mrs. Bresee have had seven children, six 
of whom are now living. The second child — 
Lillie M., died when fifteen mouths old. Ernest 
H., the oldest, is now in college. Phineas W., 
Bertha, Paul, Melvin and Susie, are at home. 
Mr. Bresee, besides attending to his pastoral 
duties, finds time to devote to outside business, 
and has been fortunate in making modest 
investments in mining stocks, upon which he 
has received handsome margins, and now owns 
stock in several of the most prolific mines of 
Mexico and Arizona, with the returns from 
which he is enabled to gratifj- a life-long desire 
to promote the prosperit}' of and spread the 
word of (rod. 

AMELIA BURROUGHS, physician. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born in Wellington, Ohio, a few 
miles from Cleveland. From early childhood, 
she manifested a passion for the study of med- 
icine and surgery. She was educated in Cleve- 
land and graduated at the Homreopathic Hos- 
pital College in March, 1881. She was Dis- 
pensary Physician at the Woman's Dispensary 
connected with the college. She has a large 
and steadily-increasing practice in Council 
Bluffs. She was married, in 1873, at Cleve- 
land, Ohio, and has one child — Willie. 

J. W. BUFFINGTON, book-keeper for Erb 
& Duquette, Council Bluffs, was born at Ta- 



10 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



neytowii, Carroll Co.. Md., November 10, 1847, 
and is of English descent. His father was 
Chief Judge of the Orphans' Court of Carroll 
County, Md., for eight years. When subject 
was nine years of age, he moved with his par- 
ents to Baltimore, Md. He received his edu- 
cation at Irving College, Manchester, Md., and 
took a business course at Bryant & Stratton's 
Business College, Baltimore, 3Id. He first be- 
gan business in 1866 as salesman with Delphey 
& Shorb, dry goods merchants, with whom he 
remained about a year ; then entered the store 
of F. H. Elliott, Taneytown, Md., remaining 
there till 1870. He then engaged in farming 
and dair}' business, near Baltimore, Md., and 
continued in that occupation till February, 
1875, when he came to Council Bluffs and there 
engaged as salesman with J. W. Laing, with 
whom he remained till 1876. He then returned 
to Maryland and engaged with his former em- 
ployer, F. H. Elliott, for two years, when he 
returned to Council Bluffs and again engaged 
with J. W. Laing, and after being two years in 
his employ accepted his present position of 
book-keeper for Erb & Duquette, wholesale 
confectioners and fruiterers, of Council Bluffs. 
The}' are the largest dealers in their line west 
of Chicago. 

BECK BROTHERS, grocers. Council Bluffs. 
Peter Beck now has control of the business of 
this firm, his brother, Charles Beck, having 
died August 8, 1881. The style of the firm, 
however, yet remains — Beck Brothers. They 
commenced business July 19, 1879, in the 
house occupied by them now, 600 South Main 
St. Their stock when beginning business 
amounted to $1,500, and their annual sales 
were S20,000. The firm has on hand at pres- 
ent about $4,000 stock, and the annual sales 
now amount to 830,000. Mr. Beck attends in 
the store himself and has two salesmen besides. 
Peter Beck was born at Bingen on the Rhine, 
German}', in 1854. His parents removed to 
this country when he was but six years old, 



and came to St. Joseph, Mo., where they lived 
one year. They then moved to Omaha, re- 
mained there a year, and then came to Council 
Bluffs, where he has ever since resided. He 
was educated in the public schools of Council 
Bluffs. 

J. H. BURROUGHS, real estate, Council 
Bluffs, was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., 
in June, 1820, and is of English descent. He 
was one of the originators of the \V3'oming 
Mutual Insurance Company, of which he was 
General Manager at Warsaw, N. Y. In the 
spring of 1868, he came West and located at 
Council Bluffs, where he has since resided. 
Since he came to Council Bluffs, he has been 
engaged in the real estate and loan business. 
He is now and has been for two years Overseer 
of the Poor. He is a supporter of the Repub- 
lican part}'. 

J. W. BAIRD, attorney. Council Bluffs, was 
born in Morgantown, W. Va. He came to 
Council Bluffs in the fall of 1862, where he has 
ever since resided. He was educated in Coun- 
cil Bluffs Public Schools and at Cornell College, 
Mount Vernon, Iowa. He graduated from the 
former school in 1870, in the first class ever 
graduating from that school, and from the lat- 
ter institution in the spring of 1874, having at 
that time conferred upon him the degree of B. 
S., and in 1877 the honorable degree of 51. S., 
from the same college. He commenced read- 
ing law with Sapp & Lyman in 1878. Was 
admitted to practice the same year, and in the 
fall of 1878 was elected Justice of the Peace of 
Council Bluffs, which otfice he has ever since 
held. He is of Irish descent. 

J. F. BARKE, Excelsior Gallery, Council 
Bluffs, came to Council Blufl's in 1879 from 
England and opened up business on First av- 
enue, between Main and Pearl streets. He has 
a branch gallerj' at Missouri Valley, Iowa. 
He employs four assistants. In the fall of 
1881, he introduced the new instantaneous 
gelatine bromide process, he being the first to 



COUXCIL BLUFFS. 



11 



introduce it In the West. It has proved an 
eminent success. He was born, in 18-14. in 
Warwickshire. England. Cama to the United 
States in 1874, and soon after returned, and 
came back here in 1879. Mr. Bai-ke is about 
to re-model his operating room, which will 
then be the finest in the State. He has met 
with great success with children's photographs. 

THOMAS BOWMAN, Mayor, Council Bluffs, 
has been a resident of the city since 1867. 
He first entered the employ of John Hammer, 
contractor and builder; next spent two years 
with J. P. & J. N. Casady, real estate dealers, 
and left them to take the management of the 
Crystal Mills at Council Bluffs. He held the 
office of City Assessor during 1872-73-74 and 
1875, four terms, resigning in the latter year 
to accept the office of Treasurer of Pottawat- 
tamie Count}-, to which he was elected by the 
Democratic party. This is a two yeai-s' term 
office, and Mr. Bowman held it for three con- 
secutive terms. In 1881, he was elected May- 
or of the cit}- of Council Bluffs. He has been 
connected with the tire department of the citj' 
since 1868, and is Captain of Rescue Hose 
Company, No. 3. In 1881, the firm of Bow- 
man. Rohrer & Co. was organized. Their 
principal business is storage and commission. 
Mr. Bowman was born in 1848 in Wiscasset, 
Me. He has a full genealogical history of 
his family, bj- which his ancestry is traced to 
English origin. His family was represented in 
the pilgrims of the Mayflower. He has been 
remarkablj' successful as a business man. and 
his position is among the best societj- of the 
city. 

JOHN BENNETT, County Treasurer, Coun- 
cil Bluffs, is one of that class of citizens of 
Pottawattamie Count}- whose name is familiar 
to almost every citizen in the county, and who 
is very frequently spoken of as one of the first 
settlors, and the assertion is a true one, as in 
1853, when Council Bluffs was but a small fron- 
tier trading or outfitting point, he, with his un- 



cle, John Keller, became residents of the place. 
None, not even the most enthusiastic in their 
predictions, ever supposed that a quarter of a 
century could make so much difference as to 
change the rough frontier town to the city 
of to-day. Equally important and progress- 
ive have been the changes in the lives of 
some of thie first comers to the town, and of 
this number, the life of Mr. Bennett, is perhaps 
as remarkable as anj-. Born in Allegheny 
City, Penn.. in July, 1832, he w.as left an 
orphan at six years of age in care of his uncle, 
John Keller, his father dying when he was 
two j-earsold, and his mother when he was six. 
His uncle becoming a resident of Cincinnati. 
Ohio, the most of his early life was spent 
and his education received in that city. In 
1853, as before stated, he became a resi- 
dent of Council Bulffs. He spent about three 
j-ears as clerk in a store, and then engaged in 
the lumber trade, at which he continued until 
1862; from that date until 1867, he was a 
salesman in the store of J. M. Philips. The 
following three years he spent in the grocery 
trade on his own account, and only quit it to 
accept the office of Auditor of the County, an 
office which he filled with so much credit as to 
be re-elected to the same position for five con- 
secutive terms of two years each. As a further 
honor, in October, 1881, he was elected to the 
office of Treasurer of the county, for a two 
years' term, and is now engaged in the dis- 
charge of his duties. He has been dependent 
almost wholh' upon his own resources, and 
though he labored under many disadvantages 
when j'oung, he now stands among the sub- 
stantial citizens of the county, financially, and 
and b}- an honorable career, he has builded for 
himself a reputation for which he ma}- be al- 
lowed a pardonable pride. 

JOHN BENO, of John Beno & Co., mer- 
chants, Council Bluffs, came to Council Bluffs 
in the spring of 1861, with his brother, and 
lived with him one j'ear; when his brother 



13 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



moved away, he then lived with Mr. W. D. 
Turner during the latter part of 1861 and all 
of 18G2, during which time he attended the 
public schools of Council BlutTs, and in 1863 
lived with Mr. H. C. Niilt, working in an ex- 
press oflBce, and then entered the store of J. L. 
Foreman as salesman, and held that position 
until the spring of 1866, Mr. Foreman going 
out of the business at that time. Mr. Beno 
then engaged as salesman with Johnson, Sprat- 
Ian & Co., with whom he stayed until July of 
that year, when he formed a partnership with 
Mr. Foreman, the firm being Foreman & Beno. 
He remained in partnership with Mr. Foreman 
until August, 1879, when Mr. Beno withdrew 
from the firm, and he then took a vacation and 
went on a visit to his parents at Portland, Ore- 
gon. He returned to Council Bluffs, and in 
the fall of 1880 opened up a general merchan- 
dise store at 18th Main and 17th Pearl streets. 
Council Blufts, length of store-room 102 feet, 
width twenty feet. The stock of general goods 
is on ground floor, and the store-room and 
clothing department in upper story, the build- 
ing being two stories high. Mr. Beno was 
born in Alsace, France (now Germany), in 
1845, and at seven years of age came to 
America. He first lived in St. Louis six j-ears, 
then removed to St. Joseph, Mo.; lived there 
three years and then came to Council Bluffs. 
He married in 1872, Elizabeth M. Robertson, 
of Little Sioux, Iowa, formerly of Council 
Bluflls. Mr. Beno has associated with him in 
business his two nephews, A. F. Beno and 
Charles Beno, two estimable young gentle- 
men. 

F. A. BURKE, City Auditor, Council BluflTs, 
became a resident of Pottawattamie County as 
early as 1856. He first settled in that part of 
the county' now known as Washington Town- 
ship, and was the second settler there. He re- 
mained there for about three years and then 
came to Council Bluffs. He was filling the 
office of Justice of the Peace when he came to 



the town, Kane Township at that time em- 
bracing the territory of which Washington 
Township was a part. He removed to Council 
Bluffs in 1869, and continued to hold the office 
of Justice by re-election, until 1879. In 1869, 
he was also elected to the office of City Re- 
corder, and was retained in that ofllce liy re- 
election by the Republican party until 1S79. 
He was then out for one j'car, but was again 
elected to the same office, holding it until the 
spring of 1882, when the charter was abolished 
and the Superior Court established, when he 
was elected City Auditor, which office he is now 
filling. During the war of the rebellion he 
was appointed Assistant United States Assessor, 
and held that office until 1869. His life, spent 
in Council Bluffs, has been such as to reflect 
only -credit upon himself. He is a native of 
Washington County, Penn., where he was born 
July 17, 1815. For about ten years prior to 
his moving West he had resided in Wheeling, 
W. Va. In social circles he has taken quite an 
active part. He is a charter member of Twin 
Brother Encampment, No. 42, I. 0. 0. F.. and 
since the organization of the Odd Fellows Pro- 
tective Association on December 5, 1870. he 
has been its President. His first marriage was 
to Miss Eliza J. Smith, a native of Fayefte 
County, Penn. His two sons, William S. and 
Hugh M., were born of this marriage. They 
were both in the Federal army during the re- 
bellion, the former holding the office of Lieu- 
tenant. William S. was also the first publisher 
of the Daihj Nonpareil of Council Bluffs. He 
is now at Alberqurque, N. M., and Hugh M. is 
in San Francisco. Mr. Burke's second marriage 
was while he was a resident of Wheeling. W. 
Va., to Miss Margaret McMilleu, who was also 
born in Pennsylvania. There are five sons and 
one daughter living who were born of this mar- 
riage. The elder sons have already distinguished 
themselves as members of the legal profession, 
and the younger bid fair to occupy an equally 
honorable position in the communit}-. 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



13 



JOHN F. B^YD, Superintendent of the 
Transfer Stock Yards, Council Bluffs, was born 
in Worcester Countj-, Mass., in 1845, and in 
1865 came to Council Bluffs, where he engaged 
in the stock business, in the interest of which 
he spent four years in Texas. In January 
1880, he was appointed to his present position, 
Superintendent of the Transfer Stock Yards at 
Council Bluffs, which he abh" fills, having un- 
der his direction about twenty-three men. 
Mr. Boyd was married in Massachusetts in 
1874, and has three children — Leon Lovell. 
aged six years; Mable A., aged three j'ears, 
and Lulu, eight months old. 

C. A. BEEBE, of C. A. Beebe & Co., dealers 
m furniture and crockery, Council Bluffs, was 
born in Caldwell County, Mo., in 1836. He 
came with his parents in 1838 to Iowa, soon af- 
ter went to Lima, 111.; returned here in 1848, 
and followed farming for fourteen years. He 
began business here in 1867; built his present 
business house in 1880, and is doing a good 
trade, carrying a stock of about §15,000, em- 
ploying two assistants, and doing an annual 
business of from $35,000 to $40,000. He keeps 
a fine stock of furniture, crockery' and glass- 
ware; he also does an extensive jobbing busi- 
ness. He was married in 1857, and has a fam- 
ily of four daughters and one son. The latter 
who is twent}'-four years of age, has an inter- 
est in the business. His family are all at home. 

M. P. BREWER, attorney. Council Bluffs, 
has been a resident of Council Bluffs since 
1867. Ei is a native of laida County, N. Y., 
where he graduated from Hamilton College of 
Clinton. He subsequently graduated from the 
law department of the Michigan University, of 
Ann Arbor, after which he came to Council 
Bluffs, and spent one year in the law office of 
Judge Caleb Baldwin. In the spring of 1863, 
he began practice with Mr. Hart, under the firm 
name of Hart & Brewer. In one j-ear's time 
the firm again changed, and became Clinton, 
Hiirt & Brewer. Business was done by this 



firm until May, 1882, when Mr.- Hart changed 
his residence to Minneapolis, Minn., and Mr. 
Clinton retired from business. Mr. Brewer has 
since continued in practice at the old office, in 
the Officer & Pusey bank building. 

E. BURHORN, jeweler. Council Bluffs, was 
born in Germany in 1840; in 1866, came to 
the United States, and in 1869 to Council Bluffs. 
He worked six months for C. B. Jacquimin & 
Co., and in 1870 commenced business on his 
own account. He has been successful in his 
business, which is constantly increasing; he 
carries a $7,000 stock, and emploj's an assist- 
ant. In 1878, he married Miss MoUie L. Woods, 
of Council Bluffs, and they have one child — 
Frank, aged three and a half years. 

J. J. BROWN, railroad contractor. Council 
Bluffs, is a native of Ireland; was born in 1833, 
and in 1845 came to the United States with his 
parents, who settled in Springfield, Mass. He 
came to Chicago in the spring of 1849, thence 
to Diibuque, Iowa, in 1853, and in 1865 came 
to Council Bluffs, where he engaged as a con- 
tractor on the Chicago & North- Western Rail- 
road. In Council Bluffs, in 1867, he married 
Miss Rj'an, and by this union thej- have one 
daughter — Nora M., aged twelve 3-ears, now at- 
tending school in South Bend, Ind. In 1S68, 
he engaged in the hardware business under the 
firm name of Brown & Ryan, in which he con- 
tinued for three years, then sold out, and in 
1870 went to Texas, where he built 200 miles 
of the Intern.ational Railroad, now the Texas 
Pacific. In 1862, he enlisted in the Twelfth 
Iowa Infantry; in 1863, was transferred into 
the Sixth Iowa Cavalry, in which he held the 
rank of First Lieutenant. In 1865, he enlisted 
in the regular army as Captain of the Com- 
missionary department, and the same year left 
the service, being in the army in all four years 
and six months. He is a supporter of the Dem- 
ocratic part}-. 

VINCENT BATTIN, carpenter. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Ohio in 1833; left home in 



u 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



1853, and went to Indiana, where he stayed 
four years. He has traveled quite extansivel}-; 
has been in Kansas, Colorado and Idaho, and 
was married in the latter place in 1866. He 
moved to Council Bluffs from Idaho in 1867; 
opened a carpenter shop on Broadway, and has 
lately erected his present building; he does a 
business averaging $15,000 annually, aud gives 
employment to eight men; he superintended 
the rebuilding of the Ogden House, and also 
built the Everett Block, on the corner of Broad- 
way and Pearl streets. His mother is living in 
Davis County, Iowa, and is seventy years of 
age; his father died in Davis Countj^ Iowa. 
Mr. Battin is a stanch Republican, and takes a 
deep interest in political affairs. 

JAMES M. BARSTOW, physician, Council 
Bluffs, was born in Peoria County. 111., in 1854 
His parents moved to a point in Mills County, 
this State, called New Bethlehem, and in 1865, 
returned to Illinois, where, after staying two 
years, they came to this count)'. Our sulycct 
was educated at the Keokuk College of Phar- 
macj" and Surgery, from which institution he 
graduated in March, 1880. He took special 
courses in Obstetrics, Surger}- and Analj'tical 
Chemistry; he has one of the finest medical 
libraries in the cit)-; he was married in Sep- 
tember, 1881, to Miss Lizzia Knabe, of Council 
Bluff. Mrs. Barstow died June 6 of the fol- 
lowing \'ear; she was well known and greatly 
beloved by the people of this community, be- 
ing a popular and respected teacher in our pub- 
lic schools. 

CHARLES J. BECKMAN, harness-maker. 
Council Bluffs, was born in Bavaria in 1840. 
He arrived in New York December 26, 1856, 
and started at once for Chicago, where he 
worked at his trade of harness-making. In 
March, 1861, he went to Naperville, 111., where, 
in the following May, he enlisted in the Thir- 
teenth Illinois Infantry, and served till Novem- 
ber 29, 1863; he was at the battle of Ringgold, 
Ga., and afterward, under Gen. Grant, at Look- 



out Mountain aud Mission Ridge, where he 
lost his right arm. He was discharged in 
March, 1864, at Hospital No. 19, in Nashville, 
Tenn.; he returned to Naperville, 111., where he 
remained until May 1, 1870, at which time he 
came to Council Bluffs and opened in business; 
he moved to his pi'esent location January 1, 
1877, and furnishes employment to six men. 
* Our subject is of a family of ten children; his 
mother is still living with him, at the age of 
seventy-four; his father died in Naperville, 111., 
aged seventy-two. Mr. Beckman was married, 
in Council Bluffs, July 19, 1874, to Paulina W. 
Vogeler. Her parents live in Oak Township, 
Mills County, this State. 

H. S. BOTLE; commission merchant, Coun 
cil Bluffs, was born in a railroad camp in 1837. 
This was the Albany & Schenectadj' Railroad, 
which was the second railroad built in the 
United States. It is now a branch of the X. 
Y. C. & H. R. R. Up to the present year, 
our subject has been in the railroad business 
all of his life. He helped to build the first rail- 
road in Texas; he built the Wisconsin Central 
from Stevens Point to Ashland; he built the 
last ten miles of Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 
Railroad, at the Council Bluffs end of that road, 
employing from 10,000 to 15,000 meu; he con- 
tracted for and built five miles of the Wabash 
Railroad in Mills County, this State. July 1. 
1882, he opened in this present business ; he 
keeps a stock of wood, coal, flour, feed, etc., 
and does a general commission business. He 
was married at Darlington, Wis., in January, 
1S61, to Miss Matilda M. Durst, of Erie, Peun., 
a cousin of Gen. Robert E. Lee, of rebellion 
fame. Mr. and Mrs. Boyle have two children — 
Harr)' E., aged eighteen 3"ears, and Lelia N.. 
aged thirteen. Our subject's father died in 
Erie, Penn., in 1845, at the age of seventy. The 
mother died in McGregor, this State, in 1868, 
being seveut\--six years old. 

PAUL BOUQUET, livery. Council Bluffs, 
born in New York in 1848. From his native 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



15 



State he moved successively to Ohio, Michigan, 
Omaha, Neb., aud Anally, to Council Bluffs in 
1872. He started a livery stable with eight 
horses. At present, he owns two livery barns, 
one on North Madison street, and the other on 
lower Broadwaj'. He has a fine residence on 
Stutsman street, and also a farm in Nebraska. 
Mr. Bouquet is a public-spirited man; always 
ready to lend his aid to every legitimate en- 
terprise. His mother is living at Grand Island, 
Neb., and is sixty-five years old; his father 
died in Saginaw, Mich., in 1875, leaving a family 
of twelve children, all of whom are living ex- 
cept one, Martha, who died in 1880, at Flint, 
Mich. Our subject was married in Council 
Bluffs, in 1873. He has two children — Mabel, 
aged five years, and Bud, who is three years 
old. 

JOHN CLAUSEN, grocer. Council Bluffs, 
was born in Germany December 25, 1832. He 
landed in New York Citj- in 1853, without a 
single cent in his pocket. He came to Council 
Bluffs in 1856 and in 1860 opened a grocery 
store in a small log house on what is now the 
site of the Ogden House. This primitive food 
dispensar3' was called the " One-Horse Grocery," 
and it will be remembered by the older citizens 
of Council Bluffs. He now carries on a large 
grocerj-, beside keeping a full line of hardware 
and agricultural implements. He was married 
in Council Bluffs in 1856. He has seven chil- 
dren — two sons and five daughters, all of whom 
are living in Council Bluffs. The oldest daugh- 
ter is the wife of jMr. Allen of this city. Our 
subject was Treasurer of the city of Council 
Bluffs in 1876, aud has held the same office for 
the past two j-ears. He has also been a mem- 
ber of School Board for three years. 

COOPER & McGEE, hardware and stoves. 
Council Bluffs. H. G. McGee was born in 
Grafton, W. Va., April 26, 1858 ; he removed 
to Pittsburgh, Penn., with his parents when 
eight years of age, and was educated at West- 
ern University of Pittsburgh, Penn. He came 



to Council Bluffs in the spring of 1874, and 
engaged with Miller & Company in hardware 
store as salesman, aud remained with that firm 
until forming his present partnership. He 
is of Irish descent. W. S. Cooper was born and 
raised in Council Bluffs, and educated in the 
public schools of that city. After leaving 
school he worked for Empkie & McDoel, hard- 
ware dealers, as salesman, for two j'ears. He 
then became bookkeeper for P. C. Devol, hard - 
ware merchant, and held that position un- 
til entering the present firm. His ancestors 
came to America many generations back. The 
firm of Cooper & McGee commenced business 
in Council Bluffs in March, 1882, at No. 41 Main 
street, their store occup3'ing two stories seven- 
ty feet long bj- twenty-two feet in width. The 
lower story is occupied by the hardware aud 
stove department ; part of the upper story is 
used as a tin shop, while the other part is used 
for storing goods. They carry from $10,000 to 
$15,000 in stock, and expect to increase that 
amount. Their annual sales, from present in 
dications, will run as high as $30,000. The}- 
emplo}' two practical tinners the year round. 

J. H. CLARK, Reporter for Circuit Court 
of Thirteenth Judicial District, Council Bluffs, 
was born August 6, 1840, iu Brown County, 111.; 
he was raised aud educated there, and in 1856, 
came with his parents to Jefferson, Greene Co., 
Iowa. He entered the arm}- at Jefferson, Iowa, 
August 10, 1861, asa private, in the Tenth Iowa 
Volunteer Infantry ; was promoted to First 
Sergeant iu 1862, and to Captain of Companj- 
H — same company- in which he had enlisted- 
August 11, 1863. He held that position until 
discharged, January 15, 1865, at Savannah, 
Ga. He was wounded four times, one, a se- 
vere wound in the shoulder. He returned to 
Jefferson, Iowa, and engaged in merchandising, 
and during the 3-ears 1869-70-71 and 72, was 
mail agent on Des Moines Valley Railroad 
during 1873 ; meanwhile he had been studying 
shorthand writing, and still continued that 



16 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



stud}', and in 1875, was appointed to the posi- 
tion of Reporter for Circuit Court of Thirteenth 
Judicial District of Iowa, and still holds that 
position. In August, 1880, he came to Coun- 
cil Bluffs to reside. He is of English descent. 

COUNCIL BLUFFS SAVINGS BANK, 
general banking, Council Bluffs, was organized 
November 1, 1870, N. P. Dodge being elected 
President and A. W. Street Cashier. At a 
meeting of the stockholders, held in June, 1882, 
N. P. Dodge was elected President ; J. Bere- 
shen Vice President, and Charles E. Dix Cash- 
ier. Capital, $50,000. Surplus, $20,000. C. 
E. Dix was connected with bank as Assistant 
Cashier from May 1, 1875, till June, 1882, 
when he was elected Cashier. The bank does 
a general banking business. All the railroads 
running into Council Bluffs transact their bus- 
iness with this bank. 

J. W. CHAFFIN, Council Bluffs, editor 
of the Council Bluffs Advance, part pro- 
prietor of that paper and of the steam job 
printing and book-binding establishment of 
S. T. Walker & Co. Born in Chillicothe, Ohio, 
July 17, 1824. Received his early education 
at Germantown and Bellbrook, Ohio. The 
honorary degree of Master of Arts was con- 
ferred bj' the Adrian College, Michigan, 
1868, receiving an invitation to deliver the 
annual lecture before the Star Literary So- 
ciety of Adrian, which is considered quite an 
honor. Taught school for awhile after leav- 
ing school. In 1848, entered the ministry of 
the Wesleyau Church. During years 1861-62 
-63, held position of President of the Miami 
Conference ; during time in the ministry-, he 
was associated either as editor or correspond- 
ent of several religious weeklies. In 1850, 
he launched forth the Herald of Freedom, an 
anti slavery paper devoted to reform and tem- 
perance. Was nominated, in 1853, by the Free 
Soilers, for Treasurer of State. In 1858, en- 
gaged in the pork-packing business in Cincin- 
nati, in which business he was unsuccessful. 



In 1863, was Chaplain of the Fifty-ninth Ohio 
Volunteers ; at end of same j'ear, was mus- 
tered out on account of ill health. Then accept- 
ed position in Secretary's ofHce of United 
States Treasur}'. Returned to Ohio in 1865 ; 
from there to Richmond, Ind., in a short time ; 
same year entered the ministry- of the M. E. 
Church at West Liberty, Iowa, in which he re- 
mained until 1877, at which time he resigned 
his charge and went to Clarinda, and engaged 
in printing the Herald. He is the author of 
two volumes (one poetical). The Golden Urn, 
and the second a Theological work. The Battle 
of Calvary. Came to Council Bluffs, January 
1882, and during the summer of this year, or- 
ganized and set on foot the Council Bluffs 
Advance, an Independent Republican weekly 
newspaper, which bids fair to be a success in 
ever}' sense of the word. Mr. Chaffin was mar- 
ried to Miss Lizzie Grant, of Burlington, Ohio, 
in 1850 ; after her decease in 1860, he married 
Miss Bell Shriver, in 1862. 

J. L. COHOUN, Cashier for Christian Straub, 
Council Bluffs, was born in Elizabeth City, N. 
C, January 13, 1861. Resided with his par- 
ents there for eleven years. Then came to 
Council Bluffs. He was educated in Council 
Bluffs, and in September, 1880, left that city to 
join the American Contingent of the Peruvian 
Navy, at Halifax, N. S. He first went to Bal- 
timore, Md., where he passed a thorough and 
rigid examination. He was accepted and pre- 
sented with a commission of Foui'th Lieuten- 
ant, and took 160 American seamen from Bal- 
timore to Halifiix to man the new Peruvian 
iron-clad, Guadaloupe, which was laden with 
arms and ammunition. The expedition was 
for the relief of Callao, Peru. Mr. Cohoun 
continued in the Peruvian service seven months. 
The Guadaloupe encountered a sevei'e storm 
while on her voj'age, making her almost a 
wreck, and injuring manj- of the officers and 
crew. Among the unfortunate was Mr Cohoun, 
who was accordingly left at the Marine Hos 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



17 



pital, at Norfolk, Va., with the First Lieuten- 
ant. Upon his recovery, he was assigned to 
the dangerous duty of recruiting seamen for 
the Peruvian service, which was a violation of 
our international law. He was engaged in the 
recruiting service for four months, and upon the 
fall of Callao, he severed his connection with 
Peru. He returned to Council Bluffs May 1, 
1881, and engaged with W. W. Wallace, coal 
merchant, as book- keeper and acted in that 
capacitj' till June 1, 1882, when he accepted 
the position of cashier with Christian Straub, 
the well-kuown contractor and builder of Coun- 
cil Bluff's. Mr. Cohoun is a young man office 
business ability", and success in life is sure to 
crown his eflbrts. 

F. C. CLARK, dentist, Council Bluffs, was 
born in Maine, in 1829, and in 1850 went to 
California by way of Cape Horn. He was mar- 
ried, in Boise City. Idaho, in 1863, and, his 
wife's relations residing in Iowa, he resolved to 
settle there, and accordingly came overland to 
this State. He came to Council Bluffs in Sep- 
tember, 1864, and engaged in business there in 
1865. He has four children. He is a member 
of Excelsior Lodge. 

J. T. CLARK, General Agent of Chicago & 
Xorth -Western Railroad, Council Bluffs, has 
been in his present position since April, 1880. 
Previous to coming to Cbuncil Bluffs, he was 
in the office of the General Manager of the 
Chica-zo & North-Western Raih'oad, at Chicago. 
In 1870, he left school and went into the office 
of the General Manager of the Illinois Central 
Railroad, at St. Louis, Mo. In 1873, he went 
to Chicago and entered the General Passenger 
Department of the Chicago & North-Western 
Railroad there. In 1875, went into the Gen- 
eral Superintendent's office of tliat road at 
Chicago, and afterward iield a position in the 
General Manager's office, which he held until 
he came to Council Bluffs in 1880. Mr. Clark 
was born in Auburn, N. Y.,in November, 1852. 
Moved to Springfield, 111., in 1858, and re- 



mained there till 1870. He was married, in 
Chicago, in 1880, to Miss Arnold. 

D. M. CONNELL. undertaker. Council Bluff's, 
was born in Canada in 1853, and came with 
his parents to the United States in 1857, and 
settled in New York. His father, who is sev- 
enty years of age, resides in Plymouth, N. H., 
where subject's mother died at the advanced 
age of seventj'-seven years. Mr. Connell en- 
gaged in the undertaking business in 1874, and 
carried it on in Plymouth, N. H., till 1881. 
He came to Council Bluff's September 7, 1882, 
and engaged in his present business, carrying 
$2,000 worth of stock. He was married, at 
Plymouth, N. H., in 1877. 

GEORGE CARSON, attorney. Council 
Bluffs, is a native of Illinois. He read law 
under Col. Scoby, of Greenville, 111., and grad- 
uated from the Law Department of the 
State Universitj- of Michigan, in the class of 
1868. In 1869, he began practice in Council 
Blufi's. In 1870, he formed a partnership with 
Mr. S. Smith, under the firm name of Smith & 
Carson. In 1879, the firm again changed and 
became Smith, Carson & Carl. In 1877, Mr. 
Carson was elected by the Republican part3', a 
member of the Seventeenth General Assembly 
of Iowa, for the session of 1878, and in 1879 
he was re-elected by the same partj-, and served 
during the Eighteenth General Assembly, in 
the session of 1880. His time at present is 
wholly devoted to his law practice in Council 
Bluffs. 

A. J. COOK, physician, Secretary- and Med- 
ical Director of the Mutual Benefit Association, 
came to Council Bluff's in April, 1881 ; located 
here and began the practice of medicine, mak- 
ing chronic diseases a specialty. He is a ph}-- 
sician of the old school. Dr. Cook is the orig- 
inator of the Council Bluffs Mutual Benefit 
Association, which was incorporated, March 
14, 1882, with W. F. Sapp, President ; F. 31. 
Gault, Vice Presieent ; A. J. Cook. Secretary 
and Medical Director ; and Joseph Lyman, 



18 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



Counselor. This company now has in the field 
about one hundred regular agents working in 
Iowa, Nebraska, ^liunesota, Kansas, Colorado, 
Dakota, Missouri and Wisconsin, and has at 
this time 513 policies. The main office is lo- 
cated at 103 Pearl street, Council Bluffs. Dr. 
Cook was born in Decatur County, Ind., August 
24, 1841, and remained there until the breaking- 
out of the rebellion, when he enlisted in the 
army at the age of nineteen, as a private, in 
Companj' E, Thirty-seventh Indiana Volunteer 
Infantr}', and was mustered into service Sep- 
tember 18, 1861. He was taken prisoner May 
9, 1862, at the battle of Limestone Creek, : 
Ala., and was kept in prison thirteen months. 
After getting out of prison, he was appointed 
independent scout, in the Army of the Cumber- 
land, and served in that capacity during the 
the rest of the war. He shot and killed the 
rebel General W. C. Walker, in Cherokee Coun- 
ty, N. C, on the night of January 3, 1864. 
Ten men were with the Doctor ; undertook to 
capture the General ; he resisted and was killed 
to prevent him from killing the chief of scouts. 
After leaving the army, he began reading medi- 
cine in 18G6, and read and practiced under his 
preceptor until 1869. He took first course of 
lectures at Bennett Medical College, Chicago, 
in the winter of 1869-70 ; commenced prac- 
ticing in Kosciusko County, Ind.; took second 
course of lectures in the winter of 1871-72, at ; 
same college, and then graduated at Louisville 
College of Medicine in the winter of 1873-74. 
After graduating, he did not engage in active 
practice until the fall of 1875, when he began 
at Kose Hill, Mahaska Co., Iowa, and re- 
mained there until the spring of 1879. He 
then moved to Bedford, Taylor Co., Iowa, 
and practiced there until coming to Council 
Bluffs. The Doctor was married in Mahaska 
County, Iowa, June 29, 1876, to Rosamond B. 
Clay worth, of that county. Is of English descent. 
B. T. CONNOR, marble. Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Bluffs in 1878, from Burling- 



ton. He was born in Galena, 111., in 1853. 
He learned his trade in Galena 111., and thence 
moved to Burlington. He employs six men 
and does a yearly business of ,S1 5,000. He 
built his present building in 1879. His par- 
ents are still living at Galena, 111.; they had 
a family of nine children. 

GEORGE DOUGHTY, retired, Council 
Bluffs, has been a resident of Council Bluffs 
since the fall of 1853, except a short time spent 
in the mountains of Colorado, during the sum- 
mers of 1860-61. He was born March 4, 181 7, in 
Dutchess County, N. Y. His people were among 
the early settlers of the New England States. 
The name of Doughtj-, so far as can be traced, is 
of Scotch origin. When ten years of age, ]\Ir. 
Doughty's parents moved from Dutchess Countv 
to Cayuga County, N. Y., where the early part of 
his life was spent, and his education received. In 
1839, he left home, and, for several _vears, was 
traveling over the West; his last place of resi- 
dence before coming to Council Bluffs was 
Atchison, Mo. In 1853, he engaged in the 
mercantile business in Council Bluffs, and con- 
tinued the same until June, 1858. In the spring 
of 1859, he was elected Mayor of the city for 
one year. In 1860 and 1861, he spent a part 
of the time in Colorado, mining and prospect- 
ing; he was out of active business until 1866, 
when he opened a furniture house, which he 
conducted until 1870, since which time he has 
not been engaged in the mercantile business. 
In 1871. he was elected by the Democratic party 
to the office of Sheriff of Pottawattamie County 
by a majority of eighty votes, though the votes 
of the county were 300 Republican. In 1873, 
he was re-elected this time, by a majority of 
380. At the expiration of his second term of 
office, he withdrew from public life, and has 
since been leading the quiet life of a retired 
citizen. He is a member of the I. 0. 0. F., and 
has filled the chair of Noble Grand of his lodge 
for three terms. He is also a member of the 
A.. F. & A. M., and has acted as W. 31. in his 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



19 



lodge during the absence of that officer. He 
was one of the builders of the first three-story 
brick building ever erected in the city; this was 
the corner now occupied bj- the savings bank, 
and was known as tiie Empire Block. 

FRED DAVIS, livery, Council Bluffs, was 
born in Peoria in 1852. His parents removed 
to St. Joseph, Mo., in 1859; thence to Oska- 
loosa in 1862, and, in 1863, came to Council 
Bluffs. His father died in Council Bluffs in 
1864; his mother is still living; they had two 
children — Fred and Mrs. J. W. Bell, of Chicago. 
The firm of Wheeler & Davis began the livery 
business in Council Bluffs in May, 1882. Their 
barn was built by Stambach, and is known 
as the Ogden Livery. They keep ten horses 
in their livery, and board about twenty more. 

D. K. DONNELLY, engineer. Union Pacific 
Water Works, Council Bluffs, is a native of De- 
troit, Mich.; born in 1845. He enlisted in Ann 
Arbor, Mich., in the Second Michigan Cavalrj', 
and, during the late war, served three j-ears and 
nine months. After the war, he went to Cali- 
fornia, where he remained a number of years, 
engaged as engineer in crushing and smelting 
works. In 1871, he came to .Council Bluffs, 
and engaged as engineer of the Union Pacific 
Waterworks till 1872, when he went to St. 
.Joseph, but in 1875, returned to Council Bluffs, 
and has since held his present position there. 
His duty consists in running the engine four 
hours in the twenty-four. .June 26. 1872. he 
married Miss Anna Butler, of Nodaway, Mo., 
and by this union they have been blessed with 
two children — Cora, aged nine, and Ethel, aged 
three years. 

J. DICKEY, grocer, Council Bluffs, was 
bom in Lawrence, Ohio, in 1827, and, in 1839, 
came to Van Buren Count}-, Iowa. He was a 
member of the State Militia. In 1860, Mr. 
Dickey came to Council Bluffs and opened a 
grocery store in his present building, which was 
erected that year. He was married in 1849. 
Mr. Dickey is in partnership with his son, A. 



D. Dickey, who was born in Van Buren County, 
Iowa, in 1855. They have met with good suc- 
cess in business, their annual sales amounting 
to $30,000. Mr. Dickey has a dwelling house 
on Fourth avenue, a house and lot on Main 
street, and four lots in Casady's Addition. 

J. D. EDxMUNDSON, Council Bluffs. One 
of the busiest citizens of Council Bluffs is 
James D. Edraundson, who arrived here in 
1856, and formed a partnership with D. C. 
Bloomer in the real estate and insurance bus- 
iness. The otHce of the firm, until the begin- 
ning of 1869, was in the frame building one 
door west of the block occupied by Metealf 
Brothers, on Broadway. At that date. Mr. 
Edmundson and Mr. Bloomer dissolved partner- 
ship, Mr. Edmundson goinoj into business 
on his own account, in real estate, having his 
office to the present time on the west side of 
Main street, between First avenue, and Wil- 
low avenue. The large amount of lands 
owned by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 
Railroad Company passed through his hands 
as the agent for their sale, in Pottawattamie 
Count}-, and in addition to that he had a long 
list of prairie lands, owned and for sale by 
private parties. Seeing the absolute necessity 
for an organization in the nature of a loan and 
building association, at his instance and 
through his powerful efforts, such an institu- 
tion was incorporated in 1877, and put in oper- 
ation. He was made a director of the new 
corporation, and has acted as Secretarj- ever 
since. No movement of any kind inaugurated 
in the city, has ever had more beneficial results 
in aiding persons of moderate and limited 
means to acquire homes for themselves ; and 
the success of the enterprise is in great part 
due to the energy instilled into it, and the care 
exercised over its operations, by Mr. Edmund- 
son. When the Citizens' Bank of Council Bluffs 
was organized and put into operation, on July 1, 
1882, the directory unanimously chose ?Ir. 
Edmundson as its President, and he holds that 



20 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



position now. He was married to Miss Hart, 
the only daughter of Dr. H. W. Hart, of Coun- 
cil Blutfs. Mr. Edmuudson, in addition to hav- 
ing an aptitude for business, is a gentleman of 
general culture, and has a passion for general 
literature and science, and is one of the most 
liberal patrons either has in the city. No man 
is more highly regarded for his integrity and 
urbanity than he, and the esteem held for him 
is universal. 

L. C. EMPKIE, hardware, Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Bluffs in the spring of 1867, 
and engaged as book-keeper for T. J. Harford 
& Bro., with whom he remained till 1871, when 
he started in the hardware business for himself, 
and shortly afterward the firm of L. C. Empkie 
& Co., under which name he carried on busi- 
ness until 1874, when W. H. McDoel was 
admitted as a partner, and, under the firm 
name of Empkie & McDoel, the business was 
continued until Januarx', 1882. At that time, 
a company was formed, called the Empkie 
Hardware Company, of which Mr. Empkie was 
the head, his associates in the business being 
George F. Wright and J. T. Hart. Since 1872, 
he has been doing both retail and wholesale 
business, having ou the road three traveling 
men, and seven men besides himself in the 
house. When he began business in 1872, he 
had a stock of $16,000, his annual sales being 
then about $50,000. The business has steadily 
increased, until now they have about $100,000 
stock, and their annual sales amount to about 
$375,000. Mr. Empkie was born near Berlin, 
Prussia, in 1845 ; was educated in the public 
schools there, and. in 1856, came to America 
with his parents, locating in Huron County, 
• Mich. He engaged as salesman in a general 
store for a lumber companj', having charge 
also of the shipping for the company for two 
or three }'ears. He served during the j-ear 
1864 in the Twentv-uinth Michigan Volunteer 
Infantry, and, on leaving the armv, again 
epgaged with his former employers — the lum- 



ber firm of Ayres, Leonard & Wiswall — and 
continued with that firm until 1866. During 
the last two years he was with that firm he had 
charge of all shipping of the compan)-. In 
1866, he went to the Poughkeepsie (N. Y.) 
Commercial College, from which he graduated 
in the spring of 1867, then came directly to 
Council Bluffs, where he has remained ever 
since. He was married, in 1870, to Miss Van 
Pelt, of Council Bluffs. During the summer of 
1882. the Empkie Hardware Company erected 
the first four-story business house built in 
Council Bluffs, the building which is 100 
feet deep by 50 feet in width, cost about 
$25,000. 

JOEL EATON. Secretary and part proprie- 
tor of Council Bluffs Gas Company, Council 
Bluffs, was born near Boston, Mass., and 
received his education there. He is of English 
descent, his ancestors coming to America in 
1630. In the spring of 1870, franchise was 
granted, and the construction of gas works for 
the city of Council Bluffs was immediately 
begun. Soon after this, however, articles of 
incorporation were filed with the Secretary' of 
State organizing a stock company with a capi- 
tal of .$150,000. The company has at present 
one main building 112 feet in length, where the 
gas is manufactured from best Penns^dvania 
coal, and one gasometer with a capacity of 
60,000 cubic feet. Five men are employed in 
the manufacture of the gas. The company's 
office is located at 28 Pearl street, where they 
have a plumbing and gas-fitting establishment. 
In this latter department four men are em- 
ployed, including the book-keeper and plumbers. 
The company has a contract with the city for 
furnishing the gas and lighting the street 
lamps of the citj*. Two lamp-lighters are 
employed by the company, and sometimes as 
high as twenty-five men are employed in laying 
mains, etc. Mr. Eaton is at present secretary 
of this company, and part proprietor of the 
same. 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



31 



JOHN EPENETER, Council Bluffs, was 
boru ill Germany in 1S36, am.! learned his 
trade in his native countiy. In 1852, he came 
to America, and, iu 1859, to Council Bhifls. 
At Omaha, Neb., in 1861, he married Henrietta 
Rudovsky, and by this union the}- have been 
blessed with nine children, all of whom, save 
one, were born in Council Bluffs. Mr. Epeneter 
began business in Council Bluffs iu 1863, and 
was burned out iu 1866, losing all he had. He 
rebuilt, however, and is now doing a flourishing 
business in stoves, tinware, and the manufacture 
of galvanized iron cornices. He employs four- 
teen men, his business having assumed large 
proportions and extended far into Iowa and 
Nebraska. He was the founder of the first 
Turner's Association organized in Council 
Bluffs in 1864, and is also one of the charter 
members of the German Odd Fellows Lodge 
of Council Bluffs. He was a member of the 
City Council in 1878, and held the otflces of 
Assessor and Gauger in Council Bluffs for six 
jears. 

LEONARD EVERETT, attorney. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Gainesville, Ala., in 1853 ; 
removed to Council Bluffs with his parents in 
1855, where he has lived ever since. He was 
educated at and graduated from Cornell Uni- 
versity, N. Y., in 1873 ; commenced studying 
law, soon after graduating, with Col. D. B. 
Pailey, and was admitted to practice in 1876. 
He is now practicing law at Nos. 17 and 18 
Pearl street. He is of English descent. 

WILLIAM G. EMONDS, physician, Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born in Cologne, Westphalia, 
Germany, and remained there until seven 
years of age; then came to this countrv with 
his sister, and located in Iowa City. He has 
remained there all the time since, with the ex- 
ception of what time he spent in going to 
school and traveling abroad. He attended 
Salesianum College, Milwaukee, Wis., one year, 
in 1867, after which, on account of ill health, 
he went to Cape Girardeau, Mo., and remained 



there one year. He then went to Fond du Lac, 
Wis.; attended college there some time, after 
which he went to Notre Dame University, near 
South Bend, Ind. ; remained there one year, and 
then returned to Iowa Cit}-, and attended the 
Iowa State University there two years. He 
then went again to Notre Dame, Ind.; remained 
there eight months, when sickness brought him 
back to Iowa City again. During his conva- 
lescence in Iowa, he attended St. Joseph In- 
stitute at Iowa City remaining there two years; 
after that he went into the Chicago, Rock 
Island & Pacific Railroad office, as telegraph 
operator and assistant United States Express 
agent one j'ear. He then took the office at 
Mitchelh'ille, Iowa, and remained there seven 
months, after which he was promoted to clerk- 
ship iu W. H. Quick's Superintendent's office- 
Des Moines; remained there more than one 
year, then returned to Iowa Cit}' again, and 
took up the higher branches at St. Joseph's 
Institute, and prepared himself for the Homoe- 
opathic Department of the Medical Depart- 
ment of Iowa State University, Prof. Cow- 
perthwaite being his preceptor; he remained in 
this office as clinical clerk for three years, 
graduating at the end of that time. He com- 
menced practicing at Bellevue, Iowa, and Du- 
buque, and remained there two years, after 
which he went direct to the place of his birth, 
and from there to Vienna, Austria, attending 
and practicing in the General World's Hospi- 
tal, or AUeg. Krankenhaus, where he remained 
with the king of all surgeons, Prof. Billroth 
assisting him in the hospital one and a half 
years. He then went to Prague, Bohemia, and 
assisted in the obstetrical ward of Prof Bris- 
k}', after which he went to Berlin, attending 
the Prof Laugendeck Hospital one j'ear, after 
which he went to Paris, where he remained a 
short time, visiting different hospitals; thence 
he went to London, England, practicing at 
Guy's street, Bartholomew's and St. Thomas' 
one year. Leaving London, he traveled 



22 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



through England and Scothiud; remained at 
Edinburgh a short time, thence went to Ire- 
land, and from there to America, on June 27, 
1882. He is now permanently located in Coun- 
cil Bluffs, with the intention of going to Omaha 
in course of one year to make that his head- 
quarters. 

HENRY EISEMAN & CO., clothing, Coun- 
cil Bluffs. Simon and Heury Eiseman, the 
members of this firm, are natives of Germany. 
They emigrated to the United States and came 
direct to Council Bluffs in 1861, where they 
opened a wholesale and retail clothing estab- 
lishment. They made but a small beginning, 
but their push, energy and close attention to 
business soon increased their trade, and to-day 
they can show larger sales than any other 
house in Iowa. They carry an average stock of 
$100,000, and their annual sales are nearly a 
quarter of a million; thej^ employ from twelve to 
fifteen men in their establishment. Mr. Simon 
Eiseman was married in Council Bluffs in 1872. 

JAMES FRAINEY, merchant tailor. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born iu Connaught, Ireland, 
iu 1837, where he remained until he was 
seven jears of age, when he removed with 
his parents to Lancashire, England. He 
served his apprenticeship to the tailor's trade 
in England, and iu 1852 came to this coun- 
try and located in New York City. He 
worked at his trade in that city for two 
years, then moved to Chicago ; after working 
there two years, moved to St. Louis, Mo. ; and, 
after working there a year, returned to New 
York City. He pursued his trade in that city 
for a year, then iu Charleston, S. C, for a 3'ear, 
then went to Nashville, Tenn., where he began 
as a cutter and remained there four j-ears. 
From Nashville he went to St. Louis, Mo., re- 
mained there four or five years then came to 
Omaha, openetl up a shop there for himself, 
and in 1870 came to Council Bluffs. Here he 
ran a shop a short time then engaged as a cut- 
ter with Oberfelder & Newman, with whom he 



remained till the summer of 1882, when he 
opened up his fine merchant tailoring estab- 
lishment at 332 Broadway. He carries one of 
the finest and newest stocks in his line in the 
citv, and is meeting with an extensive patron- 
age. He employs eighteen men constantlj' 
and pays the highest price for skilled labor. 
In 1872, he married Miss Mary J. Buckle3-, of 
Belolt, Wis., and by this union thej- have had 
six children. 

E. R. FONDA, locomotive engineer. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Utica, N. Y., in 1844. In 
1866, he went to Quincy, 111., and in 1875 came 
to Council Bluffs and engaged as a locomotive 
engineer at the Union Pacific Transfer Yards. 
He runs transfer switch engine No. 217, one of 
the most powerful engines that runs into Coun- 
cil Blufis. In Oberlin, Ohio, in 1873 he mar- 
ried Marian B. Berry, of that place, and they 
have on child — Lena, aged eight years. Mrs. 
Fonda was educated in New York. Mr. Fonda 
was an Alderman of the Fourth Ward in 1881; 
was a member of the Council when the charter 
was changed, and when Union avenue work 
was commenced. He is a Knight Templar, an 
Odd Fellow, a member of the Brotherhood of 
Locomotive Engineers, and President of Gar- 
field Lodge, No. 126, Iowa Legion of Honor. 
His parents are residing at Mendota, 111. 

W. H. FOSTER, gardener and florist, Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born and raised in Carter Coun- 
ty, Tenn. His father is still living in Indiana, 
at the age of seventy-five. Our subject is a 
brick-layer by trade. He left Tennessee in 
1857, and worked at his trade in different cities 
until 18G7, when he came to Council BluflTs and 
started a green-house. He has now the most 
extensive grounds and appointments west of 
Chicago, having twenty acres in garden and 
flowers, and 20,000 square feet of glass roof 
He employs from six to twentj' men, and is 
this year making extensive improvements. He 
was married in Indiana in 1854, and has one 
child — a bov of fifteen vears. 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



23 



A. D. FOSTER, druggist, Council Bluffs, 
was born in Jefierson County, N. Y., in Sep- 
tember, 1840, and after living there five years 
removed witli his parents to Waukesha, Wis., 
where he lived about fifteen years. At the 
breaking out of the late war, Mr. Foster joined 
Company G, Twenty-eighth Wisconsin, as pri- 
vate, and after serving over three j-ears, left the 
service as First Lieutenant. After the war, he 
spent about two 3'ears in the mountains, then 
moved to Milwaukee, Wis., where he engaged 
in the drug business for three 3ears. In 1870, 
he came to Council Bluffs, and immediatelj- en- 
gaged in the drug business, in company with 
Alfred Hammer. They carried on business to- 
gether for two 3'ears, when Mr. Foster bought 
out Mr. Hammer's interest in the business, and 
continued for three years, when the present firm 
of A. D. Foster & Bro. was formed, and busi- 
ness has since been carried on under that name. 
When they first began business, they did a 
wholesale trade, but since 1878 have carried on 
a jobbing business, which has steadily increased 
as has also their retail trade. The\- are one of 
the most substantial drug firms in the cit}'. 

JOHN JAY FRATNEY, attorney. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born in Harrison County, Ky., 
January 13, 1856, and lived there until 1862, 
when he went to New York City, where he was 
educated, also attending the Brooklyn common 
schools. In 1870, he commenced clerking for 
Messrs, Ottinger & Bro., wholesale cotton and 
tobacco brokers, New York, He came West 
in 1872, to Washington, Ind,, and commenced 
reading law with Judge James W, Ogden, of 
that place, and in the fall of 1877 entered the 
law class of Bloomington, Ind,, Universitj', 
from which he graduated in the spring of 1878, 
having conferred on him the degree of LL. B. 
He then began the practice of law at Washing- 
ton, Ind., where he remained one year, then 
went to St. Louis, where he remained three 
months. From St. Louis he went to Chicago; 
staid there three months, and in the spring of 



1880, came to Council Bluffs, where he began 
practice, and in the fall of 1880 was elected Jus- 
tice of the Peace on the Democratic ticket, the 
Republican majoritj' of the city being 160; he 
received a majority of eighteen, and still holds 
that office. He is of Irish descent. 

G. H. FERGUSON, hotel. Council Bluffs, is 
a native of Vermont, born in 1853, and is a son of 
G. W, Ferguson. In 1861, became to Dubuque, 
Iowa, where he lived until 1870, when he moved 
to Flo3'd County, Iowa. He remained there 
one year, then moved to Osage, Iowa, where he 
stiyed four years, running the Dunton House; 
then removed to Waterloo, Iowa, where he ran 
an omnibus and transfer line for two years. 
He began hotel business in 1876, at the Pacific 
House, under the firm name of Ferguson & 
Son. It is the leading hotel of Council Bluffs, 
and was built thirty years ago. The hotel con- 
tains about seventy fine rooms, and about thirty 
servants are emplo3'ed in the house. The ar- 
rivals average seventy per day, and there are, 
besides, many regular boarders at the hotel. A 
fine bar and billiard hall in connection with the 
house is conducted by N. L. Hall, while the 
barber shop is run by Fritz Bernhardie, who 
employs two assistants. September 10, 1878, 
Mr. Ferguson married Miss Anna B. Peregoy, 
of Baltimore, sister of J. W. Peregoy, of the 
well-known firm of Peregoj' & Moore. 

F. M. GAULT, railroad agent. Council Bluffs, 
was born in Bow, Merrimack Co., N. H., July 
14, 1848. He lived at home until he reached 
the age of twenty, at which time he went to 
Rockford, III, as baggage man, in the employ 
of the Chicago & North- Western Railroad, He 
remained in that capacity a short time, and was 
promoted to a clerkship in the freight office at 
the same point; shortly afterward, he rose to be 
cashier of the same office, which he held till 
the spring of 1874, when he engaged in otlier 
business. In 1876, he went to Chicago, and en- 
gaged as a book-keeper in a commission house, 
remaining at this occupation until he came to 



21 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



Council Bluffs. He is a member of the Masonic 
tVateruit}-. Is a stock-holder in the Council 
Bluffs Insurance Company, and is Vice Presi- 
dent of the Mutual B snefit Association of Coun- 
cil Bluffs. He received his education at Blanch- 
ard Academy, Pembroke, N. H; he is of 
Scotch-Irish descent; he came to Council Bluffs 
in August, 1880, as the local freight agent at 
this point of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific 
Railroad; he remained in this capacity till 
April 1, 1882, when he received his promotion 
to the general agency of the same road. 

C. H. GILMORE, news and notions. Council 
Bluffs, started in Council Bluffs only a short 
time ago in his present news and notion busi- 
ness. He ivas born in New Hampshire in 1849. 
son of W. H. Gilmore, who is still living in New 
Hampshire, on a farm, part of which is a part 
of the old Franklin Pierce place. Until 1866, 
Mr. Gilmore lived on the farm and attended 
school, going to Philip's Academy at Frances- 
town, N. H., but in 1866, he ran away from home 
and enlisted in the regular army, in the Second 
United States Infantrj', most of the three years 
which he served being spent at Louisville, Ky., 
Gen. Thomas' headquarters. In 1869, the army 
consolidated, and the regiment was sent into 
Alabama, Mr. Gilmore's company being sent to 
Guntersville, Ala., where they were discharged. 
S. W. Crawford was their regimental com- 
mander. After being discharged, Mr. Gilmore 
re-enlisted at Louisville, K}'., and was sent to 
Omaha, but on account of ill health, was dis- 
charged after serving one year of the second I 
enlistment. Since that time, he has made Pot- '' 
tawattamie Count}- his home, teaching school 
for the first two years in the eastern part of 
the count}'. He then came to Council Bluffs, 
and has since remained here. In the spring of 
1877, he went into the Sheriff's office, and has j 
been in the court house ever since, with the ex- 
ception of two j'ears, when he was Citj- Consta- 
ble. He is at present Assistant Recorder. Al- 
though Mr. Gilmore has just started in busi- ' 



ness, he is doing well, and his location, 512 
Main street, gives him one of the best situa- 
tions in the city, and, as he continues in busi- 
ness, he will gain the patronage he so well de- 
serves, being so well and favorabl}' known in 
the city. 

CONRAD GEISB, brewery. Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Bluffs in 1858 ; began build- 
ing a malt house in 1867, and, in 1868, built a 
large brewerj-. He erected a new malt house 
in 1877, and uses the old one for an ice house. 
He employs from twent}- to twenty-five men, 
and has from eight to ten work horses. His 
yearly sales amount to about 15,000 barrels. 
He was born in German}- in 1842, and came 
direct to this city in 1858, Mr. Geise was mar- 
ried, in Council Bluffs, in 1864, and has a 
fiimily of four boys and ona girl. His mother, 
who is now sixty-four years of age, resides 
with him. In 1882, he added another story to 
his brewery, in which he malts from 50,000 to 
60,000 bushels of barley annually. He gets 
his hops from New York. He owns thirty 
acres of land adjacent to his buildings, 

F. H, GUANELLA, marble. Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Bluffs in 1860, and engaged in 
the ice business in 1862, He carried on that 
business till 1875, when he engaged in farming, 
which occupation he pursued till 1879, when 
he engaged in the marble business. He was 
born in Galena, 111., in 1854, and, in 1859, went 
to St. Joseph, where he remained two years, 
after which he came to Council Bluffs. His 
father still lives in Council Bluffs, at the ad- 
vanced age of seventy-six years; his mother 
died in Council Bluffs in 1868. 

THEODORE GUITTAR, County Sheriff, was 
born in 1842, in St. Louis, Mo., and became a resi- 
dent of Council Bluff's in 1855. He received 
his education in the public schools of Council 
Bluffs, and, in 1877, was elected to the office of 
Constable. To this office he was re-elected, 
serving four years during the two terms; he 
spent two years as Deputy Sheriff under George 



COUNCIL BLUFFS 



25 



Doughty, in 1872-73, and also two j-ears in the 
same capacit}' under A. L. Kahle. In 1881, he 
was elected by the Republican party to the 
office of Sheriff of the county; his majoritj- was 
forty-one votes; he is now engaged in the dis- 
charge of the duties of that office. In 18G2, he 
entered the army as a private in the Second 
Iowa Battery. During his service, he was in 
many hard-fought battles, among which were 
the following : siege of Vicksburg, battle of 
Nashville, Tenn., Jacksonville, Miss., second 
siege of Mobile, battle of Selma, Ala., Mont- 
gomery, Ala., and of Tupelo, Tenn. Mr. Guittar 
is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, 
and also of Bluff' City Lodge, No. 49, I. 0. 0. 
F.; he was married, in 1869, to Miss Elizabeth 
Beecroft, a native of England, and who came to 
the United States in 1S54. with her people, and 
to Council Bluffs in 1860. They have but one 
child, a daughter. 

L. B. GORHAM, Union Pacific Stock Agent, 
Union Pacific Transfer Stock Yards, Council 
Bluffs, was born in New York City, and when 
ten yeas old went to Illinois, and, at the age of 
fifteen years, became engaged in stock business. 
In 1870, he went to California on a govern- 
ment survey; in 1376, passed his examination 
for United States Deputy Surveyor in San Fran- 
cisco, and, in 1878, passed the examination for 
United States Deputy Mineral Surveyor, which 
appointments he holds at present. He surveyed 
through Colorado and Wyoming in 1879 and 
1880, and, in the latter year, came to Council 
Bluffs, where he entered the employ of the 
Union Pacific Railroad Count}' as stock agent, 
and also officiated as bill clerk. He was mar- 
ried in October. 1882, and resides on Ninth 
street, Council Bluff's. 

A. H. GRABBER, Receiving Clerk in Local 
Department of the Union Pacific Transfer 
Freight Offices, Council Bluffs, is a native of 
Maryland; born in 1822. His parents, in 1826, 
moved to Salisbury, N. C, where they died; his 
father in 1S42, and his mother a short time after. 



In 1854, Mr. Graebcr came to Council Bluffs, 
which was then a town of only 500 inhabitants, 
and without any railway communication what- 
ever; he engaged with the Western Stage Com- 
pany here, in whose employ he remained for 
fifteen years; he now holds the position of Re- 
ceiving Clerk in the local department of the 
Union Pacific Railroad Transfer Freight Offices. 
At Pella, Iowa, in 1870, he married Miss E. M. 
Post, of that place, and by this union they have 
had four children— Mary B. V., Ella L., Clara 
L. and William H. P. Mr. Graeber is a mem- 
ber of the Episcopal Church, and is Past Chan- 
cellor of the Knights of Pythias. 

xM. G. GRIFFIN, manager of the Daily Bee, 
Council Bluffs, came to Council Bluffs in the 
spring of 1877, being at that time traveling 
salesman for Greensfelder Bros., wholesale 
druggists in St. Louis, Mo., and, in 1878, open- 
ed up a grocery and wholesale butter and flour 
store on South Maine street, having severed his 
connection with Greensfelder Bros. ; he continued 
in the grocery business until the fall of 1881, 
when he sold out to Strauvien & Schurtz, and 
July 1, 1882, assumed the management of the 
Daily Bee, which position he holds at present. 
He was born November 8, 1845, in County 
Clare, Ireland, where he remained until 1863, 
when he came to America, landing in New 
York in August of that year; he went direct to 
Washington, D. C, where he entered the music 
store of John F. Ellis, and remained there until 
December, 1865, when he went to St. Louis, 
where he held the position of book-keeper and 
cashier for Charleston, McKenna & Co., whole- 
sale notions and dry goods, until 1867; he then 
took charge as manager of the " Broadway Dry 
Goods Store," or " Red Store," a branch house 
of A. M. Haggarty & Co., of St. Louis, until 
1868; he then went to Omaha, Ne"b., and en- 
gaged in the general insurance business, and 
remained there until the great Chicago fire, 
when he accepted the position of cashier in the 
Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluff's Rail- 



26 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



road Coinpan3-'s freight office, holding that 
position until the completion of the bridge 
across the Missouri Eiver at this point, at which 
time the diflferent roads consolidated their offi- 
ces, and Mr. Griffin was appointed cashier of 
all. In May, 1872, he married Ada Dohaney, 
daughter of John Dohaney, of Council Bluffs, 
and in June, 1873, went to San Francisco with 
his family, and remained thereuntil 1877, when 
he came to Council Bluffs. He is general 
agent for Madame Demorest's patterns for the 
Coast Pacific. 

GRONEWEG & SCHOENTGEN, wholesale 
grocers, Council Bluffs, have been engaged in 
the wholesale grocery trade in Council Bluffs 
since July 1 1878. In the building-up of this 
branch of the business industries of Council 
Bluffs, the above gentlemen have displayed as 
much energy, enterprise and good fin.auciering 
ability as any firm in the citj-. They were 
both engaged in the retail grocery trade in the 
city for a number of years prior to establish- 
ing their present house. Mr. Schoentgen be- 
came a resident of the city in 1866, and began 
the retail grocery business in 1869, while Mr. 
Groneweg began in the retail trade in 1862, 
which was the first year of his residence in 
Council Bluffs. The building they now occupy 
is 34 feet frontage by 100 feet in length, three 
floors and basement. The}' began business 
with one man on the road and four in the 
house, and now have three traveling salesmen 
and nine men in the house. Their business 
has more than trebled since their first year. 
Hitherto, their trade has been mainly in Iowa, 
but they ai'e now preparing to do a business in 
Nebraska. Their energy and push have placed 
them among the first business men of the city. 
To such men is Council Bluffs indebted for her 
prosperit}-. 

GEORGE A. HOLMES attorney. Council 
Bluffs, was born in 1848 in Huntsville, Ala., 
and is of English descent. In 1862, his father 
and family went overland to California, and. 



returning overland in 1866, settled in Page 
Count}-, Iowa. He commenced studying with 
Moore & Mclntyre, of Clarinda, Iowa, in 1869, 
remaining in the office four months. He was 
admitted to the bar in March, 1869, under a 
close and rigid examination. He then worked 
on a farm two years for the benefit of his health. 
He came to Council Bluffs in December, 1871, 
and opened a law office on Broadway, where he 
has ever since been located. After having 
been located here a year, he had gained a 
lucrative practice. In April, 1874, he was 
elected City Attorney by City Council ; was 
re-elected in 1876-77-78-79, and again in 
1881. He is a Democrat in politics, and ran 
on that ticket in 1876 as Representative of 
Pottawattamie County, receiving a large vote, 
though the Republican majority- in the county 
at that time was 600. He received at that 
election 220 votes more than the State ticket. 
During his administration as City Attorne}', a 
great many valuable improvements were pro- 
jected and carried out, of which he had the 
management Big Spring Lake and Car Lake 
were ceded to the city by the General Govern- 
ment through the assistance of Hon. W. F. 
Sapp, Member of Congress at that time ; T^nion 
avenue. Pacific avenue, Vaughn avenue, which 
required a great deal of labor and time and 
ability during these years, were finished and 
opened by the city. Union avenue causing a 
great deal of litigation, which was finally de- 
cided Ijy the Supreme Court of the State in 
favor of the city two years after this improve- 
ment was commenced. In 1876, while Col. J. 
H. Keatley was Mayor, he and the City Attor- 
ney devised and proposed a plan by which the 
whole of Williams' Addition might be secured 
as a public park for the city, the addition con- 
sisting of eight}' acres cut up into town lots. 
This plan, however, was not accepted by the 
City Council at that time. In 1879, during 
Hon. Addison Coughran's administration, the 
question of securing the ground was again 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



27 



brought up b^' the Maj-or and Cit}- Attorney. 
It was aided by the fact that preliminary sur- 
veys were made for the construction of water 
works, and it was decided that a portion of 
Snow & Green's Addition was the proper place 
for a reservoir. This addition adjoins on the 
north and east sides Williams' First Addition. 
This at once showed the expediency of having 
this ground secured for park purposes, and a 
resolution was then passed by the City Council 
for the procuring of the ground as had been 
advised by the City Attorney. The lots were 
all incumbered by delinquent taxes, and in but 
few instances were the lots condemned for 
more than taxes due upon them. The citj^ 
paid the State tax and school tax and remitted 
its own tax, and the County Board of Super- 
visors, after the condemnation, released the 
county and assigned the county tax to the city. 
The assigned amount of mone}- actuall3' ex- 
pended was between §1,800 and $2,000, and 
this includes also Snow & Green's Addition, 
making a body of land for park purposes of 
almost one hundred acres, contiguous to the 
city. In this improvement, there were over 
two hundred and flft}" condemnation cases, 
which were prosecuted to successful termina- 
tions b}' subject of sketch. The preliminary sur- 
vey of water-works was made by Mr. Cook, As- 
sessor, of Cleveland, Ohio, and S. P. Judson, Cit}' 
Engineer. Many other improvements of minor 
importance were carried out. Graham avenue 
was established, which passes around the south 
side of the park grounds, now known as Fair- 
view Park. Alderman A. C. Graham used his 
best efforts for the establishment of this ave- 
nue, which now bears his name, and as a pub- 
lic drive it is the finest in the city. These 
improvements will always be a benefit to the 
present citizens and a blessing to those who 
will become future inhabitants, and remain a 
perpetual monument to the care of these ad- 
ministrations in providing free public resorts 
for coming generations. The last improvement 



was the procuring the right of way for the 
extension of Washington avenue, a much- 
needed improvement, which was made under a 
resolution of the Council instructing the City 
Attorney to procure the right of way for their 
work, which was immediately commenced, and, 
after the award of damages to owners, the 
Council instructed the Citj- Attorney and 
Alderman R. F. Rain to settle with property- 
owners as they thought best. They settled all 
of the cases except one, which cost about 
S7,000. This amount was paid out on the 
order of the City Attorue}-. 

H. L. HENRY, grain dealer, Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Bluffs in 1856, and built a 
saw-mill in Harrison County, making Council 
Bluffs his headquarters, and continued in that 
business some few years. When the war broke 
out, he entered the arm3- as Acting Quarter- 
master for Battalion Fourth Iowa and Spoor's 
Battery. In 1863, he purchased a steamboat; 
followed steam boating between St. Louis and 
New Orleans, commanding the boat himself 
From 1866 to 1870, he was interested in the oil 
business in Kentucky; he then went into the 
grain business, operating between Council 
Blufls and St. Louis, and has continued in that 
business ever since, with the exception of the 
years 1872 and 1873, when he went to Texas, 
where he acted in the capacity' of Special Agent 
of the California & Texas Railway Con- 
struction Company, furnishing the money in 
currency for the construction of that road. 
Since 1873, he has been operating in grain 
more or less. Mr. Henry was born in New 
York Citj', and is of Scotch descent. 

LEWIS HAMMER. Council Bluffs, was born 
in Lorain County, Ohio, in 1837. He came 
West to Harrison County, Iowa, in 1857, and, 
in 1864, moved to Council Bluffs, where he 
opened a lumber jard on the corner of Vine 
and Market streets, -where he does an annual 
business of $60,000, and employs six assistants. 
In Council Bluffs, in 1870, he married Rhoda 



28 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Wood, and from this union three children have 
been born. Mr. Hammer was a member of the 
City Council of Council Bluffs, in 1878 and 
1879. He is a member of the I. 0. 0. F. 

S. F. HASKINS, coffee, Council Bluffs, was 
born in Connecticut in 184-t; his father was an 
old railroad man. In August, 1862, our sub- 
ject enlisted in the Nineteenth Connecticut, and, 
after serving fifteen months in that regiment, 
was transferred to the Second Connecticut 
Heav}- Artillerj', in which he was Sergeant. He 
left Connecticut in the spring of 18G7, and, 
April 19, 1880, engaged with Thurman & Co., 
on Pearl street, Council Bluffs. August 1, 
1881, he bought out Mr. Thurman, and carried 
on the grocer}- business until he came to his 
present stand; he started in the coffee business 
January 1, 1882, keeping all kinds of the finest 
goods in that line, and giving employment to 
two assistants. 

B. W. HIGHT, attorney, Council Bluffs, was 
born July 1, 18-42, in Albany, Vt.; was educated 
at Morrisville Academ}- and the University of 
Vermont, graduating from the latter in the class 
of 1861. The same year, he entered the United 
States Arm}' as a private, and, in a short time, 
was promoted to Fourth Corporal; then to Fourth 
Sergeant; then to Sergeant Major, and in 
winter of 1862 was promoted to Second Lieu- 
tenant; then, after the battle of the Wilderness, 
he was again promoted to Captain of Company 
C, of Second Vermont Volunteer Regiment. 
About the year 1867, he came to Council Bluffs; 
previous to this, however, he had studied law in 
Vermont, and in the spring of 1866, had gradu- 
ated from Albany law school. He commenced 
practice with William A. Mynster, in Council 
Bluffs, in the spring of 1867; withdrew from 
partnership July 1, 1874, and practiced alone 
until 1878. when he formed partnership with 
C. 11. Scott, and they are still practicing to- 
gether. In 1871, he was appointed to fill the 
vacancy occasioned by the resignation of J. R. 
Reed, and the same fall was elected to fill the 



unexpired term, and was appointed by the 
board to the office of County Attorney, and held 
this position until 1880. At the spring term of 
the Supreme Court, he was appointed Supreme 
Court Reporter by that court, to fill the vacanc}' 
occasioned by resignation of J. S. Runuells, 
Reporter of that court. He was married, March 
17, 1875, to Miss Lillie Snow. He is a charter 
member of the American Legion of Honor. 

HENRY HOWE & SON, new and second- 
hand store, Council Bluffs. Henry Howe has 
been a resident of Pottawattamie County for 
about sixteen years. He was born in Ohio in 
1822, and lived in that State till 1846, when he « 
moved to Indiana, where he resided about ten 
years; he then moved to Harrison County, Mo., 
where he resided during the late war. While 
there, and prior to the breaking-out of the war, 
he had a debate with Rev. Isaac Plank on the 
Bible position of slavery. Mr. Howe taking 
the ground that the Bible did not uphold 
slavery while Mr. Plank maintained that it did. 
This debate caused so much excitement that 
Mr. Howe was arrested, and, after having a 
trial of two days before a Justice of the Peace, 
was bound over to wait the action of the Grand 
Jury, but uo bill was found against him. Dur- 
ing the war, he was not in the regular service, 
but was Captain in the State Militia for some 
time; his early life was spent on the farm; dur- 
ing the war, he published a paper in Bethany, 
the county seat of Harrison County, Mo., but 
about the close of the war he sold out his print- 
ing oflSce and came to Council Bluffs, where he 
engaged in the trust business, which he followed 
for five years; he also followed farming for 
some time, his farm and residence being just 
outside the city limits; he began his present 
business in October, 1881, keeping all kinds of 
new and second-hand furniture, his stock being 
worth from $15,000 toS20,000; he owns the store 
building and residence adjoining it; his sou, A. 
B. Howe, is now in partnership with him. Mr. 
Howe has been married three times. In Ohio, 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



39 



in 1842, he married Miss Amanda Roby, who 
died in Indiana in 1850; his second wife, whom 
he married in Indiana, was Miss Elizabeth Ir- 
win. In Iowa, in 1868, he married Mrs. Lodema 
Irwin, his present wife. He has nine children 
living, five sons and four daughters; he has 
been a member of the United Brethren Church 
since ho was sixteen years old, and when twenty- 
four years, became a local preacher, and has 
since continued to preach the Gospel ; he 
traveled on a circuit for two years; he has been 
a Republican since the organization of that 
part}'. 

ROBERT HUNTINGTON, grocer. Council 
Blufls. is an Englishman ; was born in 1820, 
and. crossing the Atlantic in 1866, he came im- 
mediately to Council Blufis. He has been 
twice married ; first, in 1840. His wife dying in 
1864. he again married in 1866, just before 
coming to America. He im mediately- bought 
a farm of 320 acres, and continued in the oc- 
cupation of " tiller of the soil " for fourteen 
years. He has given to his children all of his 
land except 120 acres. He recently bought 
twelve acres near Fairmount Park. He built 
the first house on Graham avenue, also the first 
one in the township of James. Mr. Hunting- 
ton is Democratic in politics. 

MRS. E. J. HARDING, physician. Coun- 
cil Bliitfs, is a daughter of Dr. M. S. Barnwell, 
of Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated at the 
Electropathic Institute of Philadelphia, Penn., 
and her fame extends over the whole United 
States, she having practiced very successfully 
in St. Louis, San Francisco, Salt Lake and 
other large cities. She came to Council Blufls 
in 1878 and established the Thermo Electric 
bath rooms. These medical baths are very ef- 
fective and are verj' popular. She has invent- 
ed several appliances and supporters for invalid 
ladies. She has at present three patents from 
the United States Government. Her great 
stud}' has been to invent appliances for the 
relief of her own sex. She was born in Cin- 



cinnati, Ohio ; was married in St. Louis, Mo., 
in 1867. She is a medical Electrician and 
Gynechologist. 

MRS. H. J. HILTON, physician. Coun- 
cil Blufl's. Came to Council Blufls in Septem- 
ber, 1880. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, 
and raised and educated thero. She graduated 
at Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1872. Her mother 
lives in Chicago, HI., at the advanced age of 
eighty years, but looks not over sixty j-ears, and 
is very fine looking. Mrs, Hilton has graduat- 
ed both in medicine and surgery ; she has 
three children — E. Harold, who is a graduate 
of the literary department at Ann Arbor, Mich., 
and is now in Washington, D. C., in the signal 
service department ; and two daughters, who 
reside here with her. Mrs. Hilton belongs to 
a ver}' old Eastern family, being descended 
from the Childs of New York, on her mother's 
side, and from the Tifts of New York on her 
father's side. Her father, Hezekiah Tift, was 
one of the very first .settlers of Cleveland, 
Ohio, there being onl}' a log hotel at that place 
when he first settled there. Her mother, who 
is still living at Chicago, spends considerable of 
her time among her children. One of her 
daughters is Mrs. F, J, Osborne, wife of the 
well-known merchant of this city, 

E, H. HUGHES, confectioner, Council BluflJs, 
was born in Hamburg, Fremont Co., Iowa, 
April 8, 1861, son of J, A. and Jenny (Clone) 
Hughes ; he is a resident of Fremont County, 
Iowa ; died in Alabama during the war ; she 
resides in Glenwood, Iowa. His parents had 
two children. He received his education chiefly 
at Glenwood, Iowa, where he began business as 
a clerk with Mr. Townsley, in whose employ he 
remained about three years. He came to 
Council Blufl's January 10, 1881, and engaged 
in business in company with Mr. Townsley, at 
No. 12 Main street, where he has since remained. 
Mr, Hughes is a young man of fine business 
qualities, and is sure to be successful, while his 
partner, Mr, C, H, Townslej', is one of the most 



30 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



substantial business men of Mills County, 
Iowa, wliere he carries ou business. They car- 
ry on a general confectionery and fruit Ijusi- 
nes9, keeping on hand a full line of confection- 
ery and 03'sters, ice cream, etc., in their season. 
Mr. Hughes purchased, in the summer of 1882, 
one of the finest soda fountains in the city, 
which furnishes a constant supply of the cool- 
ing beverages. He is doing a large and^steadi- 
ily increasing trade. 

H. W. HART, physician. Council Bluffs, is 
one of the pioneers of that class of physicians 
who stand at the head of the profession in the 
city. He is a native of Chenango County, N. 
Y.; received his literary education at Geneva, 
and graduated from the Geneva Medical Col- 
lege in 1846. He spent one year in practice in 
Batii, of his native State, and then went to 
Rock County, Wis., where he practiced three 
years. His next move was to West Union, 
Fayette Co., Iowa, where he remained until 
the breaking-out of the vvar of the rebellion, 
when he entered the army as a Surgeon. His 
service was with the Ninth and Thirty-eighth 
Regiments of Iowa Infantry', Thirteenth Army 
Corps. Returning from the war, he spent a 
short time in Dubuque, Iowa, from which place 
he came to Council Bluffs in May of 1868. He 
opened an office within a short time after his 
arrival, and has been steadily engaged in prac- 
tice since. He is a member of the Council 
Bluffs Medical Society, State Medical Society 
and of the American ^Medical Association. 
For the past ten j-ears, he has been Commis- 
sioner of Insanity of tlie Council Bluffs dis- 
trict, and he is at present filling the office of 
County and Citv Physician. The Doctor is a 
member of the Congregational Church, and is 
a member of the best society of the city, as 
well as maintaining his position among the 
first of his profession. 

W. C. HOLLAND, livery, Council Bluffs, 
was born in Ohio in 1837, and lived in that 
State till he was nineteen years of age. His 



parents raised a family of ten cliildren, every 
one of whom are living and married. His 
mother is also living in Conway, Taylor Coun- 
ty, this State. His father died iu the latter 
place, in May, 1882. Our subject came to 
Council Bluffs April 16, 1881. He keeps eight 
head of horses in his livery beside having four- 
teen boarders. He had formerly lived twenty- 
two years in Henr\' County, Iowa, and after- 
ward a short time in Woodbine, Harrison 
County, this State. He was married in Heury 
County, this State, in 1858, to Miss Mary J. 
Conklin. They have two children — Alta, aged 
eighteen j'ears, and Clarence, who is nine years 
old. On January 1, 1873, there was a grand 
re-union at the house of our subject's parents. 
The ten children were all there to take dinner 
with their father and mother, making it an oc- 
casion long to be remembered. 

A. H. HARRIS, retired, Council Bluffs, was 
Ijorn in New York in 1 820. He came to Indi- 
ana in 18-42, and to this county in 1854. He 
mentions the circumstance that three towns 
with whose earl}- interests he had at different 
times iu his life been identified are now flour- 
ishing cities — Batavia, N. Y., Terre Haute, 
Ind., and Council Bluffs. Since coming to 
Council Bluffs, Mr. Harris has alwaj'S dealt in 
real estate, and has erected no less than eight 
business buildings. He has been foremost iu 
many leading enterprises ; he gave $500 toward 
the Ogden House ; $300 to the Chicago & 
North- Western Railway, and has financiallj- 
aided many other public schemes. He was 
married, in Batavia, N. Y., in 1857 ; he has 
two children, both born in Council Bluffs — Ida 
M. and Harry. Mr. Harris has alwa3-s held 
aloof from politics, and has never united with 
anj' secret society or church organization. 

A. A. HAZARD, sewing machines. Council 
Bluffs, was boru in Claiborne County, iMiss.; 
he was the son of S. H. and Delia A. (Leach) 
Hazard ; his father was a Presbyterian minis- 
ter, born in Rhode Island in 1814, and died in 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



31 



1853 ; his (subject's) mother was born in 
Rockaway, N. J., in 1807, and died iu New 
York City iu 1876 ; his parents had twelve 
children. Our subject came to Council Bluffs 
in June, 1871, and engaged in business in 
company with G. R. Thompson, selling the 
Singer Sewing Machine. Thej' continued in 
business together until February, 1879, when 
our subject purchased his partner's interest 
and took control of the entire business. In 
June, 1880, he severed his connection with the 
Singer machine, and continued at his old place 
of business, 106 South Fifth street, carrying a 
stock of leading machines of different makes. 
He finallj- became partial to the Domestic Sew- 
ing Machine, regarding it superior in many re- 
spects to other makes, and therefore decided to 
handle only machines of the Domestic pattern. 
Since October 20, 1881, he has been in the em- 
ploy of the Domestic Sewing Machine Com- 
pany as their special traveling agent for West- 
ern Iowa. He still carries on his business in 
Council Bluffs at the same location. He has 
been one of the most successful sewing- 
machine men iu Iowa, and the present flourish- 
ing condition of the business that he has 
established in this and adjoining counties has 
been brought about by his fair and straight- 
forward dealing on all occasions. He has five 
children — William L., Mary L., Nellie, Laura 
Lilly and Emily Lucretia. In religion, Mr. 
Hazard is a Presbyterian, and in politics, a 
Republican. 

MONTGOMERY P. HARRIS, Council 
Bluffs, by profession a lawyer, and who has 
recently become identified with the legal pro- 
fession of Pottawattamie County, was born 
November 20, 1857, in the village of Sandy 
Hill, Washington Co., N. Y.; his father, Hor- 
ace Harris, was born in the town of Queens- 
bury, Warren Co., N. Y., in 1818, and was the 
son of Moses Harris, one of Washington's 
most trusted spies during the Revolution ; the 
mother of M. P., A. A. (Boone) Harris, was 



born in the village of Greenville, Washington 
Co., N. Y., in 1822, and is a great-niece of the 
historical Daniel Boone ; there were eight chil- 
dren in the family, of whom the subject of this 
sketch is the sixth. When eight years of age, 
he was placed in the common schools of his 
native village, which he continued to attend 
until his fourteenth year, when he was sent to 
the academy of that place, where he graduated 
in 1876. In the winter of the same year, he 
entered the law office of the Hon. N. G. Paris 
as a law student and clerk. His career as a 
law student is best told in his own words : 
" On the 8th day of December, 1876, I called 
on Mr. Paris for the purpose of making ar- 
rangements to study law in his office. My 
clothes were far from being of the finest text- 
ure, nor were they in the best of repair, my 
mother's time being occupied in looking after 
so many. I learned at an early age to be sat- 
isfied with the best she could do for me, and 
found no fault. I stepped into the library and 
made known my business. Mr. Paris looked 
me over from head to foot, during which try- 
ing time I concluded that he thought I had 
better go to work instead of spending my time 
studying law. He consented, however, to 
allow me the use of his books upon condition 
that I would do the office work, to which I 
quickly and gladly consented, and on the 11th 
I commenced a regular clerkship in his office. 
The four j'ears I spent in his office as a stu- 
dent I shall never forget. They were trj'ing 
and eventful ones in my life, and manj' times I 
was sorely tried and very nearl}' discouraged. 
I had everything imaginable to contend with ; 
circumstances which were very embarrassing, 
indeed, seemed to have been the rule instead of 
the exception." Through it all, however, the 
determination and will to succeed carried him 
through, and on the 10th of September, 1880, 
at the village of Saratoga Springs, he was ad- 
mitted to the bar of New York. In May, 
1882, Mr. Harris came to Council Bluffs, where 



32 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



his references gave him an entree to the best 
society. He was shortl}' admitted to the bar 
of Iowa, and has begun the struggle of estab- 
lishing a practice in Council BhifTs, in which 
his natural ability as an orator gives him great 
advantage. He is an Episcopalian, a member 
of the society of I. 0. O. F., and a stanch Re- 
publican. 

JAMES A. JACKSON, Council Bluffs, 
whose portrait appears in this work, is one of 
the most prominent men of the West, and has 
done more for the good of the Missouri slope, 
in Iowa, than any other man whom we could 
name. His history has an interest for all the 
active business men of Council Bluffs and 
Omaha. He was born in Ohio in 1829. His 
parents moved to Missouri when he was very 
young, where his father soon after died, leav- 
ing the mother with a family of nine children, 
to be raised amid the hardships of a frontier 
life in Missouri, But she kept her trust well, 
and lived to the ripe old age of eight3--five, dying 
in Council Bluffs January 1, 1882. She was 
followed to her last resting-place by a large 
number of friends, having been verj- highh* 
esteemed by all who knew her. Of her chil- 
dren, two live in Council Bluffs — W. C. Jack- 
son, and the subject of this sketch, James A. 
Jackson. Andrew P. and Franklin L., are in 
California, having gone there in 1852. One 
daughter, Mrs. Julia Record, now resides in 
Glenwood, Iowa. Subject's father was a native 
of Virginia, and was a near relative of Gen. 
Andrew Jackson. His mother was a Cessna, of 
Pennsylvania, the Hon. John Cessna being her 
nephew. Mr. Jackson has seen all of our West- 
ern country grow up. Attended the treaty held 
with the Indians, on the west bank of the iMis- 
souri River, in 1852, Maj.Gatewood acting on the 
part of the Government, Mr. Jackson assisting 
him. This treatj^ was held about fifteen miles 
south of Omaha. Mr. Jackson is a good conver- 
sationalist, and can entertain one for hours with 
his reminiscenses of the earlv days in Iowa 



and Nebraska, in fact of aUnost the entire 
West. He attended the first sale of lots in St. 
Joseph, Mo., so that he has watched its growth, 
as well as that of Sioux City, Omaha and 
Council Bluffs, with the greatest of interest. 
He was one of the original owners of Sioux 
Qiity and Omaha. Mr. Jackson came to this 
city in January, 1851, and opened in business 
in general merchandise, and in 1855 opened a 
branch establishment in Omaha. The succes- 
sors to his Omaha branch are " Tootle & Maul." 
a very heavy firm to-day. Located another 
branch iu Sioux Cit}' in 185ti, chartering a 
steamboat and unloading the first goods that 
were brought there. He built what is known 
as the Empire Block, in 1854, which was 
burned in 1868. The part of the city known 
as Jackson's Addition, was named in his honor. 
His fellow-citizens appreciated his efforts in 
behalf of their town, and in 1852 elected him 
County. Treasurer. About this time he met 
the beautiful young belle. Miss Henrietta St. 
Aubin, of New Orleans, and being as impres- 
sionable as j'oung men generally are in the 
presence of beaut}', fell in love with and mar- 
ried her. in 1852, thus exciting the envy of his 
young associates for bearing off so captivating 
a prize. 31rs. Jackson is still living, and wears 
the charm which always clings about a once 
beautiful woman — perfect elegance. The State 
Bank of Iowa was organized here in 1860, 
Mr. Jackson being one of the stockholders, 
also its President. Our present First National 
Bank is its successor. Mr. Jackson let his 
efforts for the good of the west take in Omaha 
also. He built the first brick house erected 
there, taking his brick from Council Bluffs. 
The said house was used as a capitol building, 
which he was influential in securing to Omaha. 
Thus he kept on, all the time using his money 
for the public good. He continued in business 
here until 1865. when he sold out aud moved 
to St. Louis, engaging there in the wholesale 
grocery business. His untiring energy and 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



33 



business talent took him to the front rank 
among successful men of that city, while his 
wife's beauty and accomplishments won them a 
prominent place in social circles. But, alas ! 
his health broke down under his increase of 
care ; and selling out there, he went to the 
Western plains, in 187G, to regain strength, 
which he soon did in the pure, bracing air, and 
freedom from anxiety. He then entered into 
the cattle business, in compau\- with his son 
Andi'ew. and has been verj^ successful in that, 
as in everything else, at present owning as ex- 
tensive a ranch as he can take care of in jus- 
tice — one of the most extensive in the West. 
Mr. Jackson has two children (still living), 
Andrew M. Jackson and Georgiana Jackson, 
the wife of Judge Andrew S. Wilson, of Kan- 
sas, whom she married in 1881. His son An- 
drew was married in April, 1878, to Miss Carrie 
Rice, of Council Blufl's, the daughter of A. T. 
Rice, of the First National Bank. Andrew, 
while inheriting the tireless energy of his 
father, possesses in a great degree the grace 
and elegance of manner of his mother, and 
has her dark eyes and hair. He was engaged 
here for several jears in a wholesale grocer}- 
trade, but finally sold out, in 1878, to enter 
into stock business with his father, in Wyo- 
ming. He has one son, a bright little fellow of 
three years, who bears his grandfather's name, 
and let us hope, will have his active business 
tact and clear-headed management. 

H. JAMES, grocer. Council Blutt's, was born 
in Bucks Countj', Penn., Februarj- 3, 1850, and 
was educated in the public schools of Norris- 
town, Penn. In March, 1869, he came to 
Council Bluifs, where he engaged as clerk for 
Wright Bros., with whom he remained about 
one year. He then engaged in the grocer}' 
business on his own account on the corner of 
Bancroft street and Broadway, where he carried 
on business for about eight years. He then 
removed to his present place of business, corner 
of Main and Willow streets, where he has since 



remained, doing a constantly increasing busi- 
ness, and carrying a full stock of staple and 
fanc}- groceries, fruits, etc. His store occupies 
the entire ground floor of the building, fifty 
feet in length, twenty-three feet in width. He 
carries a stock of about $20,000, and his annual 
sales amount to about §20,000. He married, 
October 10, 1872. Lizzie McCammon, of Coun- 
cil Blufl's, formerly of Canada, and, by this 
union, they have one child — Harry, aged nine 
years. Mr. James is a member of Excelsior 
Lodge, No 259, A., F. & A. M. of Council 
Blufts. 

C. B. JACQUEMIN, jeweler. Council Blufl's, 
came to Council Bluflfe in May, 1865. He 
keeps a large stock of clocks, jewelry and fancy 
goods; he has a splendid location, and is doing 
an immense business. The firm consists of C. 
B. Jacquemin, his brother, and George A. 
Garner. Mr. Jacquemin was born in Luxem- 
burg, Europe, in 1838; came to America in 
1852, and settled in Missouri, where he learned 
his trade. He has been a member of the 
School Board for six jears, and was Mayor of 
the city iu 1865. During his term as Mayor, 
the terminus of the Union Pacific Transfer was 
located here. 

S. S. KELLER, furniture, Council Blufl's, 
was born in Franklin Count}', Penn.. in 1838, 
where he received his education, and remained 
till 1856. He then moved to Indiana, and, in 
1862. entered the One Hundred and Fiftj'-sixth 
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He remained 
in the service till the battle of Gett3'sburg, 
when his regiment was mustered out. In the 
spring of 1867, he came to Council Blufl's, 
where he worked at the carpenter's trade with 
Johnson & Orr for nine mouths ; then began 
business for himself as a contractor and builder. 
In 1870, he went to Utah, where he engaged iu 
the grain trade with N. J. Bond; returned to 
Council Blufl's in 1871, where he engaged in 
the furniture business with J. M. Scott, at the 
corner of Broadwa}' and Byrant streets, and 



34 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



after being in business some time under the 
firm name of Scott & Keller, bought out Mr. 
Scott's interest. He then ran the business 
himself, occupying the entire three story build- 
ing, and in the fall of 1881 he moved to the 
opposite side of Broadway into the building 
that he had built the previous summer. This 
building, which comprises two stories and base- 
ment, is seventy feet long and forty-three feet 
wide; the warehouse in the rear is one story 
in height and forty feet long by forty feet wide. 
Mr. Keller started in business with but little 
capital, but has succeeded in building up a 
good trade. He carries a full line of furniture 
and household goods. In 1873, he added un- 
dertaking to his business, and carried on busi- 
ness alone till 1876, when he formed partner- 
ship with Messrs. Morgan & Dohaney, carry- 
ing on business under the firm name of Morgan, 
Keller & Co. The business is under the 
management of Mr. Morgan, who is an experi- 
enced undertaker. In Council Blufl's, in 1874, 
Mr. Keller married Libbie Noble, of Carroll 
County, 111. He is of German descent; during 
the year 1881, he held the office of Alderman 
of the Second Ward. He is a member of the 
I. 0. 0. F. of Council Bluffs. 

T. C. KIRKLAND, County Auditor, Council 
Bluffs. The most severe test to which a man's 
standing or reputation in a community may be 
subjected is, perhaps, when he becomes a can- 
didate for office. In the fall of 1881, Mr. T. C. 
Kirkland passed through such a test, and was 
elected to the office of Auditor of Pottawattamie 
County, on the Republican ticket, and by a 
majority of 627, the total vote cast for him 
in the county being 2,489, which was the 
largest vote cast for any Republican candidate. 
He took formal possession of the office in Janu- 
ary, 1882. Having spent eight years in the 
same office as Deputj' for John Bennett, he en- 
tered upon the discharge of his duties with a 
full knowledge of the responsibilities of the of- 
fice. He was born in Jefferson County, N. 



Y. and when six years of age his parents 
moved to Sheboygan, Wis., where he received 
a good education, and engaged in the drug 
business, which he followed until he came West 
in 1867. From 1867 until he began as Deputy 
for Mr. Bennett in 1874, he was engaged in 
railroad business, principally contracting on the 
Northern Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroads. 
He has lost nothing in popularity since becom- 
ing an officer of the county, and, should he 
desire it, he will probably be re-elected. 

P. C. & W. D. KIRKLAND, jewelers. Coun- 
cil Bluffs. Mr. P. C. Kirkland was born in 
Scotland. He resided in Washington County, 
Wis., for about eight j-ears, then moved to Min- 
nesota, where he lived for about a year: he 
then followed boating on the Mississippi River 
till the fall of 1868, when he came to Council 
Bluffs; here he engaged with the telegraph 
company for about thirteen months; then with 
the gas company about eleven months, and, in 
1870, entered the emplo}- of James Brewster, 
wholesale grocer, Broadway, Council Blufl's, 
with whom he remained until he entered into 
his present business. Mr. P. C. Kirkland was 
married, January 19, 1879, to Miss M. J. Brew- 
ster, niece of James Brewster, and by this union 
they have been blessed with one son, Charles 
W. In August, 1882, Mr. P. C. Kirkland. in 
company with Mr. W. D. Kirkland, of Sheboy- 
gan County, Wis., opened their present jewelry 
store at No. 329 Broadway, Council Blufl's, 
where they keep on hand a complete stock of 
watches, clocks, jewelry-, silver and silver- 
plated ware, spectacles, etc. Mr. W. D. Kirk- 
land is an experienced workman, and guaran- 
tees all work. They solicit an inspection of 
their stock, feeling satisfied tliat they can 
please all. 

JOHN KELLER, Council Bluffs, one of tiie 
oldest and most respected citizens of Council 
Bluffs, was born at Elzes, in Eastern France, 
October 23, 1815, where he spent his youth. 
He came to America with an older brother in 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



35 



1836. Lauding in New York, he began to 
learn the trade of cabinet-making, and, after 
serving his apprenticeship, he went to Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, and followed the same calling. 
From there, he went to St. Louis, and from 
there to Western Missouri, where he resided 
some time. Afterward coming to Council 
Bluffs, he entered the land where his dwelling 
is now situated in 1855, and in 1854 brought 
from Missouri the first fruit trees ever planted 
in the count}'. In 18-11, he was married to 
Rebecca Runyan, a native of Center County, 
Penn., and of this marriage one son was born 
— Victor L. Keller, who served in the Union 
army throughout the civil war in the Second 
Iowa Batter}-. Mr. Keller has been noted for 
his kindness to orphan children, having reared 
and educated three since coming to Council 
Bluffs. Mrs. Keller ilied here on the 18th day 
of April, 1882. Mr. Keller is a member in most 
excellent standing of the Masonic order. He 
is still a man in most eseelJeut health, pos- 
sesses a wiry frame, and is gifted with strong 
mind and body. Bj- care, prudence and indus- 
try, he has amassed considerable property, and 
owns some of the most valuable real estate in 
the city of Council Bluffs. He was among the 
first to demonstrate the practicability of fruit- 
raising in this climate, and has made it a most 
positive success. 

L. KIRSCHT, wholesale grocer. Council 
Bluffs, was born in German}- in 1829, and served 
three and a half years in the Prussian Army. 
In 1854, he came to America, and, in 1856, was 
married at Hillsdale, Mich. From Hillsdale, 
Mich., he went in the fall of 1856 to St. Joseph, 
and came to Council Bluffs May 11, 1861; here 
he opened a retail grocery, in which he met 
with good success, and gradually increased his 
business until he is now doing an extensive 
wholesale trade, employing four men in the 
store and one traveling salesman. He carries 
about §30,000 worth of stock, and his yearly 
sales amount to about $100,000, and are steadily 



increasing. Mr. Kirscht served in the City 
Council in 1869 and 1870, and has been Town- 
ship Trustee for many years. He has a family 
of six children, all living at home; he Las a 
fine residence on Glen avenue; he is a stanch 
Republican. Mr. Kirscht's mother came to 
Council Bluffs June 25, 1881, and died in Au- 
gust, 1832, aged nearly seventy-one years. 

S. H. KELLEY, druggist, Council Bluffs, 
was born in Cedarville, Herkimer Co., N. Y., 
in 1819; his father moved to Otsego County, 
N. Y., in 1827; our subject came to Council 
Bluffs in 1857, and engaged in the drug busi- 
ness, in which he remained until 1862, when he 
sold his interest to his partner, Mr. Kynett. and 
took a trip for his health; he went to Syracuse, 
N. Y., where he finally opened a drug store; he 
remained here until the spring of 1880, at which 
time he returned to Council Bluffs, where he 
again opened out in the drug business; this 
time on Lower Main street. He carries about 
$6,000 in stock, with annual sales amounting 
to $10,000. 

HARMAN KELLEY, marble works, Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born in Vermont in 1820, and, 
in 1849, removed to Western New York, where 
he remained till 1872. In 1873, he came to 
Council Bluffs and engaged in marble-cutting; 
he employs six men in the shop and two on the 
road; carries about .$2,000 worth of stock, and 
his annual sales amount to about 89,000; he 
has always been engaged in the marble busi- 
ness. He was married in Vermont; his mother 
is still living in Western New York, at the ad- 
vanced age of eighty-nine years; his father died 
there in 1868. Mr. Kelley is a member of the 
Masonic fraternity. 

REV. JOSEPH KNOTTS. Council Bluffs, 
was born on the 24th of September, 1832, at 
Knottsville, Monongalia Co., Va. He spent 
his earlier years on a farm at home, and ac- 
quired such an education as the best facilities 
in his native county afforded. In his early 
manhood, he also engaged in teaching, and be- 



36 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ing a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, he joiued the West Virginia Confer- 
ence of that religious body as au itinerant 
minister. In 1860, he came to Iowa, and was 
transferred to the Iowa Conference, and was 
assigned to dut}' in the western part of the 
State. When the conference was divided, ter- 
ritorially, he became a member of the Des 
Moines Conference. He traveled several cir- 
cuits in the central portion of Iowa, and in 
1865 was appointed to Council Bluff's, serving 
for two years as pastor of the Broadway 
Church, and it was through his energj' and 
during his ministration, that that fine edifice 
was built. He was afterward appointed agent 
of the Church Extension Society of the Des 
3Ioines Conference, and served in that capacitj' 
for two years, when he was appointed Presiding 
Elder of the Council Bluff's District, and served 
with marked ability for four j'ears. During 
the period of his incumbency as Presiding Elder, 
he was a delegate to the General Conference of 
the 3Iethodist Episcopal Church. His health 
having failed him and being obliged to cease in 
the active ministr}"^, he engaged in the book and 
job printing business in 1872, and published 
the Inland Advocate, a religious newspaper, for 
several years, and the Weekly Independent, a 
journal devoted to news and politics from an 
independent standpoint. His establishment 
was in the east end of the Ogden House Block, 
and when that was destroyed by fire in the fall 
of 1874, he became the principal sufferer. In 
his efl'orts to save liis jeopardized property his 
disease was aggravated, and he was unable to 
resume the business. He went to Washington 
Citj- and spent the winter, and hearing of the 
glowing prospects of mining operations in 
Northern Mexico, from gentlemen who had 
visited that .section, he began to turn his atten- 
tion in that direction. He was appointed a 
United States Consul to Chihuahua, and went 
south to explore the countrj- for silver mining 
prospects. He succeeded in securing the Par- 



ral mines by a contract, and resigning his con- 
sulate, he came back to the United States, and 
organized a mining compau}' to develop the 
property. From that date to this he has given 
almost his entire attention to silver mining, not 
only in Mexico, but in New Mexico and Ari- 
zona, and has amassed a handsome fortune 
through judicious investments. Mr. Knotts 
was married to Miss Rebecca Hall, a native of 
Barbour County, Va., on the 9th of Octol^er, 
1855, in Hancock County, 111. They have been 
blessed with a large family of children. The 
two older sons — Abraham and Thomas — being 
engaged with their father in his business, min- 
ing interests. 

JOHN LINDT, attorney. Council Bluff's, 
was born and raised in Erie, Penn. He re- 
ceived his education in the public schools of 
Erie, Penn., and also attended the Oberlin Col- 
lege, Ohio. At the age of fifteen years, he 
entered the army, becoming a member of 
Independent Battery, Company B, First Penn- 
sylvania Light Artillery, and participated in 
the engagements at Dallas, Buzzard Roost, 
New Hope Church, Resaca, Peach Tree Creek, 
Kenesaw Mountain, Rome, Spring Hill, Frank- 
lin, Nashville and Atlanta ; was through Sher- 
man's campaign and Thomas' campaign with 
Hood, and was discharged at Harrisburg, 
Penn., in 1865. Before entering the army, he 
had studied law, and in 1866 he again com- 
menced reading law. He came to Council 
Bluff's in the spring of 1870 ; in 1871, was ad- 
mitted to practice in Iowa, and has practiced 
his profession in Council Bluff's ever since. 
He was married in Misbawaka, in 1873, to 
Sarah Griffin, a native of New York, of Quaker 
descent. They have had two children, one de- 
ceased. Mr. Lindt is a cliarter member of the 
Knights of Pythias, and has held the highest 
offices in that order ; has been Commander of 
Post and Delegate to the National Convention 
of the G. A. R. at Baltimore, Md., in 1882, and 
is now a member of the National Council of 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



37 



Administration of the G. A. R. ; he is also a 
member of and has held high positions in 
tlie I. 0. 0. F. 

JOHN C. LEB, contractor, Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Bluffs in 1871, and engaged in 
business here in 187-t. He was born in Can- 
ada in 1845, and lived there till he came to 
Council Bluffs. He is a railroad contractor, 
and has worked on several of the railroads 
centering here. In 1878, he married Miss 
Anna Leonard, whose parents reside on a farm 
near Neola, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Lee have one 
child living — Mar.y, fifteen months old. Mr. 
Lee's parents still live in Lanark Countj', Can- 
ada. His grandfather, Martin Condred, was a 
soldier in the French Armj- under Napoleon ; 
crossed the Alps with him, and was with him 
at Waterloo. 

DR. N. D. LxAWRENCE, Council Bluffs, was 
born in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., in 1822; 
was educated in the Rensselaer Institute, New 
York, and at the Vermont University, from 
which latter institution he graduated. He 
practiced the medical profession in New York, 
and in 1868 came to Council Bluffs. He was 
married in New York in 1846 and has been 
blessed with two children — Frank E. and Ella 
M. Frank E. was born in 1848, and in 1878 
married Elizabeth Cody Stanton, who has 
borne him one daughter — Margaret Living- 
stone Stanton. Ella M. was born in 1851, and 
in 1871 married John Monell, son of Dr. 
Monell, of Omaha, Neb. They had one daugh- 
tea, Anna Mabel, who came from Omaha on a 
visit to Dr. Lawrence in Council Bluffs, and 
while there died, in February, 1880, aged two 
and one-half years. The Doctor has been 
elected JNLayor of Council Bluffs three times. 
Since he came here, he has made three trips to 
Europe. 

JACOB LEUTZINGER, baker, Council 
Bluffs, was born in Switzerland in 1840. His 
parents' family, which consisted of five chil- 
dren, came to this country in 1847. They 



went to Southern Illinois, settling at a point 
twenty-five miles east of St. Louis, Mo. 
Our subject was engaged in the bakery busi- 
ness in the latter city from 1856 to 1859, when 
he came to Council Bluffs April 1 of that year. 
He is the leading baker of Council Blufls, and 
is sole proprietor of the Empire Bakery of this 
city. He was married in 1870 to Anna Hil- 
tonberg, of this city. Thej' have two children 
— Anna, aged eleven, and Matilda, who is six 
years old. 

J. C. LANGE, of the firm of Lutz & Lange, 
wholesale cigars and pipes. Council Bluffs, was 
born in Russia in 1846 ; came to the United 
States in 1867, and settled in Brooklyn, N. Y., 
where he was employed in an architect's office ; 
he left there in 1869, and went to Burlington, 
Iowa ; stayed there two years, then went to 
St. Louis, and from there came to Council 
Bluffs in December, 1878. Mr. Lange was 
married in December, 1873, in Ottumwa, Iowa, 
and has three children, one boy and two girls. 
He is an active Democrat. 

J. I. LUTZ, of the firm of Lutz & Lange, 
wholesale cigars and pipes, Council Bluffs, was 
born in German}- in 1843 ; came to the United 
States in 1865, and settled in Burlington. Iowa. 
From Burlington, he came to Council Bluffs in 
1876. In 1877, he, in company with his part- 
ner, opened a wholesale cigar and pipe store. 
They employ three traveling men and have one 
assistant in the store besides himself and part- 
ner. They keep a stock on hand worth about 
$18,000, and their yearly sales amount to 
$150,000. Mr. Lutz was married in 1868, in 
Burlington, Iowa, and has five children, all at 
home, the three eldest going to school. He is 
an active Democrat. 

P. J. MONTGOMERY, physician, Council 
Bluffs; though a resident of this place but a lit- 
tle over two years, the Doctor has already estab- 
lished himself in the practice of medicine in a 
very satisfactory manner. He is a native of Del- 
aware County, N. Y., and on his father's side is 



38 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



a lineal descendant of Gen. Montgomen', while 
by his mother, who was an Abbott, he traces 
the genealogy of his family to the Abbots of 
England, and to the Mayflower pilgrims of that 
name. When he was eleven j"ears of age, the 
Doctor's parents moved to Wisconsin; his edu- 
cation was received principally at the Albion 
Academy of Dane County, Wis.; he studied 
medicine with Dr. D. L. Davis, of Waterloo, 
Iowa, an allopathic physician, and also with 
Dr. L. N. Squire of the same place, who 
was a homoeopathic physician. In 18G6, he 
graduated from the Hahnemann Medical Col- 
lege of Chicago; he also attended the Chi- 
cago Medical College, an allopathic institu- 
tion, and, in addition to this, he took a 
course of lectures at the Homiston Institute 
College of Cleveland, Ohio. During last two 
years of the war, he served in the Nashville 
City Hospital, or what was better known as the 
College Bluff Hospital, In May, ISSO, he was 
appointed Surgeon of the W^abash Railroad at 
this point. He is a member of the Northwestern 
Academy of Medicine, and was President of 
that society in 18S1; he is also a member of 
the State Homogopathic Medical Society, and is 
now holding the position of Chairman of the 
Bureau of Surgery in that society. His success 
in practice and the honorable position he has 
held in the medical societies is dpe to his ex- 
tensive study of the science of medicine, and to 
the honorable course he has pursued since he 
became a resident of the Blulfs City. 

MAX MOHN, proprietor of the Creston 
House, Council Blufli's, was born in Wurtem- 
berg, Germanj-, December 6, 1843, where he 
was educated, and where he lived till he came 
to America. He came to Council Blufls June 
9, 1869, and worked for Jlax Kreidler, boot and 
shoe maker, for two and a half years; he then 
engaged for one year as clerk for Charles Beck- 
man, in the leather business; then worked for 
Louis Zurmuelon four and a half years, and, in 
1877, went into partnership with his sister, Mrs. 



Weber, in the hotel business, on South Main 
street, in a one-stor3- building, which would ac- 
commodate about nineteen boarders. Finding 
that his business justified it, he erected a fine 
three-story brick hotel, with stone front, cost- 
ing $12,000, with twenty-four sleeping apart- 
ments, and nine other rooms, having now about 
fiftj- regular boarders, and a large transient 
custom. Mr. Mohn was married, in June, 1879, 
to Anne Betz, and bj' this marriage they have 
one daughter. In 1881, he bought the building 
occupied b}^ Thrall & Kracht, grocers, for $2,- 
500, and, in November, 1881, bought for $7,- 
000, a two-storj- brick building, containing one 
large room down stairs occupied as the billiard 
hall and bar, and with four rooms in the upper 
story. 

W. S. MAYNE, attorney, Council Bluffs, was 
born in Clark County, Ohio, in 1835; removed 
with his parents to Ottumwa, Iowa, in the fall 
of 1848, and thence removed to Van Buren 
County, Iowa; his father was elected Judge of 
Van Buren County, and removed to Keosau- 
qua, Iowa, iu the fall of 1851. Our suliject at- 
tended a private school in Keosauqua, and, in 
1853, entered the Iowa Wesley an University at 
Mount Pleasant, from which he graduated in 
1856, he being the first graduate of that institu- 
tion. He began reading law with C. C, Nourse, 
afterward finishing with Hon, G, G, Wright, 
then sitting on the supreme bench of Iowa, and 
was admitted to the bar in 1858. He began 
the practice of his profession in Keosauqua, 
where he remained until 1872, when he removed 
to Red Oak, Iowa, where he formed a partner- 
ship with the present Attorney General of the 
State— Smith McPherson, In the fall of 1875, 
he came to Council Bluffs, wiiere he took charge 
of ihe business of the law firm of Baldwin & 
Wright, while the latter was attending the ses- 
sion of the Legislature, The following spring, 
Mr. Mayne formed a partnership with George 
F. W^right, and continued iu the firm till Julv, 
1877, when he formed a partnership with Mar- 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



39 



shal Ke}-, and under the firm name of Maj-ne & 
Key. carried on the practice of law till August, 
1880, when Mr. Mayne took up the practice of 
Mr. Ross, the latter having gone to Iowa City. 
Mr. Mayne is now located in L. W. Ross' old 
office, corner of Main street and Broadway, 
Council Blutfs. In May, 18G4, he married Miss 
R. E. Mangum, a native of Van Burea County, 
Iowa. Mr. Maj'ne was a member of the City 
Council in 1880 and 1881, and, in the spring of 
1882, was elected City Attorney on the Re- 
publican ticket, the first election under the new 
charter. 

GEORGE MARSHALL, street car company, 
Co\incil Blutfs, was born in Essex Coun- 
t3-, N. Y., in 1827. He went to Michigan at 
the age of sixteen, and stayed there three 
years, then entered the employ of Western 
Stage Company, coming with them to Council 
Bhifl's in 1855. He remained in their employ 
for fourteen j-ears, then left them and ft-eighted 
on the plains eight years. In 1869, he began 
Government and mail contracting, and con- 
tinned until 1879, when he took charge of the 
street car barn. He has the supervision of 
everything belonging to the street car com- 
pany, including horses, cars and track, and 
employs ten men. Mr. Marshall was married 
in 1857, in Fulton, Ind. He has one daughter 
— Mary. 

WILLIAM A. MYNSTER, attorney. Council 
Bluffs, is a native of Copenhagen, Denmark, 
born October 13, 1843. and is of Danish par- 
entage. On his third birthday, he was with 
his parents on the ocean on the way to Amer- 
ica. They first settled permanently at 
Washington, D. C, where they lived three 
years, then moved to Louisville. Ky., where 
they lived one year, and, in 1851 came to 
Kanesville, now Council Bluffs. Mr. Mynster 
was educated at Sinsinawa Mound. Wis., and 
St. Louis University. He studied law with 
Clinton & Baldwin of Council Bluffs, whose of- 
fice was then located opposite the present city 



building; afterward pursued his law studies in 
New York City, and at the Albany Law School 
N. Y. He graduated from that institution 
in 1866, having conferred on him the degree 
of LL. B. The following year, he opened a 
law office in Council Bluffs, and formed partner- 
ship with B. W. Hight, present Supreme Court 
Reporter of Iowa, who was a classmate of his 
at the law school. This firm dissolved in 
1872, and Mr. Mynster entered into partnership 
with James & Aylesworth, and remained in 
that firm until 1877, when he entered into 
partnership with C. F. Adams, which firm still 
exists. 

ROSE & McMAHON, abstract and loans. 
Council Bluffs. The firm of Rose & McMahon, 
was formed July 1, 1882, the members of the 
firm being S. C. Rose and P. J. McMahon. 
Their office is on the ground floor of No. 4 Pearl 
street. Council Bluffs. P. J. McMahon was 
born in Council Bluff's January 5, 1859, and is 
a son of the celebrated Dr. P. J. McMahon, who 
died in 1875, from the effects of blood-poison- 
ing. His grandfather on his father's side was 
a native of Ireland; his ancestors on his 
mother's side came to America many genera- 
tions ago. His mother's uncle — Austin King — 
was Governor of Missouri. Mr. McMahon 
received his education in Council Bluffs, in the 
public schools and under private tuition. In 
1876, he began clerking for A. D. Foster & Co., 
druggists, with whom he remained one year, 
then engaged with J. D. Edmundson, real 
estate dealer, with whom he stayed till October, 
1880. He then started the business in which 
he is at present engaged, at 506 Broadway, 
Council Bluffs, and in January, 1882, removed 
to present office. No. 4 Pearl street. 

J. C. MITCHELL, ticket agent, Council 
Bluffs, was born in M3'stic, New London Co., 
Conn., May 27, 1856. In 1866, he moved with 
his parents to Owatonna, Minn. In 1870, he 
accepted a position as operator at St. Paul, 
and was afterward at Stillwater, Minn., in the 



40 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



employ of the Lake Superior & Mississippi 
Railway Compan}'. Here he remained about 
one year, when he went to St. Peter, Minn., as 
operator and clerk for the Chicago & North- 
western Railway Company, He remained in 
the latter company's emploj* for about five 
years. He assisted his father for about a year 
and a half, in the latter's store in Owatonna, 
Minn. He came to Council Bluffs in the fall 
of 1880, when he accepted the position of Ticket 
Agent for the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific 
Railway Company. Our subject is of English 
and Scotch descent. 

F. C. MILLER, physician. Council Bluffs, 
who has recently become associated with Dr. 
Rice in the practice of medicine, is a native of 
Oranb}', N. Y., where he was born March 31, 
1857. He resided there until twelve years of 
age, when his parents removed to Bristol, 111., 
where they resided for eight years and then re- 
moved to Maryville, Mo. There the Doctor be- 
gan the study of medicine and subsequently 
attended and graduated from the St. Louis 
Eclectic Medical College. He graduated in 
the spring of 1882, and in March, the same 
year, he married Miss Jennie M. Gaunt of 
Marj-ville, Mo. A short time subsequent to 
this event he came to Council Bluffs, and effect- 
ed a partnership with his uncle Dr. R. Rice. 
Under the instruction of one so thoroughly 
capable of advising him, he begins the prac- 
tice of his chosen profession under most favor- 
able circumstances. 

J. MUELLER, musical merchandise. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, is a native of Bohemia ; subsequent- 
ly became a resident of Prussia, where he re- 
sided for ten years, and in 1857 came to the 
United States and settled in Wisconsin. In 1859, 
he came to Council Bluffs and engaged in teach- 
ing music. He continued teaching as a business 
until 1864, when he began the sale of musical 
instruments and musical merchandise, running 
the two together until 1869, when he gave up 
teaching and turned his attention exclusively 



to the sale of instruments and music. In the 
meantime, however, he was burned out, by 
which disaster he lost $8,000 worth of goods, 
and was left $1,300 in debt. He lost none of 
his energy and business ability, and in a short 
time was making fair progress toward accumu- 
lating another handsome property. In 1869, 
he began business in the old Bee Hive build- 
ing, where he remained until 1881, when he re- 
moved to the fine building which he now occu- 
pies, and which is his own property. The 
building is twent^'-five by eighty feet, three 
floors and basement, all of which is filled with 
musical instruments, musical merchandise and 
toys. He now does an extensive wholesale 
trade, having about three regular men on the 
road and six or seven men in the house. He im- 
ports largely in sheet music and instruments. 
The Chickering & Sons, Weber and J. Mueller 
are among his best pianos, and tho Burdett 
Standard and Western Cottage organs ; of the 
latter organ he is Western agent, and has sold 
of them in the eight years about 3,400. His 
annual sales now aggregate about $100,000. 
His success cannot be ascribed to luck, for 
every step of progress has l»een carefull3- con- 
sidered before an important business movement 
has been made. There are probably but one or 
two instances in Council Bluff's of like success. 
THOMAS METCALF. wholesale and retail 
dealer in hats, caps, buck goods and clothing, 
was born in Chardon, Geauga Co., Ohio, and 
in 1871 he married Miss Eva Canfield of 
Chardon, Ohio, and thej' have two children — 
Thomas, aged ten, and Frank aged eight years. 
Mr. Metcalf, came to Council Bluffs in the fall 
of 1867 and opened a hat and cap store on the 
south side of Broadwa}- in a room eight by 
twent}' feet. Here he remained two3-ears, then 
moved into one-half of J. M. Philip's store, and 
in 1880 moved into his present stand. The 
firm of which Mr. Metcalf is a member carried 
on the hat and cap business exclusively for 
eight years, then added clothing. They em- 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



41 



ploy six assistants aud carry about $50,000 
wortli of stock, the annual sales amounting 
to $150,000. H. H. Metcalf, senior member 
of the firm, was married in 1868, to Miss Lida 
Brownsfield of South Bend, lud. George Met- 
calf was married in 1878, to Helen Rue of 
Council Bluffs, and they have one child — Clara, 
one and a half years of age. 

R. N. MERRIAM, groceries and provisions, 
Council Bluffs, was born in Princeton, Worcester 
Co., Mass., in 1837, and when he attained his ma- 
jorit3' moved West to Iowa. He served in the 
army three years and three months, entering the 
Fourth Iowa Infantry as private, and being 
discharged as Sergeant. He came to Council 
Bluffs in the fall of 1864. Started in business 
with his brother, in eompau}- with whom he 
continued till 1872, when he bought out his 
brother's interest, and has since carried on the 
business himself. He employs three assistants 
in his store, and carries about $3,000 worth of 
stock, his yearly sales amounting to $20,000. 
In 1871, he married Miss Lucretia M. Lewis, 
of Pennsj'lvania, and they have been blessed 
with fourciiildren — Freddie, ten ; Harry, seven ; 
Bessie, five, and Ottie, three years old. Mr. 
and Mrs. Merriam are members of the Presby- 
terian Church. 

D. MACRAE, M. D., Council Bluffs, whose 
portrait appears in this work, has been a resident 
of Council Bluffs since March, 1867. He is a 
native of Edginburgh, Scotland, receiving both 
his literary and medical education at the Uni- 
versity of Edinburgh, from which he gradu- 
ated in 18C1. He spent three years in the 
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, after graduat- 
ing, and then accepted a position as Surgeon 
for the Cunard Line of steamers. He re- 
mained with the Cunard Line three years, 
during which time he crossed the Atlantic sev- 
enty-five times. The half of the last " round 
trip " landed him in New York City in 1867, 
where, before coming to Council Bluffs, he 
married Miss Charlotte, daughter of Joseph 



Bauchette, late Surveyor General of Canada, 
who died in 1881, aged eighty-sis years. The 
family was of French origin and well known in 
Canada, which is the native place of Mrs. Mac- 
rae. The Doctor has been in active practice 
since his residence in the city. In 1882, he 
was appointed Professor of Diseases of Women 
in this district for the Des Moines College of 
Physicians and Surgeons. He is a member of 
the Council Bluffs Medical Society and of the 
State Medical Society. He is also a charter 
member of the lodges of the following orders 
in Council Bluffs : A. 0. U. W., A. M. L. of 
H., and Equitable Aid Union. The Doctor is 
so well and favorably known socially and pro- 
fessionally that anything of a eulogistic nat- 
ure in connection with the above facts would 
sound like flattery. 

R. MORGAN, undertaker. Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Bluffs in 1874 and opened an 
undertaking establishment, emploj'ing two or 
three men steadily. He was born in Chautau- 
qua County, N. Y., in 1821, and began business 
in Jamestown in 1842. In 1844, he moved to 
Sinclairville, N. Y., aud engaged in the manu- 
facture of furniture, and then moved to Corry, 
Penn., in 1855, where he remained till he came 
to Council Bluffs. He was married in James- 
town, N. Y., in 1842, and has a family of twelve 
children. His wife dying in 1861, he again 
married in 1879. Mr. Morgan united with the 
Baptist Church at Buffalo at the early age of 
fifteen. He was the founder of the First Bap- 
tist Church in Corry, Penn., maintaining the 
minister for the first six months himself, and was 
Trustee and Deacon while he remained in that 
city. Is also Trustee and Deacon of the First 
Baptist Church of Council Bluffs at the present 
time. 

MAURER & CRAIG, crockery and glass- 
ware. Council Bluffs, began business in Coun- 
cil Bluffs in August, 1881, buying out the 
stock of William Whitney. They have con- 
verted their business from retail to wholesale, 



42 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



and are doing a large trade. When they com- 
menced business, the}' had but two salesmen ; 
now they have four, and have also two regular 
men on the road, as their stock has increased 
to five times its original proportions. Their 
business house is 110 feet long and 24 feet 
wide, three stories and basement. W. A. 
Maurer, senior member of this firm, was born 
in Sandusky, Ohio, June 1, 1856. At an early 
age, he removed with his parents to La Porte, 
Ind., where he was educated in the public j 
schools, and graduated from the high school ] 
there about the year 1870. That same year, 
he became salesman in the retail crockery and 
glassware establishment of H. T. Culver, at La 
Porte, Ind. He afterward managed the busi- 
ness of D. C. Decker, wholesale crockery and 
glassware, La Porte, Ind., and in 1880 went 
South and engaged as salesman for L. A. 
Mueller, dealer in crockery and glassware. 
July 17, 1881, he came to Council Bluffs and 
formed partnership with J. H. Craig, and they 
have since continued in business together. J. 
H. Craig, junior member of this firm, was born 
in Cahaba, Ala., April 3, 1859, and during the 
late war lived at Milledgeville, Ga. In the fall 
of 1868, he moved to Selraa, Ala. During the 
years 1876 and 1877, he attended the State 
University of Alabama, at Tuscaloosa, Ala., 
and from September, 1877, till the spring of 
1878, attended the business college, at Pough- 
keepsie, N. Y. In September, 1878, he began 
working the General Freight and Ticket Office 
of the Selma, Rome & Dalton Railroad, at 
Patona, Ala., where he remained till December 
4, 1878, when he accepted the position of book- 
keeper for Knapp, Stout & Co., at Prairie Farm, 
Wis. He was soon promoted to the position 
of assistant book-keeper at the headquarters of 
that company, at Menomonee, Wis., where he 
remained one 3'ear. He then went back to 
Selma, Ala., where he remained until he 
started for Council Bluffs, at which place 
he arrived August 5, 1881, and immedi- 



ately became a partner in the firm of Maurer 
& Craig. 

W. GERALD NASON, agent for the Coun- 
cil Bluffs Insurance Company, Council Bluffs, 
vpas born in Schenectady, N. Y., May 15, 1837; 
came to Iowa in 1855, and located in Boomer 
Township, Pottawattamie Countj'. He farmed 
there until Jul}-, 1856, at which time he went 
to Omaha, Neb.; went to work in hotel there, 
and remained until November of the same 
year. He then came to Council Bluffs, where 
he drove a team until the following spring ; 
then went back on a farm, and remained there 
until March, 1859. He then, in connection 
with his brother, engaged in the grocery busi- 
ness in Council Bluffs, in which they continued 
until December, 1859. He then went back 
again to the farm, and remained there until 
July, 1860, when he went to Colorado with his 
brother and engaged in mercantile business in 
Cottonwood Springs ; he remained there three 
months ; then returned to this county and 
went back on the farm, and remained there 
until September, 1862. He then enlisted in 
Company E, Sixth Iowa Cavalry, and was 
mustered out June 20, 1865, after which he re- 
turned to the farm. Jlr. Nason was married 
February 10, 1866, to Miss Maggie McKenna, 
of Delaware, Ohio, and removed to Council 
Bluffs April 15, same year, and engaged in the 
wood and railroad-tie business. He again en- 
gaged in farming in March, 1867, and pursued 
that occupation till April, 1873, when he again 
removed to Council Bluffs. Here he engaged 
in the insurance business with the Continental 
Insurance Company, with which he remained 
until January, 1880, at which time he resigned 
his position with that company and took the 
superintendency of agencies of the Council 
Bluffs Insurance Company. He has also been 
representing five Eastern insurance companies 
as local agent of Council Blufl's. The duties 
of the Council Bluffs Company keeps him 
almost constantly on the road. He has a 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



43 



brother engaged in stock business in Montana, 
who is ver^' wealtlij', and also a brother in 
Boomer Township, this county, a farmer, who 
has been on the same farm for twenty-seven 
yer.rs. He has two sisters, married, who reside 
on farms in Boomer Township. Blr. Nason 
has been one of the verj' few who have made a 
success of the insurance business. He was 
educated in the town of Boonville, Oneida 
Co., N. Y. 

F. J. OSBORNE, dealer in staple and fancy 
groceries, Council Bluffs, was born in Canada ; 
his mother died in May, 1 874 ; his father is 
still living in Canada. In 1876, he married 
Miss Lillian Hilton, daughter of Dr. Hilton, of 
Council Bluffs, and by this marriage they have 
one child — Florence, an infant nine weeks old. 
Mr. Osborne went to Michigan in 1879, and 
the following 3-ear came to Council Bluffs. 
Here he engaged in the grocer}- business, 
which he has since carried on, doing an annual 
business of about $35,000. He employs four 
men. and carries from $4,000 to $5,000 worth 
of stock. He has two brothers and two sis- 
ters. One of his brothers, W. H., is married, 
and lives in San Jose, Cal., where he is en- 
gaged in the milling business. The other 
brother is in the dry-goo's business in Chica- 
go. His two sisters, one of whom is married, 
reside in Canada. 

DR. PETER WILHELM POULSON-FA- 
CtEUSTJERN A. He was born at Copenhagen, 
Denmark, December 14, 1831. His father was 
born in Denmark, but of Swedish parents, and 
belonged to a prominent old Swedish family, of 
military distinction and nobility, the Counts 
Fagerstjerna. His mother was also born in 
Denmark, but her parents were of German 
descent, and lost their great wealth when the 
Danish Government, bankrupt, repudiated the 
national debt in 1808, and many of the bond- 
holders were financially ruined. His grand- 
father, Poul Svendson Fagerstjerna, retired 
from militar}^ service, as his father, Sveud 



Nielson Fagerstjerna, also did when at the age 
of forty, and Poul sold his propert}' in Sweden 
and settled in Denmark, where he bought 
large farms near Copenhagen, and also an 
extensive brickyard, but five years later he 
died suddenly from pneumonia and left the 
children as minors. His widow married again, 
and the Doctor's father, as the youngest son, 
was given a military education in the Danish 
Army. His great love for mathematics and 
architecture made him, however, make it his 
favorite study. The long line of his mother's 
ancestors were ministers of the Lutheran 
Church. His mother's father, Johan Peter 
Gudenschrager, lived on the island Moen where 
he owned much lanil and two grist mills. His 
father, Ole Poulson Fagerstjerna, became an 
architect and builder bj' profession, and when 
the Doctor was onl}- live m jnths old his father 
accepted the management of a large manufact- 
uring company at Copenhagen. By moving, 
the baby took a cold, and a congestion of the 
lungs. Dr. Berg, the familj'' physician, de- 
clared it fatal, and told the mother to call 
next day and get the death certificate, but 
when he stopped his visits the child got 
well. When five years old, the boy was 
sent to the Royal Military Elementary School. 
There he remained six years, and graduated 
when eleven j-ears old. He was then put in 
the Royal School of Education, where he 
remained four years, and graduated at the age 
of fifteen. Only one and a half j-ears later the 
war broke out between Denmark and Prussia, 
and the rebellion of Schleswig and Holstein and 
I Lunenburg made it hot for the country to save 
itself. He became filled with patriotism, and 
volunteered, much against his father's will, and 
entered the Danish Arm}' as Corporal ; finished 
the first campaign with distinction, and was, in 
the fall of 1848, sent to Copenhagen to enter 
the graduating class of the militar}- academy, 
and was appointed Sergeant. After graduation, 
he was sent back to his regiment and made his 



u 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



second campaign of 1849 as Quartermaster of 
the arm}-, and the joungest on record. After 
the battle at Colding he was among the i 
2,000 men whom the main body of the armj' 
left behind as a garrison at Fort Frede- 
ricia. In ten weeks it was terrificall}* bom- 
barded da}- and night, but defended with cour- 
age and tenacit}- against the 20,000 enemies 
which surrounded it. A re-enforcement of 
16,000 men arrived bj- sea, and July 6, 18-19, 
the battle of Fredericia was fought, leaving 
6,000 dead and wounded on the field, but the 
German Army was entirely defeated, the entire 
siege artillery, two hundred pieces of field 
artiller}', and two thousand prisoners were 
taken. The soldiers came to Copenhagen as 
the victorious arm}-, and held the entry under 
a rain of flowers and the most deafening 
enthusiasm of the nation. According to his 
father's express wish, he resigned a few months 
later from active service in the army, and 
studied the two following years at the univer- 
sitj- at Copenhagen. In the summer of 1852, 
he entered the Ro3al Jonstrup College, where 
he remained three years and graduated in 
1855. He commenced again his study at the 
universit}-, devoted especial care to medicine, 
and was appointed one of the Professors at 
St. Anna's Citizens' School. At the same time, 
he pushed on his studies at the Royal Military 
High School, which he graduated from in 1860, 
and attained the rank as First Lieutenant of 
Artillery. During the same year, he entered 
the Royal Common Hospital as Volunteer Sur- 
geon, and retained that position for three years 
till 1863, when he concluded to emigrate to the 
United States, and received his professional 
testimonials from the hospital and the univer- 
sity. The King granted him a permit of 
absence for two j-ears from military duty, and 
bid him good-by. In June, 1863, he landed at 
New York, and was cordially received by the 
medical profession. July 3, he finished an 
eight days' rigid examination before the New 



York Aeadem}^ of Medicine, and the New 
York County Medical Society- of Homceopathy 
awarded him their diploma and right hand of 
fellowship. He started then for the West, with 
intention to locate at Kansas Citj-, but it was 
during the war, and arriving at St. Joseph, he 
embarked on a steamer for Council Bluffs, 
Iowa. Before leaving New York, the Doctor 
had some idea of going to practice in Charles- 
ton and enter the Southern Army as a Surgeon 
or officer, but his medical friends got him to 
abstain from such an intention, and on his 
journej- through Missouri Quantrell's band 
make a raid on the Hannibal & St. Joe Rail- 
road, and killed a large number of Union sol- 
diers not armed and on a visit home. This 
horror of civil war disgusted him much with 
the Confederate warfare, and he consoled him- 
self later with the study of the Council Bluffs 
Bugle. On his arrival in this city Juh' 21, 
1863, Mr. Burke was the editor of the Nonpa- 
reil, and he became soon the Doctor's friend, 
patient and patron, and made him a good, 
black Republican, and a great admirer of 
Abraham Lincoln. Ver^- soon a large practice 
greeted him, and he built a residence on Upper 
Broadwa}-, but, in 1865, his health was shaken 
by too much work, and he concluded to leave? 
and was too exhausted to undertake a sea 
voyage for home. He sent a petition to the 
King of Denmarli for resignation, which was 
granted him with royal gi-ace as First Lieu- 
tenant of the artillery, and with rank as Cap- 
tain of Infantry and the royal war medal for 
services rendered the country was later con- 
ferred on him. On his arrival in New York, he 
was about dying from nervous prostration, but 
being relieved from practice he studied and 
recuperated slowly, and in March, 1866. he 
graduated from the New York HomcEopathic 
Medical College. Wishing for a more congenial 
climate, he went to sea to Aspinwall and across 
the Isthmus to Panama, and sailed for San 
Francisco, Cal. 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



45 



During his voj'age from Couucil Bluffs, he 
had the misfortune to suffer shipwreck twice. 
First, on the Missouri River, fifteen miles below 
St. Joseph, where the steamer Deer Lodge 
struck a snag and sunk; the passengers were 
saved, but all his books brought along from 
Europe, a sixteen j"ears' careful collection, were 
lost, and a value of more than $5,000 consigned, 
not insured to the depths. The passengers 
happened to come ashore on the Missouri side, 
and spent a night among bushwackers, and all 
that saved them was probably that the bandits 
were ashamed to rob and kill shipwrecked 
people; next day they got teams hired for St. 
Joseph; the second shipwreck happened on 
board the Panama mail steamer Constitution, 
when in a terrific gale she ran ashore in the 
Gulf of Tehuantepec, off the eoastof Gautemala, 
and, in a sinking condition, she arrived at San 
Francisco several weeks too late. In the Golden 
City, health and strength was regained, and aside 
from the dreary sea fogs, he had no reason to 
dislike San Francisco. During ISGO, tiie over- 
land railway was finished, and he went on a 
visit to Council Bluffs partly of curiosity of see- 
ing the new scener3', and to visit his brother at 
that place. When he entered Council Bluffs in 
August, epidemics of diphtheria and d^'senterj- 
prevailed, and very soon he was busy in a 
large practice, in which he remained to 1874, 
when an accident was the cause of his second 
exodus to California. At a curve near the 
Union Pacific depot, street cars were frequently 
thrown from the track. One morning in Jan- 
uary, after a hard night's frost, the car rushed 
down hill with a lightning speed, and the horses 
approached the curve in a gallop; the passen- 
gers were screaming, and he jumped the car, 
knocking his knee against the rail and inflict- 
ing a very severe wound. The cold weather 
and want of rest made the wound very painful, 
and he left on the Union Pacific Railroad for 
Salt Lake Citv. There he was laid up for 
weeks, and recovered slowly, and left June 24 



for San Francisco. In Utah as well as in Cali- 
fornia, he did some practice, but left again for 
Iowa during 1875. During the winter of 187G 
and 1877, he practiced at San Francisco, and 
returned in the spring to Council Bluffs, where 
he has been in practice since. In ISGfi, at a 
meeting held at St. Louis, Mo., the National 
Medical Convention of the United States, the 
American Institute of Homojopathy, showed 
him the honor of electing him a member of that 
bod\'. A few weeks after his arrival at Council 
Bluffs in 1869, he bought the Kirkwood Bam- 
ford farm. Willow Creek, one mile east of 
Crescent City. There be has built a new addi- 
tion to the house, and planted twelve acres of a 
now bearing orchard. The Iowa State Medical 
Society of Homteopathy elected him, 1870, 
a member and also censor of the society. Dur- 
ing 1873, he bought 120 acres new land ad- 
joining his farm, and had it fenced and culti- 
vated and built a new home in it, and created 
a new farm by the name of Timberdale. On a 
central plateau between the two farms, it is the 
Doctor's intention very soon to raise his long 
projected Sanitarium, called Petershof, which 
will be open for patients from May to October 
ever}- j-ear. Several years in succession, he 
has been a State Delegate to the National Medi- 
cal Convention, and at that Convention, held at 
New York in 1881, he was elected a delegate 
from the United States to the International 
Medical Convention of Homojopathy held at 
London that year. Onlj' a severe illness pre- 
vented him from sailing for England, and he 
missed a pleasant and interesting journe}- to 
Europe. During his j'oung da3's, he studied 
at the iesthetic department at the LTniversity 
of Copenhagen, the ancient and modern classic 
literature, and wrote, at the age of eighteen, his 
first dramatic work called '• Magnus the Good, 
King of Norwaj-.' His next work is "A Night 
in the North," an epic poem of 100 pages. 
Next, he issued a volume of poems. In ISGO, 
he published a translation from German to 



46 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



Danish of Dr. Arthur Lutree, ''The Chronic 
Diseases." During his years in America, he 
published, in 18G9, a pamphlet, "The Duchies 
and the Policy- of Germany." This political 
hrodiure was Tvritteu in Danish and published 
at Copenhagen. It was followed in 1870 with 
another, which caused the greatest sensation at 
home, and a newspaper discussion for months, 
and was called, " The Diplomacy of Germany 
and Scandinavia and Kussia." Even the Gov- 
ernment organ, the Berlin Times, had its col- 
ums open in defense of its diplomacy, and the 
editor of the People's Times called attention to 
the pamphlet in the loudest terms as a national 
necessity. During his visit to California in 
1876, he wrote a new dramatical work of 226 
pages of print, called "Kay Lyrre," printed at 
San Francisco. Besides general newspaper ar- 
ticles, he has published numerous essays on 
medical and surgical topics, which the readers 
of the Chicago Medical Investigator are familiar 
with. During the winter of 1881-82, he trans- 
lated and wrote many new additions, translated 
from Danish to English the " Great Drama of 
Henry Hertz, called Sveud During's House. ' 
with intention to have it played during the 
coming winter on the American stage. At 
present, he is working on three different books. 
A new original drama, '■ Olaf Tryggason, King 
of Norway," is about written. A medical do- 
mestic hand-book is he going on with, and a 
work on the philosophy of the Ethics of Mes- 
siah is also ready for print. Prof. Dr. Carsten 
Hauch was his teacher in Esthetics at the Uni- 
versity of Copenhagen. In eight j'ears, he was 
a pupil of that distinguished dramatist. ^Yheu 
he had finished his manuscript for Kay Lyrre, 
at San Francisco, he sent it for Prof Hauch's 
perusal, and several hints of value were given. 
Dr. Hauch praised especially the scene where 
the Queen thinks she is betraj-ed, in these 
words ; " That scene is written with a master's 
pen." Prof Dr. Heiberg, known as an emi- 
nent critic of dramatic literature, read his 



drama • Magnus the Good," and gave especial 
scenical and technical points, and said, •' Keep 
up good courage to sing with as to fight by." 
In June, 1879, he graduated from the Ameri- 
can Health College at Cincinnati, Ohio, and is 
now only anxious to get means suflScient to 
disposition, bj- which his great hospital and 
sanitarium can be built and completed in the 
neighborhood of Crescent City. It will be a 
national institution, treating onh' nervous and 
chronic diseases, and open only during the 
summer months, and receiving its patients 
mostlj- from the Atlantic States of the Union. 
J. M. PHILLIPS, boot and shoe dealer, 
Council Bluffs, was born in Essex County, Mass., 
March 15, 1820, and resided there nearly 
thirty-nine years. In the fall of 1858, he re- 
moved so Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and 
took charge of a boot and shoe business, which 
had been started in the fall of 1856. Mr. 
Phillips served six months' apprenticeship to 
the tanners trade, and also learned the shoe- 
maker's trade in Essex County, Mass., where 
he carried on the manufacture of boots and 
shoes, previous to his coming to this county. 
He first started business in Council Bluffs, in a 
log storehouse, located back of where Rob- 
ison & Bro.'s jewelr3- store now stands, but 
late in the fall of 1856, he moved to his pres- 
ent business stand. Mr. Phillips had then the 
only exclusive boot and shoe store in the city, 
but all the merchants carried a small stock in 
that line. There was a two-story frame build- 
ing on the lot when he first moved in, in the 
fall of 1867. He was burned out in 1868, and 
then built the brick building that he now occu- 
pies. He is a leading boot and shoe dealer of 
Council Bluffs, and does a wholesale and retail 
business. He has established a fine trade 
through Iowa and Nebraska, and his business 
is steadily increasing. His retail business during 
the months of July and August, 1882, amounted 
to three times as much as the sales for those 
two months the previous year. In the early 



COUJfCIL BLUFFS. 



47 



j-ears of his business in Council Bluffs, he 
alwa3-s purchased his goods six months ahead, 
owing to the fact that boats could not get up 
this far at all months of the year, and he was 
therefore obliged to lay in his stock six months 
ahead. 3Ir. Phillips was first elected Alder- 
man for 1863 and 1864, and served in that 
office for sis successive terms, and then posi- 
tivel}- declined to sen'e anj- longer. He is one 
of the prime movers in the organization of the 
Savings Bank of Council Bluffs ; was Vice 
President of that bank for a number of j'ears ; 
was one of the first stockholders and direc- 
tors, and is still a director of tlie bank. He 
was elected a member of the Board of Super- 
visors in 1880, and still holds that oflfice. He 
moved his family to Council Bluffs from St. 
Joseph, Mo. He has had seven children, six 
of whom are living — Milton David (deceased), 
Nathan C, Mary 0., J. M., Emma C, Russ M. 
and Grenville Dodge. Mr. Phillips is one of 
the oldest business men in Western Iowa ; his 
business has increased from S4,000 to $20,- 
000 a year. 

GEORGE T. PHELPS, Ogden House, Coun- 
cil Bluffs, Iowa. The gentlemanly proprietor 
of the large and popular hotel, the Ogden 
House, took charge of that hotel in 1876. His 
genial disposition and happy faculty of under- 
standing the needs of the inner man, most 
thoroughly render him that hard-to-befound 
mortal — an efficient and universally-liked land 
lord. Mr. Phelps was born in Chatham, N. Y. 
in 1842. His father was a railroad contractor 
and moved to Massachusetts when our subject 
was one year old, to fulfill a contract there. 
In 1860, his business took him to Illinois, from 
whence he returned to Massachusetts on the 
breaking-out of the war. Here George T. en- 
listed as a private in the Twenty-sixth Massa- 
chusetts Volunteers, and was discharged June 
21, 1865. He entered the service as a private, 
and came out as Quartermaster Sergeant. After 
this, he was engaged for one year in the whole- 



sale feed and grain business. He followed in 
the footsteps of his father, and came to Coun- 
cil Bluffs in 1866, as a contractor on the Chi- 
cago, Burlington & St. Joe Railroad ; and, on 
its completion assumed the general manage- 
ment of this division of the road, in which 
capacity- he continued until the spring of 1869, 
when he went East as a contractor on different 
roads in New York, Massachusetts and Con- 
necticut. He returned to Oakland, Pottawat- 
tamie Co.. Iowa, in 1873, staj-ing there three 
years, when he assumed the proprietorship of 
the Ogden House, which had but shortly before 
been rebuilt after the fire of 1875. The Ogden 
House averages sixtj- arrivals per da}-, and has, 
besides, many regular boarders. Mr. Phelps 
was married in the spring of 1869, to Miss 
Anna Baldwin, daughter of John T. Baldwin, 
of this city. 

DR. W. L. PATTOX, physician. Council 
Bluffs, is a native of Virginia. He moved to 
Missouri in 1853, and resided in that State nine 
years, during eight of which he practiced in 
Kirksville, Adair County, of that State. He 
came to Council Bluffs in 1865, and followed 
his profession as a physician and oculist. He 
went into the drug business in 1867. After 
two years, he sold out and opened up in the 
same business a second time, in connection 
with Mr. M. Beardsley. They carried nearly 
87,000 in stock, and continued in this business 
for two j'ears, when they sold out, after which 
our subject attended strictly to his practice. 
During the last two years, he has treated 352 
cases of eye and ear difficulties. He owns a 
fine livery stable on North Main street. He 
opened an undertaking establishment Septem- 
ber 1, 1882. He has 106 feet front on North 
Main street, valued at 820,000. The Doctor 
was married in Virginia, in March, 1852, to 
Miss Elizabeth C. Rogers, daughter of John 
Rogers, who died in Harrison County, this 
State, in November, 1880, aged eighty-two. 
Mr. and Mrs. Patton have seven children, four 



48 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



sons and three daughters. His oldest boy — 
A. B. Pattou, is at present a telegraph operator 
in Pueblo, Colo. Douglas S. is in Omaha, In 
the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad Com- 
pany. The next boy — William, studied law, 
and was admitted to the bar in Council Bluffs 
in 1880, and is now in Kokomo, Summit Co., 
Col. His three daughters — Jennie, Effle and 
Lulu, are all at home. His youngest boy — 
D. D., is also at home, a.m\ is a fine musician. 

R. V. PHILLIPS, proprietor handle factory. 
County Bluffs, was born at Crown Point, Essex 
Co., N. Y. He came to this State in 18-19, and 
settled in Jackson County. For five years, he 
was with Mr. P. Mitchell, of Maquoketa, who 
is called the pioneer merchant of the West. 
He (subject) came to Council Bluffs in 1859, 
and established a handle factor}'. He manu- 
factures all kinds of wooden handles, and 
splits all liis timber, instead of sawing it, there- 
by making a more durable and otherwise 
superior article. He supplies many different 
railroads with his goods, having furnished the 
Union Pacific Railroad with handles for eleven 
years. He was married in Clinton County, 
this State, in 1854, to Miss Anna L. Smith. 
They have four bo3's, all of whom assist their 
father in the factory. Frank, aged twentj'-six; 
Don, aged twenty-two; Edward, aged twentj^; 
and Charles, who is eighteen years old. They 
also have two daughters, one living in Creston 
(the wife of T. S. Douglas), and the other, Belle, 
living at home. 

J. W. PALMER, dentist, Council Bluffs, was 
Vjorn in Vinton, Benton Co., Iowa, September 
2, 1861; lived there four years, then moved to 
Iowa City. After residing in Iowa City for six 
years, he moved to Harrison County, Iowa 
where he lived until the fall of 1879, when he 
came to Council Bluffs. Mr. Palmer began the 
study of dentistry under Drs. Swinton & West 
on Pearl street, Council Bluffs, in the spring of 
1882, and purposes completing the stud}- of 
his profession at the Iowa City Dental College. 



He is a son of Capt. J. E. Palmer, of Company 
A. Twenty -eighth Iowa Volunteers, who was 
born in Ohio in 1821, and, who was killed 
September 19, 1864, at the battle of Winchester, 
his remains being brought back to Vinton, 
Iowa, for interment. Subject's mother was born 
in Essex County, N. Y., in 1822, was married at 
Vinton, Iowa, in 1856, and resided there until 
1862. 

C. H. PINNEY, physician and surgeon. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born in Elyria, Ohio, August 
30, 1842, son of H. H. and M. Abbey Pinney, 
who now reside at East Saginaw, Mich. H. H. 
Pinny is a farmer b}- occupation, was born at 
Farmington, Conn., in 1806; his wife was born 
in Syracuse, N. Y., in 1810. Subject received 
his preliminarj- education at Clarkson, Ohio; 
took an academic course and finished his pro- 
fessional studies at the University at Ann 
Arbor, Mich. At Council Bluffs, September 
30, 1870, he married Ella O., daughter of W. 
H. M. Pusey of that city. By this union, they 
have been blessed with four children — William 
H., Hulburt H , Lucilla K. and Frank. The 
Doctor was elected Coroner of Douglas County, 
Neb., for a term of four j'ears. During the late 
war, he entered Ninth Ohio Volunteer Cav- 
alry- as Surgeon, and served in that eapacit}' 
for three years. He graduated from the Uni- 
versitv of Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1862, and, after 
the war, spent eight months in the Medical De- 
partment of the University of Pennsylvania, 
from which he also graduated. From Phila- 
delphia, Penn., he came to Omaha, Neb., where 
he practiced medicine for eight j-ears. and in 
1874, moved to Council Bluffs, where he has 
since held the position of one of the most prom- 
inent physicians and surgeons of that city. 
He was examining physician for applicants for 
cadetships. The Doctor is a member of the 
Masonic fraternit}- in Omaha, Neb., and in 
politics is Republican. 

J. M. PALMER, real estate. Council Bluffs. 
He came to Council Bluffs in 1854, and en- 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



49 



gaged In real estate business He built the 
block in which the Nonpareil is now located 
in 1856. In 1860, he was elected Assessor, 
and in 1861 was elected Mayor of Council 
Blutfs; re-elected to the latter office in 1862. and 
in 1870 was again elected Ma^^or. During this 
time he was engaged in real estate and tax pay- 
ing business. In 1871, he built the Transfer 
House at the Union Pacific Transfer; liopt that 
house five }'ears, and then sold out to Markel. 
Since that time he has been engaged in the real 
estate business, and in building tenement 
houses; his office is at 503 First avenue. Mr. 
Palmer was born March 10, 1827, in Chester 
County, Penn., and was reared and educated 
there. At the age of twenty-one years, he en- 
gaged in the butchering business in Chester 
County, Penn., near Coatesville, and until he 
came to Council Bluffs was engaged in buying 
and selling cattle for the Philadelphia market- 
When he arrived in Council Bluffs, there were 
but four houses in Omaha. His ancestors came 
to America a great man\- generations ago. 

N. M. PUSEY, Council BluflFs, became a resi- 
dent of Council Bluffs May 17,1877; he was 
born in ^yashiugton County, Penn., June 21, 
1841; removed to Baltimore, Md., in the fall of 
1849, where he was educated, and continued to 
reside till his removal to Council Bluffs. He 
read law under the tuition of Messrs. Cochran 
& Stoekbridge. and practiced at the Baltimore 
bar from 1864 till his removal West. He was 
married in May, 1865, to Miss Gertrude A. Mor- 
gan, the daughter of Rev. N. J. B. Morgan, a 
celebrated Methodist divine. He has been a 
continuous practitioner of law since his admis- 
sion to the bar in 1864. 

HENRY PASCHEL, real estate. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Poland October 14, 1825, 
where he lived until 1845, and after traveling 
all over Europe came to America in 1853, for 
the purpose of seeing the country. He traveled 
over a great part of the United States, and 
finally settled in Sioux Cit}-, Iowa, where he 



built one of the first houses in that place. In 
1856, he married Miss Anna Kasberg, and from 
this union seven children have been born — 
Mary, the eldest, was born in Ponca, Neb.: The- 
resa, who married Mr. H. Swing, of St. Helena, 
Neb., was born in St. Joseph, Mo.; and the re- 
mainder of the family were all born in Council 
Bluffs. The third daughter, Anna, is at pres- 
ent in the convent at Dubuque, while the other 
two girls are at home. The two boys (twins), 
aged sixteen years, are both employed in Coun- 
cil Bluffs, one with P]mpkie & McDoel, the 
other with Erb & Duquette. Mr. Paschel first 
came to Council Bluffs in 1854,, but did not 
fettle permanentl}' till 1860, when he moved 
here from Sioux City. He had begun the bus- 
iness of life as a brick-layer, and when he came 
here he engaged as a brick-laying contractor. 
In 1 868, he abandoned brick-laying, and engaged 
in the real estate business, which he had for- 
merl}- followed in Sioux City, Iowa, and has met 
with gratifying success. He is not an agent 
for anybody, but handles his own property; he 
owns fourteen buildings in Council Bluffs, and 
handles from $5,000 to 110,000 worth of prop- 
erty. 

JUDGE JOSEPH R. REED, Council Bluffs, 
is a native of Ashland County, Ohio, born 
March 12, 1835. His father. William Reed, 
was a native of Washington Count}', Penn,, a 
farmer by occupation, and was of Scotch ances- 
try. He married Miss Rosanah Lyle, daugh- 
ter of Robert Lyle, also a farmer of Washing- 
ton Count}-, Penn., and came West and located 
in Ohio in 1829. The}- raised a family of six 
children, all of whom are still living — James 
0., a resident planter and railroad contractor 
of Louisiana since 1864; Sarah J., a maiden still 
living in Ashland County; Elizabeth, wife of 
Rev. D. A. Newell, a Presbyterian clergyman 
of Mercer County, Penn.; William, a merchant 
of Loudonville, in Ashland County; Rosanah, 
wife of Jesse Hessen, a lawyer of the same 
I town, and our subject, who is the third of the 



50 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



family. Judge Reed secured his rudimental 
schooling in the commou schools of his native 
town, and closed his school da3's in au acade- 
my. He left Ohio and came to Iowa in 1857, 
and first located in the town of Adel, in Dallas 
Count}'. There he engaged in teaching, devot- 
ing a portion of his time to the stud}' of law; 
was admitted to the bar of the State in March, 
1859, and from that time practiced his pro- 
fession in Dallas County until 1861. At the 
breaking-out of the rebellion, he entered the 
ami}- as Lieutenant in the Second Iowa Battery, 
from Dallas County; he served as Lieutenant 
about three years, and in September, 1864, was 
promoted to the rank of Captain, which com- 
mission he held until July, 18G5, when he re- 
turned home. His battery figured in the entire 
campaign before Vicksburg, also at the battle 
of Nashville, later at Mobile, and was in many 
other minor engagements, the most important 
of which was the battle of Tupelo, in July, 
1864. Judge Reed's personal tastes inclined 
him to the study of law, which he prosecuted 
without the aid of a tutor, and entered upon 
its practice alone. He came to Council Bluffs 
in 1869. In 1870, he formed a law partnership 
with B. F. Montgomery and Judge James, un- 
der' the firm style of Montgomery, Reed & 
James. In 1871, Mr. Montgomery retired from 
the firm, and Messrs. Reed & James continued 
the business until September, 1872, when Mr. 
Reed was appointed Judge of the Third Judicial 
District of Iowa, to fill the vacancy occasioned 
by the election of Judge McDill to Congress. 
Judge Reed, after completing the unexpired 
term, was duly elected to fill the place which he 
now occupies. When a practitioner, Judge 
Reed was known as a thorough, industrious and 
painstaking attorney. He is now known as a 
prompt and impartial Judge of the law, dis- 
posing of his judicial business with dispatch, 
and to the general satisfaction of the bar. He 
was married, November 1, 1865, to Miss Jen- 
ette E. Densmore, daughter of James E. 



Densmore, a farmer of Ashland County, 
Ohio, a native of Pennsylvania. He came to 
Ohio in 1833. He had three daughters and 
four sons, Mrs. Reed being the fourth of the 
family, and was born in York Count}', Peun., 
April 20, 1833. 

JOSEPH ROSS, cooper. Council Bluffs, was 
born in England, and came to America at the 
age of ten. He came to Iowa in 1857. He 
has a fine farm in Crescent Township, where 
he stayed two years and a half, coming to the 
Bluffs in 1872. He carries on a heavy cooper- 
ing business, employing from fifteen to eight- 
een men. His family consists of three children 
— Daisy S., aged six years ; John T., aged four 
years, and Charlie, who is three years old. 

RAYxMOND & CAMPBELL, bridge build- 
ers, Council Bluffs. E. W. Raymond, the sen- 
ior member of this firm, was born near Lock- 
port, N. Y., iu 1842. He left New York when 
a boy and went to Illinois ; was in the Quar- 
termaster's office in Jackson, Tenn., Vicksburg 
and Memphis. In August, 1868, he came to 
Council Bluffs, where, in 1869, he was married. 
He has two children — William Randolph, aged 
twelve years, and Anna Belle, both attending 
school. Mr. Raymond's mother died here in 
1879 ; his father, who is now sixty-four years 
of age, lives with him. Mr. Campbell, the 
junior member of the firm, was born in Prince 
Edward Island in 1849, and came to the 
United States in 1867. He came first to Oma- 
ha, Neb.; worked there for one year, then 
worked in Schuyler, Neb., at bridge-building 
for H. T. Clark for three years. In September, 
1874, the present firm of Raymond & Camp- 
bell was formed, and the}' are doing a heavy 
business in bridge-building, employing about 
fifty men, and doing a business of $200,000. 

WILLIAM RICH.MOND, wholesale and re 
tail grocer, Council Bluffs, was born in County 
Cavan, Ireland, July 12, 1845, and at the age 
of sixteen years emigrated to the United 
States with his parents and settled in Green 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



51 



County, Wis. He received his education in his 
native country-. He followed fanning for four 
years, and then engaged in the hotel business 
in Manchester, Iowa, for three years. He then 
traveled for the grocery house of Harper Bros., 
Chicago, until he came to Council Bluffs in 
October, 1880, and began business at No. 14 
Pearl street, where he has since remained. 
His store occupies two stories 90 feet long and 
20 feet wide, the lower floor containing the re- 
tail department of the business, the upper 
floor containing teas, spices, etc., and the cellar 
is stocked with sirups, oils, vinegar, etc. He 
began business with about $2,000 worth of 
stock, his annual sales then amounting to about 
$50,000. He now carries about $5,000 worth 
of stock, and from present prospects his an- 
nual sales for the present year will amount to 
about $100,000. He employs three men in his 
establishment and keeps nine men on the road, 
and expects soon to increase his force of trav- 
eling men. Mr. Richmond is a member of the 
Masonic fraternity. 

M. F. ROHRER, commission. Council Bluffs, 
became a resident of Council Bluffs in 1871. 
He came to the city in the interests of a mill- 
ing firm of Wathena, Kan., and finding the 
place possessing attractions for him over other 
cities of the West, he quit traveling and set- 
tled down, and, instead of stopping three 
months, as he at first intended, he has pro- 
longed the time to about eleven }-ears. He 
was born in Rohrersville, Washington Co., Md., 
on what afterward was the Antietam battle- 
ground, August 1, 1850, and at the time that 
battle was fought, he was a lad twelve j-ears 
old Even at this age, he was pressed into the 
service as a nurse, as his father's house and 
barn were turned into hospitals, and all possi- 
ble aid rendered by the family to the wounded 
soldiers of the Federal army. He was a wit 
ness of that terrible battle, and. boj- though he 
was, did manly service in caring for the 
wounded. His first employment in Council 



Bluffs was in the capacity of salesman for the 
firm of Bracket & Golden, with whom he re- 
mained about one year. This was in 1872. 
In 1873, he acted as Deputy Sheriff for George 
Doughty. In the latter part of 1873, and un- 
til August of 1875, he was engaged as bill 
clerk for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 
Railroad, and as agent for the Burlington & 
Missouri Railroad in Nebraska. He then en- 
gaged in the insurance business in company 
with his present partner by the purchase of the 
business of Messrs. J. P. and J. X. Cassady. 
Changes were subsequently made in the firm, 
but Mr. Rohrer continued interested in the 
insurance and real estate business until he en- 
gaged in the storage and commission bu.siness 
in November, 1881, under the firm name of 
Bowman, Rohrer & Co. He is, however, still 
largelj' interested in the real estate business, 
though only in propertj- owned by iiimself. 
He has taken an active part in all enterprises 
of a local nature. In 1871, he joined Rescue 
Hand Engine Company, No. 3, and was shortly 
after made Vice President, which office he has 
since held. He is P. G. of Hawkej'e Lodge, 
No. 184, I. 0. 0. F., and is P. C. P. of Twin 
Brother Encampment, No. 42, of that order ; 
he is also a charter'^member of Widvey Tem- 
ple, No. 5, P. C. He had served one term as 
Township Clerk, and in the fall of 1880, while 
he was in Missouri, he received the nomination 
for a second term, though he had left positive 
orders that he would decline to become a can- 
didate for the office. This was the more pro" 
voking as the Republicans had put up a 
colored man as their candidate. There re- 
mained but one of two things for him to do. 
either to withdraw and let the public think he 
was afraid to enter the contest, or to enter the 
field with a colored man as an opponent. He 
chose the latter, and was elected by a good 
round majority of 800 votes, though he did not 
want the office. With this election, the term 
of office was changed to two years, so he is 



52 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



still filling the position. In 1877, lie was mar- 
ried to Miss Sarah B., only child of John B. 
and Eliza Beers. Mr. Beers was one of the 
most prominent real estate dealers and prop- 
erty owners in the city, as well as the first 
wholesale grocery merchant. A more com- 
plete sketch of his life, however, will be found 
in another part of this work. Mr. Rohrer, 
though a young man, has builded for himself a 
good, honorable reputation in the city of 
Council Bluff's. That he is in every way 
worthy of the position he holds in both social 
and business circles is evidenced by his popu- 
larity among the best citizens of the city. 

K RICE, M. D., Council Bluffs. The science 
of medicine has grown to such an extent as to 
admit of many specialties in the practice. 
After a general course of study in order to 
graduate from any of our leading medical col- 
leges, it has become the custom of many of the 
best students to turn their attention to some 
important specialty in the practice and in their 
chosen field devote the time and hard study 
of their career as a practitioner to adding new 
points and new discoveries to that science upon 
which mankind has grown so dependent. What 
more important study than the treatment of 
the cancer could be taken up as a specialty, and 
what more difficult to treat successfully? For 
hundreds of years the cancer was considered 
incurable; this, too, by the best medical author- 
ity; and it is only by the patient study of emi- 
nent physicians, who have made a specialty of 
this dreaded atBiction, that in later years 
thorough and permanent cures are not uncom- 
mon. For years it was the custom of the phy- 
sician to use the knife in the removal of the 
cancer, and even to the present time this is 
practiced to an extent. The same science, how- 
ever, which has made the custom of blood-let- 
ting by the barber — in honor of which their 
signs were painted with a red stripe — a thing 
of the past, has also discarded the use of the 
knife in removing the cancer. No better evi- 



dence is needed of the success of the science of 
medicine in this respect than a talk with .some 
of the patients of Dr. R. Rice, of Council 
Bluffs, or a visit to the Doctor himself, where 
abundant proof awaits the incredulous. A 
brief sketch of the experience and course of 
study of the Doctor may not prove uninterest- 
ing. He was born in Coventry, N. Y., March 
15, 1820, and resided there until six years of 
age, when his parents moved to Whitestown, 
Oneida Co., N. Y. The ensuing time until he 
had arrived at man's estate was spent in Hol- 
land Patent, Oneida County, and in Fulton, 
Oswego Co., N. Y. After receiving a careful 
literary education, he began the study of medi- 
cine, and subsequently graduated from the Ec- 
lectic Vegetable Reform College of Fulton. He 
began practice in Fulton, N. Y., and remained 
there till 1868, when he removed to Sandwich, 
111. There he practiced eight years and then re- 
moved to Council Bluffs, where he arrived in 
the spring of 1875. He at once opened up an 
office and began practice, and since that time 
he has been steadily increasing his 'practice 
until at present he is known as the most suc- 
cessful physician in the treatment of cancers 
and other chronic diseases of the Missouri Val- 
ley. 

J. C. RHODABECK, attorney, Council 
Bluffs, began reading law in 1853, in Newark, 
Ohio, with E. C. Smythe ; was admitted to the 
bar in Franklin County in 1856, and began the 
practice of his profession in Harrison County, 
Iowa, in 1868. Previous to this, however, he 
was speculating in land in Benton County, 
Iowa. In March, 1881, he came to Council 
Bluffs, where he was engaged in the practice of 
law. His grandfather on his mother's side was 
of English descent; his grandfather on his 
father's side was of German descent, and his 
grandmothers were of Scotch descent. 

E. L. SHUGART, of the Shugart Implement 
Company of Council Bluffs, is unquestionably 
amona; the first of that class of citizens to 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



53 



whom the " Bluffa City" owes much of her 
prosperity. He became a resident of the city 
in 1868, and in 1869, January 1st, lie began 
selling agricultural implements. His chances 
of success were no better than those of manj- 
others who have undertaken the same business 
and failed under equally favorable circum- 
stances. The opening of the business was 
under the firm name of Shugart & Lininger, 
and was continued bj- this firm until 1873, 
when Mr. F. Weis was admitted as a member 
of the firm. In 1875, the firm again changed, 
and Mr. E. L. Shugart became successor of the 
old firm. He conducted the business alone, 
until September of 1880, when the Shugart Im- 
plement Company was formed. The building 
occupied by them was begun in the fall of 
1880, and finished in the spring of 1881. It is 
fifty feet frontage b}^ one hundred feet deep 
and three stories and basement. This com- 
pany is considered one of the leadiug business 
firms of the city. In 1871, Mr. Shugart was 
the principal founder of the Council Bluffs 
Agricultural Works and continued a member 
of the company until the works were burned in 
1877. He was Vice President of the First 
National Bank of Council Bluffs for a number 
of years, and when the Citizens' Bank was or- 
ganized in the summer of 1882, became Vice 
President of that bank. In 1871, he was elect- 
ed a member of the City Council, holding the 
office four years b3- re- election, and in 1877 he 
was elected a member of the County Board of 
Supervisors for a three j-ears' term. In the 
spring of 1882, he was again elected a member 
of the City Council, and is at present discharg- 
ing the duties pertaining to that office. He is 
a member of the order of A., F. & A. M., and 
of the following lodges: Excelsior Blue Lodge, 
Star Chapter and Ivanhoe Commandery. Such 
is briefly the career of Mr. Shugart as a public 
and business man. He was born in 1836, in 
Franklin County, Ohio, and in 1850 became a 
resident of Bureau County, 111. He was edu- 



cated at Vermilion Institute of Haysville, Ohio, 
and at Smith Seminar}- of Princeton, Bureau 
Co., 111. September 20, 1860, he was married 
to Miss A. R. Donning, a native of Bureau 
County, 111., and who was educated at Mount 
Carroll Seminary. Thej- have two children 
living, both boys, aged respectively nine and 
sixteen 3'ears. 

F. A. SHULTZ, hotel-keeper. Council Bluffs, 
was born in Chriswig, Germany. He was the 
son of E. and Anna (Rosakir) Shultz. His 
father was born in Chriswig, Germany, and was 
a shoemaker b}- trade. He came to this country, 
and went to Davenport, Iowa, in 1866; here he 
lived about five years, when he moved to Sheri- 
dan County, Mo., where he lived nine years and 
then came to this count}'. His (subject's) 
mother was also a native of Chriswig, Ger- 
man}', and died in Sheridan County, Mo., in 
1875. Our subject's parents had eight children. 
He (subject) lived with his father until the 
spring of 1880, when he came to this county, 
and engaged in farming. He was a shoemaker 
by trade, and worked at this in Germany, but 
since his arrival in America he has been en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits, until the spring 
of 1882, when he opened his hotel in Lewis 
Township, this county, in which business he 
has since been engaged. He was married in 
the fall of 1871, at Davenport, Iowa, to Cathe- 
rina Ikener, born in Chriswig, Gerraanv, in 
1852. She was the daughter of John and 
Christina (Thompson) Ikener, both natives of 
Chriswig, Germany. Mr. and ^Irs. Shultz have 
five children — Mollie, Albert, f]mma, Laura 
and Annie. They are members of the Luther- 
an Church. In politics, Mr. Shultz is a Repub- 
lican. 

JACOB SIMS, attorney. Council BIuflTs, was 
born November 30, 1850, at Dodgeville. Iowa 
Co., Wis. He served a full apprentice.ship at 
the wagon and carriage making trade, and af- 
ter learning the trade attended Lawrence Uni 
versity, Appleton, Wis., graduating there in 



54 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



the class of 1874, and taking first bonors of 
his class in full classical course. After gradu- 
ating, he filled the position of Principal of High 
School at Oconto, Wis., for one 3-ear, and then 
engaged in newspaper business as editor of the 
iStatesmaii of Milwaukee, Wis. After leaving 
that paper, he became editor and proprietor of 
the Citizen of Minneapolis, Minn. He came to 
Council Bluffs in March, 1878; read law with 
B. F. Montgomerj'; admitted to the bar in Jan- 
uary, 1879; commenced practice forthwith here, 
and has continued in practice ever since; was 
attorney for Pottawattamie County during the 
years 1880-81. Both his parents were born in 
England; his father has been a Methodist min- 
ister for over twenty-five years. Mr. Sims is 
editor-in-chief of the Daili/ Monitor, a Repub- 
lican organ recently founded in Council Bluffs. 

SWAN BROS., packers. Council Bluffs. The 
members of this firm, C. J., G. W. & F. H. 
Swan, came from Urbaua, Ohio, to Council 
Bluffs in 1869. They are sons of Charles and 
Marj^ (Johnson) Swan, who wee married at 
Ithaca, N Y. , and who have had a family of 
nine children, four bo^s and five girls, none of 
whom are married. Their parents are still liv- 
ing; their father is a native of Norwich, Conn. 
The brothers engaged in the packing business 
in Council Bluffs in 1877. They improved and 
rebuilt their packing house in 1876, so as to be 
ready for work the following year. The}' do a 
wholesale and jobbing business, and employ 
six men. They slaughter cattle and hogs in 
the winter, killing about five hundred hogs 
each winter season. The}' also buy and sell 
cattle. Owing to their increasing business, 
they purpose improving and rebuilding at an 
early da}'. They have a residence on Stutsman 
street, Council Bluffs. 

J. W. SQUIRE, of J. W. Squire & Co., real 
estate, loan and abstract. Council Bluffs, came 
to Council Bluffs in the spring of 1870; entered 
real estate office and savings bank of N. P. 
Dodge, and remained there about five years. 



He then formed partnership with A. B. Wal- 
ker, undei firm name of Squire & Walker, in 
real estate, loan and abstract business, and 
continued business under that name here until 
the spring of 1880, when he dissolved partner- 
ship with Mr. Walker, and continued the busi- 
ness under firm name of J. W. Squire & Co., 
having associated with him in business his 
brother. Their office is on the corner of Pearl 
and First avenue. Four men are employed 
in the business, including the partners. They 
have on hand a complete set of abstract books 
of the latest improved system, which are thor- 
oughly kept up. Mr. Squire was born in Suf- 
folk County, N. Y., February 1, 1848, and re- 
moved to Rockford, 111., at the age of four years, 
with his p.arents. He was educated in the Rock- 
ford schools, from which he graduated: then 
entered the army and served three years in the 
Forty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He re- 
turned to Rockford after leaving the army; was 
Deputy Circuit Clerk and Recorder five years, 
and then came to Council Bluffs. He married, 
September 15, 1872, Elizabeth H. Howard, of 
West Hartford, Windsor Co., Vt. 

THOMAS SWOBE, hotel, Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Bluffs in 1878, and opened a 
hotel in the new Transfer Depot building; he 
also built the Emigrant House in 1878, and 
conducts it in connection with the Transfer 
Hotel. In 1866, he bought out J. M. Palmer, 
who was running the Transfer Eating House at 
that time. Mr. Swobe was born in Johnstown, 
Fulton Co., N. Y., in 1843. His parents moved 
to Michigan in 1855; he enlisted in the Twelfth 
Michigan in. 1861, as private, and returned Feb- 
ruary 2, 1866, as First Lieutenant. He came 
to Omaha in August, 1866, and held the posi- 
tion of Secretary of Central Land Company 
till 1868. He was married in November, 1868, 
and has two children — Edwin T., aged eight 
years, and Dwight M., aged six years. The 
firm of which Mr. Swobe is a member is Mar- 
kell & Swobe. This firm owns, besides the 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



55 



Transfer Hotel and Emigrant House, half in- 
terest in the Millard Hotel at Omaha, on the 
CO ner of Douglas and Thirtieth streets. Thej' 
employ about fift^'-five assistants, their yearlj' 
business being about $150,000. Mr. Swobe 
was elected County Clerk of Douglas County, 
Neb., in the fall of 1869, and served in that 
office until the fall of 1871. 

M. SCANLAN, meat market. Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Bluffs in Maj', 1876, and has 
been in his present market since. He served 
seven years' apprenticeship at his trade in 
Philadelphia, Penn., beginning at the age of 
fourteen and serving till he was twenty-one 
years old. He was born in Philadelphia, Penn., 
in 1821. His parents died when he was small, 
and there being no free schools at that time, 
he did not go to school till after he was four- 
teen }-ears old, and then only attended night 
schools. Once during his apprenticeship, he 
ran away, but the next morning, seeing that a 
reward of $100 was offered to anj- one who 
would return him, he went back on his own 
account, knowing that he would be caught if 
he did not do so. After he was twenty-one 
years old, he worked only about two months in 
Philadelphia. Then went to Pittsburgh, Penn., 
and followed steamboating for about six years. 
Duringthis time, he went down to New Orleans 
on a tow-boat, and was afterward on the Gulf 
of Mexico for some time. In 1848, he was 
married, in Pittsburgh, Penn., to Miss Martha 
Sneathen. He then began butchering in Pitts- 
burgh, Penn., and from there went to Wheel- 
ing, W. Va., and remained there till 1876, when 
he came to Council Bluffs. He has four chil- 
dren living — two sons and two daughters, all 
married. He is Republican in politics, and 
was a Whig before the Republican party was 
organized. He is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias and I. 0. 0. F. 

E. R. STEINHILBEli, furniture. Council 
Bluffs, came to Council Bluffs in Februarj',;1882, 
built a furniture factory and commenced busi- 



ness Jul}' 13, the same year. He was born near 
Davenport, Iowa, in 1857, and moved to Harhm, 
Iowa, iul880. He was engaged in stock business 
in Davenport, Iowa. He was married in De Witt, 
Clinton Co., Iowa, in 1880. and has one child, 
his little daughter Jennie. He is the onlj- one 
who manufactures furniture on the Western 
slope. His is, in reality, a great enterprise, 
and he is doing, as he deserves to do, a lucra- 
tive wholesale business. He makes a specialty 
of all kinds of tables, cupboards, safes, ward- 
robes and washstands, 

JOHN STEINER, physician. Council Bluffs, 
was born in Goettingen, German}', March 30, 
1842, and was educated in his native place. 
In 1860, he began the study of medicine in 
Tubingen, Germany, graduating there in 1863, 
and was admitted . to practice. During the 
Franco-Prussian war, he was Second Assistant 
Surgeon in the German Armj', and while acting 
in that capacitj' saw a great deal of service. 
In 1867, he married Magdeline Frash, and they 
have four children, two boj's and two girls. In 
1873, he came to this country and located in 
Sac County, Iowa, where he followed farming 
for some time. He then moved to Audubon 
County, Iowa, where he followed the practice 
of his profession for some time, thence moved 
to St. Mary's, Iowa, and thence to Westphalia. 
Iowa. Meanwhile, he had been attending the 
Herring Medical College of St. Louis, Mo., 
from which he graduated in the spring of 1882. 
He then located in Council Bluffs, where he 
has now a good practice. 

HARDIN, SKELTON & CO., merchant tai- 
lors and dealers in gents' furnishing goods. 
Council Bluffs, began business in Council 
Bluffs in Mai'ch, 1881. William Hardin was 
born in Council Bluffs October 13. 1856, and 
was educated in the public schools of his na- 
tive city. He is a son of Martin Hardin, oue 
of the oldest residents of this county. His 
ancestors were of the first families in Kentucky. 
Mr. Hardin was messenger hov at the Transfer 



56 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



for some time, and afterward entered the ab- 
stract office of J. P. & J. X. Casady, of 
Council Bluffs. During the j-ears 187S-79-80, 
he was Deputj- County Treasurer. Henry H. 
Skelton was born in England and came to this 
countr\' in 1872. He is a professional cutter, 
and up to the time of entering the present firm 
was emplo\'ed by Metcalf Brothers as cutter. 
The present firm of Hardin, Skelton & Co. 
began business with a stock valued at $7,000, 
their annual sales being $35,000. They now 
carr}' a stock worth $15,000, and the annual 
sales for 1882, from present indications, will 
reach $50,000. 

F. W. SPETMAN of the firm of F. W. 
Spetman & Bro., Council Bluffs, was born in 
Kane Township, this county, September 18, 
1855. He attended Byrant & Stratton's 
Commercial College at Davenport, this State, 
and graduated in 1873. He started iu business 
in Council Bluffs, in the fall of 1875, with 
about $1,500 in stock. The business increased 
to such an extent that he took in his brother, 
W. C. Spetman, and removed to No. 511 Main 
street, where his father had just completed a 
building, 22x70 feet, and two stories high, with 
a basement. But the steady increase of the 
business demanded still more room, and his 
father built au addition, 25x70, and two 
stories high. The firm now carry about $20,- 
000 in stock, with annual sales amounting to 
$60,000. They cany a full line of general 
merchandise. In 1881. our subject was elected 
Alderman in the Third Ward, on the Demo- 
cratic ticket, and served one year. He was 
married, September 10, 1878, to Alvini Las- 
kowski, of Council Bluffs. Mr. Spetman is of 
German descent. 

W. C. SPETMAN, of the firm of F. W. Spet- 
man & Bro., Council Bluffs, was born in this 
county in 1856. He graduated from Byrant 
& Stratton's Commercial College at Davenport, 
this State, in 1875. He was married, in March, 
1881, to Antoinette Ehrig, of Davenport, Iowa. 



He has one child — Roy Henry, aged six 
months. 

N. SCHURZ (Schurz & Strohbehn) grocers, 
Council Bluffs, was born in Prussia. He came 
to the United States in 1858. He served four 
years and three months in the civil war, part 
of the time iu the One Hundred and Sixty- 
ninth Pennsylvania Regiment, and the balance 
in the navy. He responded to Lincoln's first 
call for three months' men. He came to Coun- 
cil Bluffs in 1868, and was emplo^-ed bj- a 
wholesale queeusware house, where he staj-ed 
for a 3'ear and a half, when he moved to Weep- 
ing Water, Cass Co., Neb. He engaged in the 
mercantile business, but was burned out in 
1873, losing ever3-thing. He immediately re- 
turned to Council Bluffs, and the following 
spring went to Missouri Vallej'. where, engag- 
ing in business, he regained all that he had 
previously lost. He returned to Council Bluffs 
in 1879. Schurz & Strohbehn have added a 
fine stock of cigars, and will hereafter do a 
wholesale business in that line. Our subject 
was married iu Pennsylvania to Miss Eliza E. 
Lindt, sister of Mr. John Lindt, the well-known 
lawyer of Council Bluffs. They have two boys 
— Emil, aged fourteen, and Herman, aged 
twelve. 

SCOFIELD & CAVIN, Council Blutts. Ira 
Seofield and T. E. Cavin formed partnership in 
general merchandising business June 1, 1877, 
at 218 Broadway, and continued in that build- 
ing until September 1, 1878, at which time they 
removed to the new building, corner of Broad- 
waj' and Jlarket, 200 Broadway, using two 
stories and basement with elevator attachment. 
Besides doing a large city trade, they ship goods 
to railroad contractors in Iowa, Minnesota, 
Colorado and New Mexico. The3' started on a 
small scale in a room eighteen by fortj' feet, 
with cellar, and have steadilj- increased the 
Inisiness so that now the}' are cramped for 
room in a two story and basement building, 
twenty-two by eighty feet. T. E. Cavin came 



COUXCIL BLUFFS. 



57 



to Council BluflFs in 1866, and after close ap- 
plication to business, he formed partnership 
witli Foreman & Beuo of Council Bluffs, in a 
branch store in Logan, Iowa. Having disposed 
of his business in Logan profitably, he returned 
to Council Bluffs, and formed partnership with 
3Ir. Scofield, as above stated. 

W. STROHBEHN (Schurz & Strohbehn, 
gi'ocers), Council Bluffs, came to Council Bluffs 
in the spring of 1872, and was employed by 
Groneweg & Co., grocers and wholesale liquor 
dealers. He rose from a driver to a clerk, and 
afterward to the position of book-keeper. The 
firm sold out to Mr. Kirschr. with whom our 
subject stayed until October 28, 1881, when he 
went into partnership with Mr. Schurz. Mr. 
Strohbehn was married in October, 1875, to 
Miss Christine Witt, of Council Bluff's. They 
have three children — Matilda, aged six ; Hel- 
en, aged four, and William, who is two and a 
half years old. Our subject's parents live in 
Silver Creek Township, this county, where they 
have a farm of 200 acres. The father is sixt}-- 
eight and the mother sixty -six jears old. 

J. G. TIPTON, attorney. Council Bluffs, was 
born in 1849 at Fairview, Fulton Co., 111., and 
lived there until he was eighteen ^-ears old. 
He was educated at Abingdon College, Illi- j 
nois, from which he graduated in 1872, teach- 
ing school before and after attending college, 
the money required to carry him through 
school being earned by himself teaching coun- 
try school. In the latter part of 1872, he 
entered the law otlice of Robert G. IngersoU at 
Peoria, 111., and remained there the balance of 
that year and all of 1873. Leaving there, he 
entered the law office of Weldon, Tipton & 
Benjamin, of Bloomington, 111., where he fin- 
ished his law studies, and September 11, 1874. 
was admitted to practice by the Supreme 
Court of Illinois, then in session at Ottawa, 111. 
He commenced practice at Bloomington, 111.; 
was nominated bj' Democratic State Convention 
in 187C to the office of State's Attoruev, and 



defeated by a small majority. In the spring 
of 1872, he went West in quest of fresh fields 
of labor, arriving in Deadwood in time to 
attend the first da}' of the first term of court 
ever held there, said court being presided over 
by Judge Bennet, present Member of Congress 
of that district. He stayed there six months 
then went to Avoca, Iowa ; began practice 
there and continued until the spring of 1882, 
at which time he opened an office in Council 

I Bluffs. He was married October 31, 1878, at 
Avoca, Iowa, to Miss Nettie Bryant, of x\voca. 
Father was killed on 23d day of March, 1869, 
by branch of tree which hired man was felling 
striking him. A branch of same tree struck 
our subject, breaking his left shoulder and lac- 
erating his left arm severeh'. After receiving 
these injuries, he carried his father home, one- 
half mile, on his right shoulder, having to 
cross two fe,nces on the waj-. He is of Scotch 
descent. 

N. A. TAYLOR, grocer, Council Bluffs, was 
born in Vermont in 1832. He entered upon 
the study of law in Orange County, Vt., and 
in 1857 was admitted in all the courts of 
that State. He practiced law until 1862. when 
he enlisted in the Thirteenth Vermont Volun- 

i teers and served one year, holding the position 
of Quartermaster. He was married in Ver- 
mont in 1860, and has one child — Gertie, aged 
fifteen years. Mr. Ta3-lor came to Council 
Bluffs in 1876, and engaged as Steward at the 
deaf and dumb institution in that city. He 
opened his present grocery store in September, 
1879, and is doing a rapidly increasing busi- 
ness, his annual sales amounting to about 
$25,000 ; he emploj's two men. 

M. A. UPTON, freight and ticket agent of 
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Co., 
Council Bluffs, was born in Brooklyn. N. Y., 
December 24, 1847, and, at the age of seven 
years, removed with his parents to Kalamazoo, 
Mich. There they lived till 1860, when they 
removed to Vernon Countj-, Mo. Resided 



58 



BIOGRAPHIC A.L: 



there till 1863, then moved to Lawrence, Kan. 
Mr. Upton received his education in Kalama- 
zoo, Mich., and at the Montevallo Academy in 
Vernon Countj-, Mo. In the spring of 1864, 
he drove a four-mule team from Leavenworth, 
Kan., to Denver, and thence drove the team all 
over the State of Colorado, and returned to 
Lawrence, Kan., in the fall of 1865. He then 
entered the Lawrence High School, after leav- 
ing which, in 1866, he occupied various posi- 
tions till 1868, when he went to Kansas City, 
where he kept books for a commission grain 
house. In 1869, he returned to Lawrence, 
Kan., where he kept books for a wholesale 
stove and tin plate house for some time, then 
went to Vernon Count3-, Mo., where he re- 
mained till May, 1871, when he came to Coun- 
cil Bluffs. Here he entered the Chicago, Rock 
Island & Pacific Railroad freight office as 
clerk, and was promoted through all the differ- 
ent grades till, in October, 1879, he became 
cashier, and, six mouths after, was also put in 
charge of the clerical work, having twelve men 
under him. In August, 1882, he was appoint- 
ed to his present position of freight and 
ticket agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. 
Paul Railroad at Council Bluffs. In May, 
1871, he married Miss May Adams, of Burling- 
ton, Kan. He is of English descent. 

GEORGE F. WRIGHT, State Senator, 
Council Bluffs, is one of her leading citizens, 
and a man of extensive influence throughout 
the State. He was born in Warren Count}, 
Vt., on the 5th of December, 1833. His father, 
Franklin A. Wright, was of English ancestry, 
and bj- occupation a farmer. The latter spent 
the last years of his life in Council Bluffs, and 
died suddenly, only a few years ago, at his 
residence on Willow avenue, near the Presby- 
terian Church. He was known during his 
residence here as a man of singularly sound 
sense, and was admired and beloved for his 
good temper and quiet and unassuming dispo- 
sition. George F. Wright, his son, was given 



an excellent academic education with a view of 
preparing him for college, but having engaged 
in teaching for four or five years, he abandoned 
the idea of taking a degree, and moved to Keo- 
sauqua, Iowa, in 1855, and there began the 
study of law in the office of the late Judge 
Knapp and the Hon. George G. Wright, who 
afterward became one of the Judges of the 
State Supreme Court, and for one term a United 
States Senator. He was admitted to the bar of 
Van Buren Countj' in 1856, and entered into 
partnership at once with Judge Knapp, Judge 
Wright having withdrawn to take his seat on 
the bench of the Supreme Court. The profes- 
sional success of George F. Wright was assured 
from the beginning. He was not gifted with 
the shining qualities of the forensic orator, Vnit 
his strong, good sense and his knowledge of 
legal principles were qualities easily recognized 
by those intrusting him with business, and 
were the safe foundation of lasting and dura- 
ble success. He remained at Keosauqua until 
1868, when he removed to Council Bluffs, en- 
tering at once into a law partnership with the 
late Judge Caleb Baldwin, which lasted during 
the life of the latter, and which is now extend- 
ed through the membership of the firm by John 
N. Baldwin, the son of Mr. Wright's old part- 
ner. Since coming to Council Bluffs, the busi- 
ness intrusted to him and his firm has includ- 
ed the attorneyship of the Chicago, Rock 
Island & Pacific, the Chicago, Burlington & 
Quincy, the Union Pacific and the Milwaukee 
& St. Paul Railroads. In the year 1875, he be- 
came a candidate for State Senator from the 
district composed of the counties of Pottawat- 
tamie and Mills, his Democratic opponent 
being B. F. Montgomery, also of Council 
Bluffs. After a very active canvass, in which 
both Montgomery and Wright made strenuous 
efforts, Mr. Wright was elected, and served the 
full term of four years. In the meantime, the 
Senatorial District was so changed that Potta- 
wattamie Countv was made a Senatorial Dis- 



COUxVCIL BLUFFS. 



59 



trict by itself. In 1879, Mr. Wright was a 
candidate for re-election, liis antagonist in tbe 
Pemoeratic party being Col. William Orr, a 
popular farmer, and stock-grower in Hardin 
Township. Mr. Wright was successful a second 
time. As at the bar, Mr. Wright has won the 
respect of his fellow-Senators in both parties, 
by reason of his solid, substantial qualities as 
a man and as a legislator. Mr. Wright has not 
only been diligent in the practice of his pro- 
fession, and active as a legislator, but as a 
citizen he has been singularly enterprising. 
He was instrumental in the organization of the 
Council Blufls Gas Light Company in 1868, 
and still has a large interest in that enterprise; 
also the Ottumwa Gas Compan}' in 1871; the 
Mount Pleasant Gas Company, in 1871; and 
the Elgin Light Company, the same year; and 
that at Cedar Rapids, and the one at Sioux City 
in 1872. He is also largely interested in the 
several lines of street railway in Council Bluffs, 
and was a leader in the organization of those 
improvements. To him, also, are the public 
indebted for the inauguration of a sj-stem of ' 
water works for the City of Council Blufls in i 
the spring of 1881. He is a large stockholder ' 
in the company having the franchise, and gives 
his personal attention to the development and 
execution of the plans necessary to complete 
the work, well under way. One of the greatest 
enterprises to which his name is attached, and 
of which he is justly proud, is the great Union 
Pacific elevator at the Transfer in Council 
Bluffs. This gigantic appliance for handling 
grain has a capacity of 200,000 bushels. 
Mr. Wright's energy had much to do in induc- 
ing capital to invest in it, but in advancing it 
to completion under the most favorable circum- 
stances and auspices. In all his dut3- in the 
Senate and elsewhere, Mr. Wright has kept in 
view the essential interests of Council Bluffs. 
iHiring the civil war he was active in promot- 
ing enlistments. Upon the first call for volun- 
teers he raised a company, and repaired with it 



to Keokuk, the rendezvous, but the response of 
Iowa was so prompt that the offer it made ex- 
ceeded its quota, and the supernumeraries were 
allowed to return home. 3Ir. Wright was mar- 
ried, in 1865, to Miss Ellen E. Brooks, of 
Northfield, Vt., and has two sons and two 
daughters. 

W. O.WIRT, proprietor Boston Tea Com- 
panj', Council Bluffs, born in Harrison Count}', 
Ohio, December 30, 1843 ; came to Council Bluffs 
in 1873, and engaged as traveling salesman with 
Steel, Johnson & Co., grocers, of Omaha, Neb., 
with whom he remained one year. He then 
went East, and traveled from Pittsburg, Penn., 
from 1874 to 1876, and in 1876 and 1877 for 
James Kent, Santee & Co., of Philadelphia, 
Penn. In the fall of 1877, he returned to 
Council Bluffs, and, in the spring of 1878, 
engaged in the retail grocery and hardware 
trade in company with R. 0. Newell, at Red 
Oak, Iowa, where thej- carried on business for 
nearly three years. Mr. Wirt then removed to 
Council Bluffs, where he opened up his present 
business at 16 Main and la Pearl streets in the 
spring of 1881. He keeps a full line of staple 
and fancy groceries ; in fact, everything to be 
found in a first-class grocer}' store can be pro- 
cured at the Boston Tea Company. Mr. Wirt 
does an extensive trade, running two delivery 
wagons, and keeping three counter clerks busy 
all the time. He is one of the wide-awake and 
energetic business men of Council Bluffs. 

E. J. WOODBURY, dentist. Council Bluffs, 
was born in Bolton, Mass., in 1830. Studied his 
profession in Worcester, Mass., where he lived 
till 1852, then went to Ohio and remained there 
until he came to Iowa. He settled in Council 
Bluffs in 1858, and immediatelj' established 
dental rooms. The Doctor was married in 
Townsend, Mass., in the spring of 1855, and 
has three sons and two daughters. The eldest 
son, H. A. Woodbur}-, is a graduate of Boston 
Dental College ; the other children are at home: 
Dr. Woodbury is one of the most popular and 



60 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



best known dentists in Council Bluffs, liaving 
been in business there twenty-four years. 

A. B. WALKER, real estate, Council Bluffs, 
came to Council Bluffs in 1871 as Steward of the 
Deaf and Dumb Institute, occupying that posi- 
tion until 1877, when he moved into the city. 
He then engaged in the real estate and abstract 
business as a member of the firm of Squire & 
Walker, continuing in that firm about two and 
a half years ; then sold out the abstract busi- 
ness to Mr. Squire, and continued in the real 
estate business himself In 1880, he began 
investing in mines in Utah and Colorado, 
assisting in organizing the Park Mining & 
Milling Company, Union Consolidated Mining 
Company and Lakeside Mining Company, the 
two first of Utah and the last of Colorado. 
Mr. Walker was born in 1837 in Elkhart 
County, Ind., and at the age of two years came 
with his parents to Iowa, and located on a farm 
near Iowa City, Johnson County. He was edu- 
cated in the public schools of Johnson County, 
and at Galesburg, 111. When eight years of agei 
his father died, and, when fifteen 3'ears of age' 
he wont to live with an uncle in Madison 
County, Ohio, and commenced clerking for his 
uncle, and remained there until he was twenty- 
one years of age. II j tiien returned to Iowa 
City and engaged in the photograph business, 
which he continued until 1862. He was four 
months in the army in 18G5. In 1858, he 
married Loraine Byers, of London, Madison 
Co., Ohio. After his marriage, he lived two 
years in Ohio, where his wife died, and he then 
returned again to Iowa. He was again married 
in 1876 to Abbie M., daughter of Rev. G. G. 
Rice, one of the earliest preachers of Potta- 
wattamie County, and the first Congregation- 
alist ministers in this county. Mr. and Mrs. 
Walker visited the Centennial at Philadelphia 
while on their marriage tour. 

A. WHEELER, liotel. Council Bluffs, was 
born in Wyoming County, N. Y., in 1836, and 
was educated in Alexander Academy, New 



York. After leaving school, he taught for 
some time in a commercial college. He engaged 
in the mmufiicture of leather for some time, 
and afterward carried on the manutacture of 
kitchen goods. He lived in Baffalo from 1861 
till he came to Council Bluffs in July, 1881, 
Here lie took charge of the Revere House, 519 
Broadway, which contains forty sleeping rooms, 
a dining-room large enough to seat forty guests, 
parlors, sitting-rooms, etc., and all the accom- 
modations of a first-class hotel. Since Mr 
Wheeler has hail charge of the hotel, its busi- 
ness hfl.s increased twofold, owing to his able 
managemeut. In 1873, he married Miss Dell 
Axtell, of Wyoming County, N. Y. His grand- 
father on his mother's side was of Scotch 
descent, and served seven years during the 
Revolutionary war. His father's people were 
of English descent, and came to America about 
the year 1760. 

HENRY P. WARREN, Deputy Clerk of 
Courts, Council Bluffs, was born in Palmyra, 
N. Y., August 21, 1820, and the following year 
his parents removed to Springfield, III, and in 
1828, to Pulton County, III. He received his 
education at Oquawka, III, and in Fulton 
County, 111. When he reached the age of 
twenty years, he, in connection with his uncle, 
began trading with the Indians, on the Des 
Moines River, Iowa. At Peoria, 111., in 18-16, 
he married Hannah L. Page, and the following 
year removed to Fairfield, Iowa, where he en- 
saged in business. In 1854-55, he held the 
office of County Treasurer of Jeffer.son County, 
Iowa, and in 1856 removed to Council Bluffs, 
where he kept books for the old State Bank, 
afterward the First National Bank. He was 
Deputy Count}' Treasurer of this county from 
1870 to 1873, and in the latter year was ap- 
pointed Deputy Clerk of Courts, which office 
he has since held. His ancestors were New 
England Puritans. His son, F. H. Warren, 
held the position of Clerk of Courts for six 
vears. 



COUNCIL BLUFFS. 



61 



MASON WISE, livery and sale stable, 
Council BlufTs, was born in Decatur Countj', 
Ind., in 1833. He went to Missouri in 
1857, from which State he came to Iowa in 
1861. In 186G, he came to Council Blufls 
and started a liver}- and sale stable. He has 
been in this business ever since, and now 
handles from 300 to 500 head of horses and 
mules per year. He built a large addition in 
1881, which enables him to accommodate 100 
head at one time. His stables are commodious 
and convenient, which, with a fine yard, makes 
his premises the finest of the kind in the 
West. 

PETER WEIS, grocer. Council Blufis, was 
born in Prussia in 1834. He came to Amer- 
ica in 1855, settling in Wisconsin. In 1859, he 
came to this State. In 1866, after returning 
from a two years' trip through Colorado, he 
opened up in business in a little log building 
near where the Ogden House stands. He built 
his present building in 1878. He employs 
four clerks, and carries an $8,000 stock, which 
includes a line of hardware and agricultural 
implements. Annual sales, $30,000. Mr. 
Weis was married in Mills Countj', this State, 
in 1860. He has one child by adoption. 

H. J. WINTHERLICH, manufacturer of iron 
shot. Council Blutfs, is a native of Denmark, 
born in 1843. He emigrated to the United 
States; came to Chicago in 1873, and thence 
to Council Bluffs in 1880. He enlisted, in Den- 
mark, in the Sixth Battery of Artillery, and 
held the rank of Lieutenant. He has always 
been in the foundr}- business. He and his 
brother have invented a process for making iron 
shot, and with several other gentlemen, princi- 
pally of Council Blutfs, have entered into the 
manufacture of the same. He has also 
patented a process for securing complete ven- 
tilation for houses. He was married in Den- 
mark in 1866, and has three children. Mr. 
Wintherlich is an accomplished linguist ; speak- 
ing six difl'erent languages. 



REV. FREDERICK T. WEBB, Council 
Bluffs, came to Council Bluffs in 1875, from 
the Theological School at Davenport, Iowa. 
He was born in England in 1850. His parents 
came to Philadelphia when he was one year old. 
He entered Griswold College at Davenport in 
1868; graduated in 1872. He then took a 
three years' course in the Theological Seminarj-. 
When he took charge of St. Paul's Parish, in 
Council Blufis, in 1875, it numbered fifty com- 
municants, but now has one hundred and 
seventy-five — a goodly' increase in so short a 
time. Mr. Webb is an indefatigable worker, 
and has been instrumental in establishing 
twelve churches in this Diocese. He was mar- 
ried in Davenport in 1874, to Miss Laura Bell 
Gillette. Thej' have one child living — Ada, aged 
two years. In 1881. lost .their only son — 
Frederick Lee, aged six years. Mr. Weljb is a 
Mason of high standing, belonging to the Bluff 
City Lodge, Star Chapter and Ivanhoe Com- 
mandery. He is a member of the Standing 
Committee of the Diocese of Iowa, the Trust- 
ees of Funds and Donations, and is also a 
Trustee of Griswold College. He is Dean of 
the Southwestern Convocation. 

LUCIUS WELLS, agricultural implements, 
Council Bluffs, was born in Rock Island County. 
111., in 1845, and has alwaj-s been in the im- 
plement and plow business ; beginning, as he 
jokingl}- saj's, " by holding a plow by the 
handles." He was educated at Galesburg, 111., 
and was married in 1868, at Dixon, and has 
one child — Emma M., aged twelve years. He 
is at present manager of the Council Bluffs 
branch of the John Deere, Moline Plow Works. 
He began business here when the branch was 
established, in December, 1881. They handle 
here a general line of agricultural implements. 
Mr. Wells left Galesburg in 1864 ; went to 
Moline, 111., where he engaged with the Deere 
Company, and remained there until coming to 
this cit}-. He employs twent3--five men, and 
carries a stock of S50,000. 



62 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



U. H. WHITE, transfer and drayage, Coun- 
cil BlufTs, was born in New York in 1836. His 
parents moved to Ohio in 1838, where he was 
raised and educated. He came to Des Moines, 
Iowa, in 1858, and engaged in the lumber 
trade ; continuing this until 1872, when 



he came to Council Bluffs and opened a 
furniture store. In 1880, he established his 
freight transfer business, running four wagons 
and employing four men. He was a mem- 
ber of the City Council of Des Moines for 
two terms. 



BELKNAP TOWI^SHIP. 



J. A. T. BATES, farmer and general mer- 
chandise, P.O. Oakland, was born near New Bos- 
ton, Mercer Co., 111., November 23, 1837; he is 
the son of John and Elizabeth (Noble) Bates. 
His father was born in Virginia in 1800. He 
was a farmer; moved to Mercer County, 111., 
where he lived for nearly thirty years. In 1863, 
he came to Taylor County, this State, and to 
this county in 1871. He died in Oakland, this 
county, August 25, 1881. His (subject's) mother 
was born in Tennessee in 180-t. She left Ten- 
nessee when she was young, and went to Ohio. 
During the war of 1812, she went to Indiana, 
where she experienced many hardships from 
the Indians. She is still living in Oakland, 
this countj'. Our subject had the advantage of 
a common school education, and lived at home 
until he was twenty-one years of age. He came 
to this count3% bringing with him a separator 
and a horse-power machine for the same. He 
followed threshing for two seasons, Mr. Brazil 
having an interest in the business. He then 
enlisted in the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry. He 
was one of the guards at Fort Negley under 
Gen. Thomas ; was afterward with the troops 
that followed Hood through Alabama. During 
this time, he was on detached duty. His i-egi- 
ment was with Sherman in his memorable 
march to the sea, and he rejoined it at Golds- 
boro, N. C. He was in the grand review at 
Washington, D. C., and was mustered out at 
Louisville, Ky., after which he came back to 
Big Grove. He was married in Council Bluffs, 



August 9, 1866, to Mrs. Margaret Reed. She 
was the daughter of Louis and Susan (Palmer) 
Huff. Her father was born in North Carolina 
in 1811. He was one of the earliest settlers in 
Big Grove, and is still living near Oakland. 
Her mother was born in Indiana about 1821. 
She died at the age of fifty-three. After his 
marriage, our subject confined his attention to 
farming at Big Grove. He raised, principally, 
stock. In 1879, he went to the Gunnison 
countr3', in Colorado, where he prospected and 
mined for two seasons, coming home to pass 
the winters. The mining party of which he 
was a member pitched the first tent on the 
present site of Irwin, Colo. This party discov- 
ered and located the principal mines of the 
camp— the Ruby King and the Forest Queen. 
In the fall of 1880, he began business at his 
present location Block 2, Lot 10, on Main 
street, Oakland. He is the senior member of 
the firm of Bates & Reed, dealers in general 
merchandise. Mr. Bates lives on his farm, half 
a mile south of Oakland, which he also 
operates. He has seven children, four sons 
and three daughters — Clara B., John 0., 
Susie E., Phoebe D., Thomas A. C, Par- 
don H. and H. Irwin. Mr. Bates was for 
a time Justice of the Peace, and was the first 
Postmaster at Big Grove. He is an A., F. & 
A. M., and is a charter member of the lodge 
to which he belongs, inrs. Bates is a mem- 
ber of the Baptist Church. He is Democratic 
in politics. 



BELKNAr TOWNSHIP. 



63 



JOHN K. BAXTER, farmer, P. 0. Oak- 
land, was boru in Leesburg, Oliio, December 
13, 18J:2. He is the son of Joseph H. and Isa- 
bella (Porter) Baxter. His father was born in 
Cannonsbarg, Washington Co., Penn., August 
17, 180(5. He was a blacksmith, and worked at 
his trade in his native town, and also in Lees- 
burg, Ohio, to which place he moved about 
1840. His death occurred in the latter place, 
February 20, 1837. His (subject's) mother was 
born in Caunonsburg, Penn., March 20, 1806. 
This most worthy lady still enjoys good health, 
and lives with her daughter, Mrs. John W. 
Gard, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Both the par- 
ents are of Scotch descent. Their ancestors 
were compelled to seek refuge in the North of 
Ireland to escape the bitter persecution visited 
upon the " nan Conformists " under the Stuart 
dynasty. They finally emigrated to Pennsyl- 
vania previous to the Revolution. Our sub- 
ject's father, in early life, had a taste for mili- 
tary tactics, and was for many years Captain of 
a military company in Pennsylvania. He was 
the father of ten children, eight of whom lived 
and grew to maturity — five sons and three 
daughters. Four of the sons" were Union sol- 
diers in the late civil war. Robert was killed 
while on a " scout " in Baxter Count}', Va., in 
1862. James was a member of the Eleventh 
Iowa, and was wounded in the battle of Shiloh, 
from the effects of which he died in 1863. Jo- 
seph and our subject were also through the 
war, but escaped unhurt, with the exception that 
the latter lost his hearing at the battle of 
Shiloh. Our subject received a common-school 
education, and lived at home till he was seven- 
teen years of age. At that time, be went to 
Moscow, this State, for the purpose of studying 
medicine with his brother. He attended the 
high school, and his brother gave him courses 
in anatomy. September 10, 1861, he enlisted 
in the Eleventh Iowa as musician of Company 
I, under Capt. C. B. Millinger. He received his 
discharge October 28, 1863, on account of phys- 



ical disability, uamel}', loss of hearing, as be- 
fore stated. After his discharge, he continued 
his study of medicine with his brother, intend- 
ing to become a physician, but was compelled 
to give it up in consequence of his defective 
hearing. He was appointed Postmaster at 
Moscow, Iowa, in 1863, and held this position 
till the spring of 1869, since which time he has 
run a store, an insurance office and the Mer- 
chants' Union Express. He was married in 
Iowa City, October 10, 1867, to Texie A. 
Buuch, born in Albemarle County, Va., October 
18, 18i4 ; she was the daughter of William E. 
and Sarah (Crank) Bunch, both natives of Vir- 
ginia. Her fiither came to Moscow, this State, 
in 1855, and was engaged in the merchandising 
and afterward in the drug business. He now 
lives at Saratoga, McDonald Co., Mo., where he 
keeps a drug store. In 1869, our subject sold 
out in Moscow, and moved to Lamar, Barton 
Co., Mo. Here his family had such poor 
health, that he came back to Jasper County, 
Iowa, where he farmed five years. In June, 
1877, he came to this count3^ He owns forty 
acres in Belknap Township, where he now re- 
sides, and also 200 acres in Woodbury County, 
this State. He has three children living — 
Colfax E. (born August 6, 1868), Grace J. 
(born July 23, 1872), and Claude J. (born June 
13, 1881). Mrs. Baxter is a member of the 
Evangelical Methodist Church. In politics, 
Mr. Baxter is a Republican. 

C. W. BRYANT, of Norton & Bryant, ha^-d- 
ware, Oakland, was born in Keutuck}- Decem- 
ber 3, 1834. He is the son of James M. 
and Elizabeth (Sulenger) Brj'ant; his father was 
born in Georgia about 1808. He moved to 
Kentucky, and afterward to Missouri about 
1836. He was married near Vincennes, Knox 
Co., Ind. He lived in Scotland County, Mo., 
for several years, and in 1843 moved to Putnam 
County, Mo. In 1850, he came with his family 
to Council Bluffs (then Kauesville). He first 
lived in a little log cabin, situated just west of 



64 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



where the Pacific House now stands. In the 
summer of 1850, he bought a Mormon claim, 
located about one mile east of the Ogden 
House; he died September 16, 1851. The fam- 
ily moved back to Scotland County, Mo., in the 
following spring. Our subject's mother was 
born in Indiana in 1813. He left her in Scot- 
land County, Mo., and in the spring of 1853 
came to Couucil Bluffs, where he worked with 
his uncle, A. S. Brj'ant, on his farm till the 
spring of 1860. The three following years he 
was in Colorado and New Jlesico. He returned 
to the Bluffs and assisted his uncle in tlie Farm- 
ers' Hotel. He afterward went in partnership 
with Henry Thatcher, and kept a provision 
store on the Union Pacific Bailway, while that 
road was being built. Thej' were located at 
different points on that road at different times. 
They sold out, and our subject returned to the 
Bluffs, and engaged in the grocerj' business, in 
connection with E. Hubbard. He sold out 
shortly- afterward, and for some time was en- 
gaged in various occupations, finally going in 
partnership with his brother, R. T. Brj-ant. and 
W. B. Clark in the real estate business. They 
bought eight}' acres of land of A. S. Bryant, 
situated west and north of the Union Pacific 
Transfer Depot. They divided it up into town 
lots. In September, 1870, our subject, with his 
brother, opened a dry goods and furniture 
store. In December of the same year, they 
moved their business to Avoca, this county, 
where they continued it till the election ofB. 
T. as Clerk of the District Court, after which 
subject conducted the business till the spring 
of 1876, when he sold out. He then clerked 
for C. H. Norton in a hardware store in Avoca. 
After this he went in partnership with his 
brother, J. C. Norton, and opened up in the 
hardware business in Oakland. They added a 
line of furniture, and the firm still stands Nor- 
ton & Bryant. Our subject was married in 
Council Bluffs, on March 7, 1871, by Rev. P. 
H. Cleland, to Louisa F. Brockie, born in 



St. Louis, Mo., in 1852. She was the daughter 
of Henry and Jennie (Wells) Brockie, Ijoth 
natives of Glasgow, Scotland. They came to 
this country in 1850, landing in New Orleans. 
La. The}' lived for a time in St. Louis, and 
came to Council Bluffs in 1857. The father is 
dead, :iud the mother is at present living in 
Mills County, this State. 

JOSEPH CARSE, farmer, P. 0. Oakland, 
was born in County Down, Ireland, December 
21, 1808. He is the son of John and Aba- 
gail (McCormick) Carse, both natives of Coun- 
ty Down. Ireland. His father was born in 1 776. 
He was a farmer, and his ancestors, as near as 
we can ascertain, came from Scotland in A. D. 
1611. His (subject's) mother was born in 1766. 
and died in her native country in 1850. Our 
subject I'eceived a fair education in the old sub- 
scription schools. His grandfather took out a 
perpetuity on a piece of land in 1748, on which 
our subject and his father lived; Lord Dufferin 
was his landlord. Our subject came to the 
United States in 1860, locating in Lee County. 
111., where he lived and farmed until 1878, when 
he came to this count}-, and now lives on Sec- 
tion 21, Township 75, Range 40. He was mar- 
ried in County Down, Ireland, October 6, 1843. 
to Elizabeth Spratt, born in that county Octo- 
ber 27, 1821. She was the daughter of John 
and Hannah (Carse) Spratt; both natives of the 
latter county; her father, Ijorn October 31^ 
1775, and died about 1869, in Ireland; her 
mother, born in the same county in 1796, and 
died May 26, 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Carse have 
had eleven children — Hannah, born September 
19, 1844; Abigail, born November 20, 1846, 
died November 31, 1878; John, born January 
10, 1849; Elizabeth, born March 19, 1851; Jo- 
seph, born March 19. 1853; James, born March 
13, 1855 ; William, born March 15, 1857; 
Archie, born December 23, 1858 ; Ann I., 
born October 12, 1860; Sarah A., born Feb- 
ruary 11, 1863. and Robert H., born De- 
cember 10. 1865. The family are all members 



BELKNAP TOWNSHIP. 



65 



of the Presbj'terian Church. Mrs. Carse has a 
brother ia Lee County, 111., and a sister living 
in Allegheny City, Penn. 

JAMES CARSE, farmer, P. 0. Carson, was 
born in County Down, Ireland, October 19, 
1830. He is the son of James and Mary 
(Gaugh) Carse, both natives of the same coun- 
ty. His father was a farmer, and died when 
our subject was fourteen years old. His an- 
cestors were Scotch " non-conformists." His 
(subject's) mother, was of English descent, and 
died in Ireland. The parents had ten children, 
five sons and five daughters. Our subject has 
four sisters living in America, and a brother 
John, who is a successful miner in Australia. 
He (subject) received a good common school 
education, and lived with his mother's famil}' 
until he came to America in 1859. He located 
at Newburg, Orange Co., N. Y., where he lived 
for two years, being engaged as a coachman; 
he then came to Dixon, 111., where he worked 
out for nine months, at the end of which time 
he commenced farming for himself He was 
married at Dixon, 111., September 3, 1863, to 
Mar^- Wallace Carse; born in the same place 
as her husband, January 17, 1835. She was 
the daughter of James and Margaret (Wallace) 
Carse, both natives of Ireland, and both of 
whom are dead. Subject's wife came to the 
United States in 1857, living in Baltimore, Md., 
till 18t>3, when she moved to Illinois. After 
his marriage, our subject farmed in Illinois for 
fourteen years. He purchased his land in this 
county September 6, 1876, and moved on it in 
the spring of 1877. He has made all the im- 
provements himself; he has six children — 
Margaret Wallace, Mary Gaugh, Sarah Eliza- 
beth, William Henry, James Stewart and John 
Archibald. Mrs. Carse's parents had six chil- 
dren, three sons and three daughters. All of 
the daughters and one son — James, are living 
in this country. James is living with our sub- 
ject, and owns eightj- acres of land adjoining 
his farm, which consists of 240 acres in Sec- 



tions 19 and 20, Belknap Township. His spe- 
cialty is stock, for which he raises his own grain. 
Mr. and Mrs. Carse were raised Presbyterians. 
In politics, he is Republican. 

G. W. COOPER, of G. W. Cooper & Co., 
general merchandise, Oakland, was born in Erie 
County, Penn., the son of Wilson and Margaret 
(Riblet) Cooper, both natives of Pennsylvania. 
Our subject received a good education; he 
came to Council Bluffs in 1867, and has been a 
resident of this count}- ever since. In 1809, 
he was engaged as traveling salesman by Brew- 
ster & Co., of Council Blutfs. He remained in 
their employ for one jear, after which he trav- 
eled eleven years for Steward Bros., of the same 
city. In March, 1880, he began business for 
himself iu Oakland, this county. He rented a 
storeroom of Mr. Daniel Freeman, situated at 
the foot of Oakland avenue. In the spring of 
1882, he moved up to the corner of Oakland 
avenue and Main street, where, under the firm 
name of G. W. Cooper & Co., he is engaged in 
the general merchandise business. 

A. T. COX, publisher, Oakland, was born in 
Newton, Jasper Co., Iowa, June 9, 1857. He 
is the son of John M. and Mary (Wilson) Cox. 
His father was born in Monroe County, Ind., 
January 31, 1823. His (subject's) mother was 
born in the same place in 1821. His parents 
moved from their native State to Green Bay, 
Wis., where the}' lived for a short time, after- 
ward going to Jasper County, this State. Here 
the father was engaged in the flour business for 
a shgrt time, after which he farmed in the same 
county for six years. In 1864, tlie family 
moved to Shelby County, Iowa, near Harlan, 
where the fimil}' have carried on a farm, while 
the father worked at his trade of painter and 
plasterer. He is also a Baptist clergyman, and 
is pastor over several charges. The parents 
have nine children — five sons and four daugh 
ters, all of whom except our subject and his 
youngest brother are married, and all except 
subject live in Shelby County, this State. Our 



60 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



subject received a common school education, 
and began life for himself bj' teaching school, 
which he followed for about six _years with 
marked success. In the spring of 1882, he as- 
sumed entire control of the Oakland Acorn, 
which he has since conducted with great zeal 
and a commendable spirit of independence, ad- 
vocating right at all times, without regard to 
party or personal interests. 

W. H. H. DABNEY, stock and grain, Oak- 
land, was born in Vermillion Count}-, III, De- 
cember 31, 1835. He is the son of Henry 
and Maria (Stanfleld) Dabnej-. His father was 
born in King William County, Va., December 
31, 1795; he had a number of slaves left him, 
which he afterward set free; he left his native 
State in 1825, and. in the winter of 1825-26 he 
taught the first school in Terre Haute, Ind. ; he 
went from here to Vermillion County, 111., where 
he located, and was married. He was a sol- 
dier in the war of 1812, and was in a number of 
active engagements; he moved to Dallas Coun- 
ty, this State, in 1855, and afterward to Madi- 
son County, Iowa, where he died in Winterset 
March 24, 1870. His (subject's) mother was 
born in Knoxville, Green Co., Tenn., October 6, 
1813, and is still living, in the enjoyment of 
good health, in Winterset, Madison County, this 
State. Our subject has eight brothers and two 
sisters living. One brother is a prominent 
lawyer in Madison Coiintj-, Iowa. Onr subject I 
received a common school education and 
worked on his father's farm until twentj-one 
years of age, when he started in for himself" by 
elerkinsj; in a store for two years; he then start- 
ed for Colorado without a dollar; he commenced 
business with two yoke of cattle and a wagon, 
which he bought on time; he freighted four 
years from the 3Iissouri River to Colorado, and 
four years from Salt Lake City to Montana; he 
then owned ten wagons, with five yoke of cattl,e 
to each. During this time he came home, and 
was married, March 15, 1866, to Mary B. Lee; 
born in Licking County, Ohio, September 12, 



1849. She was the daughter of E. B. and Ann 
(Shields) Lee. Her father was born in Licking 
County, Ohio, in 1814; he was a farmer and 
stock-shipper; he died in Barton County. Kan., 
at the age of sixt}'- eight; her mother was born 
in Jeft'erson Count}^ Ohio, in 1824, and is now 
living in Barton County, Kan. After his mar- 
riage, our subject freighted for eighteen months, 
at the end of which time he sold his train and 
returned to this State, locating in Winterset, 
Madison County. Here he dealt in land, stock 
and grain, and built and ran an elevator. In 
February', 1880, he moved to this countj-, hav- 
ing previous!}-, in 1868, bought the farm on 
which he now resides. Section 2, Township 75. 
Range 40. He owns 600 acres in Belknap and 
James Townships, which is farmed l.\y renters. 
He is engaged in feeding and shipping stock, and 
alsograin. He has hadfour children, allof whom 
were born in Winterset, this State — William, 
died when he was eighteen mouths old; Minnie 
Alice, born Octolier 5, 1868; John Maurice, 
born April 4, 1872; Henry Bowman, born July 
9, 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Dabney are members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a 
member of the I. 0. 0. F., and in politics, a Re- 
publican. 

J. L. FETTER, farmer, P. 0. Oakland, was 
born at Mt. Pleasant, Westmoreland Co., Peun., 
September 19, 1820. He is the son of Christian 
and Sarah (Lobingier) Fetter. His father was 
born in Richmond, Va. He was a physician, 
and followed his profession up to the time of 
his death, which occurred in Caledonia, Put- 
nam Co., 111., in 1847. He came to his death 
by an accident. Upon returning home one 
evening from his usual round of professional 
visitation he came to a ditch which it was 
necessary that his horse' should jump. He 
stood upon the opposite side of the ditch, and 
called upon the animal to jump, which did so 
at once, but struck upon the unfortunate man, 
inflicting injuries which proved fatal. His (sub- 
ject's) mother was born at Mt. Pleasant, West- 



BELKNAP TOWNSHIP. 



67 



raoroland Co., Ponn., Maj- 5, 1706, and died at 
the residence of her son-in-hiw, Dr. L. S. Herrs, 
in Evansville, Ind., March 25, 1881. Our sub- 
ject lived witli his grandfathei-, John Lobingier, 
until he was twentj- years of age. His grand- 
father was a prominent lawyer, and was Judge 
of Westmoreland County, Penn. He raised 
our subject, and gave him the best education 
that was obtainable in the city of Mt. Pleasant. 
Our subject came West with his father in the 
spring of 1840, and settled at Caledonia, Put- 
uam Co., 111. Here he studied law. He was 
married, April 19, 1843, eleven miles east of 
Lacon. 111., at Elder H. D. Palmer's residence, 
to Charlotte R. Palmer ; born in Carlisle, Ind., 
November 1, 1821. She was the daughter of 
Elder H. D. and Martha (Angel) Palmer. Her 
f:\lher was born in South Carolina, and was one 
of the first ministers of the Christian Church. 
He was engaged in active ministerial labors for 
over forty years. He emigrated from his native 
State on account of his repugnance for slavery. 
He and a number of others brought their 
slaves along with them, and liberated them 
upon their arrival at their destination. He 
first settled in Illinois, not far from Vincennes, 
Ind, and afterward moved to Carlisle, Ind. In 
the latter part of his life he moved to Eureka, 
Woodford Co., 111., where he died at the age of 
eight3--one. His wife (our subject's wife's 
mother) was a native of North Carolina. She 
emigrated to Tennessee, where she was maiTied 
to Elder Palmer. After his marriage, our sub- 
ject lived in Lacon, 111., until April, 1856, when 
he came to Big Grove, this county. He still 
resides' on his original settlement — northwest 
quarter Section 10, Township 75, Range 40. 
He has been Magistrate for eighteen 3'ears, and 
was Town Clerk for ten 3'ears. He is at present i 
Treasurer of the School Board. He has four 
children — Frank P. (a graduate of Oskaloosa 
College, class of '78), Trannie B. (wife of J. H. 
Louis, who is County Recorder and Auditor of 
Shelby County, Iowa), Florence and May A. Our 



subject rents out his 600 acres of land, which 
he owns in Belknap Township. He and family 
are members of the Christian Church. 

DANIEL FREEMAN, retired merchant. 
Oakland, was born in St. Louis, Mo., April 2G, 
1818 ; his father, Daniel Freeman, was born in 
New Hampshire in 1780, and came West to St. 
Louis, Mo., in 1800, when that place was a 
small village. There he built a hotel called 
the "Green Tree," where he had the honor of 
entertaining La Faj'ette, when that noted 
soldier and statesman visited the United States; 
he died near St. Louis in 1839. Mr. Freeman 
remembers St. Louis, as it was In the days of 
its crooked streets and old-fiishioned houses, 
when the few steamboats then on the river 
fired cannon to denote their approach to the 
citj-. Mr. Freeman received a good education 
for those days, and ■ lived at home till his 
fatlier's death, when he was married, and farmed 
for three years in Illinois, opposite St. Louis; 
thence went to Rockford, Winnebago County, 
where he remained five years, and then went 
to Rock Countj', Wis. In the latter place. Mr. 
Freeman lost his wife, Marj- Waller, whom he 
married in Madison County, 111.; she was born 
in Kentuckj' in 1818, and was the daughter of 
Richard and Nancy (Ellis) Waller ; he is a 
native of Mar^-land, and she of Georgia. From 
Rock County, Wis., Mr. Freeman moved to La 
Fayette County, where he farmed for about 
twenty-five years. Six years after the death 
of his first wife, Mr. Freeman married Elizabeth 
Swindlow, born in England in 1834. In 1876, 
Mr. Freeman came to Big Grove, Pottawat- 
tamie Count}', engaged for two years in the 
mercantile business, and then sold but to his 
son-in-law, G. L. Whitehead. Since selling out, 
Mr. Freeman has lived in retirement from active 
business pursuits, though he still has some 
business interests. IMr. Freeman ha^ five sons 
by his first wife, viz.: James Wilson, William 
Henry, Daniel Boone, Levi Ellis and Benjamin 
Franklin ; thej' are all married and doing well. 



68 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



By his second wife, Mr. Freeman has had five 
children — Don Alonzo, Nanc}- Emily (deceased), 
Elizabeth Murray (now wife of L. G. White- 
head), Elmer Ellsworth and Charles Frederick. 
Mr. Freeman is a strong Republican. 

W. H. FREEMAN, banker, Oakland, was 
born in Rockford, III, April 11, 18i4 ; son of 
Daniel and Mary (Waller) Freeman ; he was 
born in St. Louis, Mo., April 29, 1818 ; she, 
born in Kentucky in April, 1819, died in Wis- 
consin April 9, 1850. Subject's father was one 
of the early settlers of Rockford, locating there 
in 1843. From Rockford, 111., subject's father 
moved to Wisconsin, where he lived in Rock 
and La Fayette Counties respectivelj" till 1876, 
when he came to Big Grove, and engaged for 
about two }-ear3 in the mercantile business; 
then sold out to Mr. Baker, and now lives in 
Oakland. Subject's mother died when he was 
six years old, and he lived with his mother's 
relatives till he was eleven years of age, when 
he joined his father in La Fayette County, 
Wis. Mr. Freeman engaged in farming with 
his father till twenty-one years of age, when 
he went to Davis, 111., and farmed for one 
year. He came from Davis to Big Grove, Iowa, 
remained a short time, and then went to Ne- 
braska, where he furnished wood and ties for 
the Union Pacific Railroad, then in course of 
construction. In 1867, Mr. Freeman left Ne- 
braska, and returned to Big Grove, remained 
till spring, and removed to Newtown, near what 
is now Avoca; while there he constructed the 
wood culvert extending from Walnut to Neola, 
on the Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. In 
May, 1869, Mr. Freeman purchased what was 
known as the Davenport Saw-Mill, and moved 
it to Big Grove, where he operated it in con- 
nection with the mercantile business ; in the 
latter, he was interested with his brother, D. B. 
Freeman. In the fall of 1876, Mr. Freeman 
removed his saw-mill to Green County, Wis., 
when he continued the lumber business, making 
a specialty of black-walnut till the summer of 



1881, when he returned for the third time to 
Oakland. Here, December 23, 1881, our sub- 
ject in connection with his brother, B. F. Free- 
man, opened the "Oakland Bank" under the 
firm name of " W. H. & B. F. Freeman, private 
bankers." Our subject was married in Avoca, 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa, September 21, 
1869, to Malinda J. Shipp, born in Greencastle, 
Iowa, November 30, 1851; daughter of Albert 
and Mahala (Piles) Shipp, natives of Kentucky; 
he, born January 1, 1825, is a farmer living 
in Shelby Count}', Iowa; she, born November 
20, 1826, died December 10, 1864; her parents 
were early settlers of Jasper Count}', Iowa. Mr. 
and Mrs. Freeman have two children — Jennie 
May, born March 3, 1871, and Clyde Alden, 
born September 14, 1873. After the incopora- 
tion of Oakland in April, 1882, Mr. Freeman 
was elected Mayor; he has also served as 
Justice of the Peace; he is a Mason and a Re- 
publican. 

EMIL J. GEHRMANN, farmer, P. 0. Car- 
son, was born on the river Weiser, Germany, 
December 7, 1850. He is the son of Charles 
F. and Johannah (Riceland) Gehrmann. His 
father was a machinist and engineer, born in 
Germany March 20, 1823. He was passenger 
engineer for about twenty years. He ran the 
first German train into Russia, and also the 
first train that was run between Moscow and 
Kaurch, as a trial, prior to drawing the train 
that bore the Duke Alexis to the Black Sea. 
He drove the train that bore the Duke on his 
trip. He also ran the first train on this road, 
which train, before starting, was sprinkled with 
Holy water, by the Priest of the Greek Church. 
From the early part of 1860 to 1869, our sub- 
ject's father lived in several diflferent places in 
Russia. August 16, 1869, he, with his family 
landed in New York City. They came to 
Chicago and visited a few days with a brother. 
In September of the same year they came to 
Council Blufls. The father had come ahead 
and purchased land in Macedonia Township, 



BELKNAP TOWNSHIP. 



69 



this county, where the family moved, and lived 
for six years. At the end of this time they 
sold out and bought in Section 29, Township 
75, Range 40, where the father (our subject) 
and a brother, have each farms. The father 
worked ten years in the Union Pacific machine 
shops, but has now retired to his farm. Our 
subject's mother was born in Saxon}', Germany, 
August 16, 1827. This was the native Prov- 
ince of Martin Luther, and she has seen the 
house in which the school which he attended 
was kept ; also his ink-bottle and pen. When 
a little girl, she visited his grave, and planted 
small bass-wood trees about it. Our subject 
received a good education in the German and 
Russian schools. He talks fluenth' the Ger- 
man, Russian and English languages. He at- 
tended a mechanical institute in Germanj-, and 
studied the machinist trade from 1863 to 1866. 
He afterward fired about one year on a rail- 
road, finally becoming an engineer himself 
Since coming to this countrj- he has devoted 
his attention exclusively to farming, and has 
been very successful. He now has 120 acres 
of land. He was married in Belknap Town- 
ship, this county. May 1, 1879, to Elizabeth 
Carse, born in County Down, Ireland, near 
Belfast, March 19, 1851, a daughter of Joseph 
and Elizabeth (Spratt) Carse, both natives of 
Ireland. Her parents and family came to 
America in 1860, locating in Dixon, 111., where 
they lived for about eighteen 3-ears. They 
came to this count\- in 1878, locating on the 
farm in Section 21, Belknap Township, where 
both the parents still reside. Mr. and Mrs. 
Gehrmann have one child — Emil, born May 2, 
1880. They are members of the Lutheran 
Church. 

F. H. GEHRMANN, farmer, P. 0. Carson, 
was born in Berlin, Prussia, August 25, 1852. 
He is the son of Charles F. and Johannah 
(Riceland) Gehrmann. (See sketch of E. J. Gehr- 
mann.) Our subject received his education 
principally in Germany. He attended the com- 



mon schools until he was fourteen years of age, 
after which he attended two years at the high 
school. He then learned the carpenter's trade, 
at which he worked -till he came to America, 
with his father, in 1869, since which he has 
been engaged in farming. 

H. A. GOFP, stock-dealer, Oakland, was born 
in Henry County, Ind., January 30, 1833, son 
of Abram and Nancy (Smith) Goff, natives of 
Kentucky; he was a farmer by occupation, and 
died when our subject was eighteen months 
old; she was born about 1809; after the death 
of her first husband, she married Robert Erwin, 
of Virginia; she died in Henderson County, 
111., in 1879. Mr. Goff left home at the age of 
sixteen, and worked by the month till Novem- 
ber, 1851, when he was married in Tippecanoe 
Count}', Ind., to Elizabeth Crose, a native of 
the aforesaid county, born in 1833, daughter of 
John and Elizabeth (Crouch) Crose, natives of 
Ohio. After his marriage, Mr. Gofi' farmed 
one year in Tippecanoe County, Ind., then 
moved to Henderson County, 111., where he 
bought land and farmed for sixteen years. 
There Mr. Goff lost his wife March 20, 1858, 
and then he again married, November 28, 1859, 
this time to Sarah Jane Brown, born in Ken- 
tucky October 28, 1839, daughter of Charles 
and .\nn (Percell) Brown, natives of Ken- 
tucky ; he was born December 25, 1810, and 
came to Illinois with his family, when Mrs. 
Goff was five years old; her mother died in 
Illinois ; her father is now living with his chil- 
dren in Iowa. In the fall of 1868, Mr. GoflF 
came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and 
bought land in James Township ; this land he 
improved and lived upon till the following 
summer, when the grasshoppers became 
troublesome and he returned to Illinois. After 
remaining in the latter State eighteen months, 
he returned to his farm in Iowa, where he re- 
mained till the spring of 1882, when he moved 
in Oakland, where he has since been engaged in 
trading in cattle and hogs. For the past ten 



70 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



j-ears, Mr. Goff has furnished beeves to the 
butchers of Avoca. Mr. Groff has, by his 
second wife, seven children — Ellen (now Mrs. 
Hayse), George, Flora Ann (now Mrs. Cla}-- 
ton), Dolly Jane (now Mrs. Strong), Charles, 
Lily May and Samuel. Mr. Goff is a Demo- 
crat 

JOHxN McDonald, flour and feed, Oak- 
land, was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 
April, 1834; his father, William McDonald, was 
born in the same place as subject, and was a 
miller by occupation; he emigrated to the United 
States and settled in Illinois, Warren Count}', 
in 1855, and died the following year of typhoid 
fever. Subject's mother was born in Ireland; 
came to this country with her husband and died 
at Oxford, Jones. Co., Iowa. Subject's brother, 
Samuel, and sister Martha, came to the United 
States with their parents, the oldest brother 
preceded them to this county. Mr. McDonald 
received a fair common school education, and 
worked with his father at milling, until he mar- 
ried, March 8, 1852, Bessie McElhinney, born 
in Ireland November 20, 1833. She was a 
daughter of William and Bessie (Thompson) 
McElhinne}-, natives of Ireland, where the 
father died. After his marriage, Mr. McDon- 
ald, came to this country and located in War- 
ren County, 111., June 3, 1853. He ran a grist- 
mill at Monmouth, 111., for four j^ears for Silas 
Umpstead; then moved to Keithsburg and con- 
ducted a mill for Joseph Ogden, for seven 
years; thence to North Henderson, Mercer 
County, for a year; then, after a j'ear spent in 
Jlillersburg, he purchased a mill in Bureau 
County, 111.; operated it for two j'ears, sold it 
and came to Jones County, Iowa, where he 
rented a mill for a 3'ear. Upon leaving Jones 
County, Mr. McDonald moved to Union Town- 
ship, Shelby Count}', where he bought a farm 
near the present site of Defiance; there he en- 
gaged in farming for seven years, when he and 
his wife began traveling for the latter's health 
in California and Washington Territory; in the 



latter Territory she died of consumption Sep- 
tember 4, 1878. In 1879, Mr. McDonald lo- 
cated in Neola, and established the " Exchange 
Mills Flour and Feed Store," which his son now 
conducts. Mr. McDonald sold his property in 
Neola; established a similar business in Marne, 
Cass Co., Iowa; conducted it six months; sold 
out and came to Oakland in December, 1880, 
where he has since conducted a flour and feed 
business. Our subject has, by his first wife, 
four children— Jennie, Ella, William aud 
Thomas Tiiompson. April 1, 1880, at Neola, 
Iowa, Mr. ^McDonald married Margaret Gallup, 
born in Harrison County, Iowa, in 1861, daugh- 
ter of Jasper and Sarah (Wood) Gallup, early 
settlers of Pottawattamie Countv — he a native 
of New York State, and she of Ohio. This 
second union has been blessed with one child 
— Frederick Samuel. Mr. McDonald is a 
Mason and a member of the V. A. S.; he is a 
member of the City Council and a Republican. 
J. L. McMURRY, farmer, P. 0. Oakland, 
was born in Indiana April 9, 1853 ; son of 
John and Elizabeth (Wilson) McMurry ; he 
was born in North Carolina, was a farmer by 
occupation, and died about 1859 in Davis 
County, Iowa ; she, born in North Carolina, is 
now living at the age of sixty-four, in Davis 
County, Iowa. Mr. McMurry worked at hom^ 
till December 24, 1874, when he was married, 
near Drakesville, Davis Count}', to Mary E. 
Wood, born in Davis County, Iowa. Septem- 
ber 17, 1848, daughter of John G. and Mary 
(Vaughn) Wood ; he was a farmer by occupa- 
tion, and died in Davis County, Iowa, in Octo- 
ber, 1880 ; she, born inOhio in July, 1805, is 
living in Davis County. After his marriage, 
Mr. McMurry farmed for himself for two years 
in Davis County, then moved to Mills County, 
Iowa, where he worked two years for L. W. 
Tubbs. In 1879, Mr. McMurry left Mills 
County and came to Pottawattamie County, 
where he has since been engaged in farming. 
In politics, Mr. McMurry is a Republican. 



BELKNAP TOWNSHIP. 



n 



GEORGE H. NASH, agricultural imple- 
ments, Oakland, was born in We_ymouth, Norfolk 
County, Mass., December 13, 184(i. He is the 
son of Abner P. and Silence (Humphrey) Nash, 
both natives of Weymouth, Mass. His father 
was born July 24, 1803. He was a wholesale 
leather merchant in Boston, Mass. He is now 
living a retired life in his native town, and is 
an unusually vigorous old gentleman. His 
(subject's) mother died in her native town in 
1846. Our subject lived with his father until 
he was twenty-one years of age, when he came 
to this State, locating on his present farm of 
64U acres, situated iu Sections 23 and 24, 
Township 75, Range 39, in Center Township, 
this county. He lived here till January, 1882, 
when he weut into his present business in Oak- 
land. He was married in Center Township, 
March 8, 1873, to Louisa L. Russell, born in 
Middlebury, Addison Co., Vt., December 9, 
1846. She is the daughter of Samuel and 
Laura (Drake) Russell, both natives of Addi- 
son County,. Vt. Her father died iu Middle- 
bury, Vt., in 1855, at the age of forty-seven. 
He was a horse dealer and grocer. Her mother 
was born Januarj- 16, 1816, and is still living 
with her son, E. S. Russell, of Center Town- 
ship, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Nash have 
three children — Fred A., born February 21, 
1875; Russell, born January 18, 1878, and E. 
Ernest, born Februarj- 14, 1882. Our subject 
is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in 
politics is a Republican. 

J. C. NORTON, hardware and furniture, Oak- 
land, was born in Livingston County, N.Y., June 
13, 1836, son of William C. and Harriet (Thayer) 
Norton ; he, born in Onondaga County, N. Y., 
in January, 1811, is a carpenter, living in Oak- 
field, Audubon County, Iowa ; she, born in 
Oneida County, N. Y., in September, 1813, is 
the mother of three sons and four daughters. 
The girls received sufficient education to en- 
able them to teach, but Mr. Norton, being the 
oldest child, was deprived of school advantages. 



till he became twenty-three years old, when he 
attended school two years, and one year later 
he obtained a certificate for teaching. Mr. 
Norton early learned the trade of carpentering, 
and worked at home till twenty-one years of 
age. In October, 1856, Mr. Norton's parents 
migrated to Audubon County, Iowa, where our 
subject worked at his trade summers and en- 
gaged in trapping, winters. In 1867, Mr. 
Norton opened a mercantile business in Oak- 
field, Audubon County, Iowa ; there he con- 
tinued two j'ears, and in 1869 came to Avoca. 
Pottawattamie County, when there were but 
two houses in the place. He was engaged in 
merchandising iu Avoca, till 1875, when he 
sold out and started West for his health, spend- 
ing a year auti a half iu California and Oregon ; 
while in the latter State he engaged in the sew- 
ing machine business, which he sold in 1876, 
and then returneil to Avoca. After returning 
to the latter place, Mr. Norton retired from 
business till 1880, when he erected the first 
building iu the new town of Oakland, where he 
has since conducted a mercantile business, the 
firm name being Norton & Bryant. Mr. Norton 
was married in Oakfield, Iowa, Februar}- 2. 
1868, to Susie Ostrander, born iu Illinois in 
1846, daughter of James Ostrander, a native 
of New York State, and a farmer by occupa- 
tion. Mr. and Mrs. Norton have four children 
— Elmer D., born November 4, 1871 ; Arthur, 
June 28, 1876 ; Jessie, June 28, 1878, and 
Clarice, born September 9, 1881. Mr. Norton 
is a member of the Congregational Church and 
is a Republican. 

M. T. PALMER, physician, Parma, was 
born in Fayette County, Ind., March 22, 1822. 
His father, William Palmer, was born in South 
Carolina about 1774; he served in the war of 
1812; was an earlj' settler in Faj"ette County, 
Ind., and subsequently settled in Rock Island 
County, 111., where he lived about two 3-ears, 
and then died October 25, 1840. Subject's 
mother, Jane (Gill) Palmer, was born in Vir- 



72 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ginia about 1780, and died August 25, 1846. 
The parents had ten children, eight of whom, 
three sons and five daughters, grew to maturity. 
Mr. Palmer's school advantages were very lim- 
ited, his education being mainly self-acquired; 
he being the youngest son, remained at home 
engaged in farming and taking care of his par- 
ents till their death; then, he being in delicate 
health, lived for three years with an older sis- 
ter at Yellow Banks, 111. While at the latter 
place, Mr. Palmer studied medicine; he also 
there met Caroline Tuel, whom he afterward 
married in Rock Island County, 111., November 
30, 1848; her parents were Preslej' and Mar}- 
(Bell) Tuel. he a native of Virginia, died in 
Ohio; she a native of Ohio, died at the resi- 
dence of her daughter in Iowa. After mar- 
riage, !Mr. Palmer spent a year on the home- 
stead in Rock Island County, 111.; then sold out 
and moved to Sugar Grove. Mercer County, 
where he farmed and leai'ned carpentering. 
October 31, 1853, he moved to Council Bluflfs, 
where he helped to build the first steam saw- 
mill erected on the bottom west of that place; 
he also took the contract for tlie first frame 
building erected in Omaha, Neb. 3Ir. Palmer 
engaged in farming near Council Bluffs from 
1854 to 1856, when he came to Big Grove, 
then a new settlement, and located on the farm 
where he still lives. After studying medicine 
for about ax years, and receiving much instruc- 
tion from Dr. Barrett, a graduate of Glasgow, 
Scotland. Mr. Palmer began to practice medi- 
cine about 1861, and since then has been active 
and successful in the profession. 3Ir. and Mrs. 
Palmer have had nine childieu — Marion, born 
April 5, 1851; Sumner Steven, April 28, 
1853; George, May 6, 1855, died February 
4, 1876; Minor T., Jr., May 21, 1857, died 
August 17, 1857; Mary Matilda, December 
30, 1859; Abraham Lincoln, April 26, 1861; i 
Alexis Presley, July 28, 1864; Hiram 
Thomas, January 16. 1868; and Lucy Adella, 
July 9, 1872. Mr. Palmer has been School 



Director, and has twice been Postmaster. He 
and wife are Missionary Baptists; he is a Re- 
publican. 

L. F. POTTER (of Potter & DeGraflf), gen- 
eral merchandise, Oakland, was born in Mil- 
waukee, Wis., March 27, 1855. He is the son 
of L. B. and Hitty (Wenzell) Potter. His 
father was born in Fitzwilliam, Cheshire Co., 
N. H., December 15, 1815, and was a school 
teacher in his native State. He afterward kept 
a meat market and packed pork in Fitcliburg, 
Mass. In 1839, he came to Milwaukee, Wis., 
where he engaged in the manufacture of butter, 
and later in the manufacture of cheese. He is 
now living a retired life near the latter city. 
His (subject's) mother was born in Framing- 
ham, Mass., July 26, 1820; she died in Wis- 
consin October 27, 1864. Our subject received 
a common school education, and for one year 
afterward was a student in the English depart- 
ment of Ripon College, Wis. At the age of 
seventeen, he was sufticientl}' advanced in all 
English branches to enter college, and so began 
the study of Latin and Greek in the prepar- 
atory department of the Beloit College, Wis. 
After pursuing his studies at this place for one 
year, he was compelled to leave, together with 
man}- of his fellow-students, on account of an 
ej-e-sore which appeared to come in the form 
of an epidemic. From the effects of this dis- 
ease, our subject never sufficiently recovered to 
resume his studies. He subsequently taught 
school for four or five years in Wisconsin and 
this State. He came to this county in 1876, 
and after teaching for a time, he took half-in- 
terest in business with J. L. Caldwell. In Ma}-, 
1880, Mr. Caldwell sold his interest to M. J. 
DeGraff, a brother-in-law to our subject, being 
married to his sister. Our subject was married 
in Council Bluffs, November 29, 1881, to Miss 
M. J. Wood, born in 1856. She is a member 
of the Congregational Church. Mr. Potter is a 
member of the Masonic fraternity, and in poli- 
tics is a Republican. 



BELKXAP TOWNSHIP. 



73 



J. I. KEED, farming, P. 0. Oakland, was 
born in Rushville, Eush Co., Ind., November 
26, 1830. His father. Zenas Reed, was born 
in South Carolina March 9, 1795 ; was a stock- 
dealer and farmer. When twenty-three 3'ears 
old, he moved to Indiana, where he lived till 
1840. About 1830, he became County Judge 
of Rush County, Ind.. which position he held 
a number of years ; he held several otlier civil 
offices. In 1840, he moved from Indiana to fier- 
cer County. 111., where he farmed till his death, 
March 6, 1845. Subject's mother, Elizabeth 
(Rishling) Reed, was born in Pittsburgh, Penn.. 
March 10, 1805. She is the mother of eight 
children, four sons and four daughters. Two 
sons and one daughter are dead. Mr. Reed re- 
ceived his education mostly in a subscription 
school, the building for which was erected by 
subject's father and three other men. When 
Mr. Reed was fifteen years old, his father died, 
and the care of the stock and farm devolved 
on our subject and an older brother. They 
conducted the farm till they were of age. 
This brother, George, was afterward the first 
Postmaster of Big Grove. October 21, 1851, 
our subject was married, in Mercer Countj-, 
111., to Hannah Jane Sherer, born in Lawrence 
County, Penn.. February 27, 1832 ; daughter 
of Robert and Mary (Adair) Sherer, he born in 
Lawrence County, Penn., in 1803, was a far- 
mer bj' occupation, and died December 25, 
1854, in Mercer County, 111. When Mrs. Reed 
was one }-ear old, her mother died. After his 
marriage, Mr. Reed farmed in Mercer County, 
111., till 1855, when he came to Council Bluffs. 
After remaining a short time in Council Bluffs 
engaged in teaming, Mr. Reed returned to 
Mercer Count3-, 111., where he remained till 
1861, when he came back to Iowa, and bought 
prairie land. The latter he improved and ex- 
changed for a farm in Big Grove ; there he 
lived from February, 1863, to October, 1881, 
when he sold his farm and bought nine acres I 
on the northern limits of Oakland. In 1882, | 



Mr. Reed bought 200 acres two and one-half 
miles south of Hancock. This is very fine 
land. For the last three years, Mr. Reed has 
dealt in hogs. Mr. and Mrs. Reed have ten 
children — Adaline (Mrs. McMartin), Mar}- (Mrs. 
Larue), Maggie (Mrs. Russell), Robert, George, 
John, Albert, Irwin, Harry and May. Mrs. 
Reed is a Presbyterian ; Mr. Reed is a member 
of the I. 0. 0. F., and a Republican. 

S. S. RUST, gi'ain-dealer, Oakland, was born 
in Henderson County, 111.. Februar}- 23, 1848. 
His father, Jacob Rust, was born in Frederick 
County, Va., May 27, 1795. Subject's grand- 
father, George Rust, was born about March 20, 
1767, and had four brothers in the Revolution- 
ary war. One of them, Vincent, died in the 
service ; John was a Captain, Peter a lieuten- 
ant and Jerry a private ; the last three were in 
the battles of Braudywine, Cowpens, and at 
the surrender of the British at Yorktown. In 
1829, Jacob Rust left Kentuckj- and emigrated 
to the militray tract now called Warren Coun- 
tj-. 111. He boarded Maj. Butler and Capt. 
Jennings while they were surveying the site 
for the town of Monmouth, Warren Count}-. 
After Warren County was organized as such, 
Jacob Rust served as Justice of the Peace for 
a number of years. He afterward moved to 
Henderson Count}-, 111., then to Pottawattamie 
County, Iowa, locating at Big Grove, where he 
was one of the first settlers. There he fol- 
lowed farming till retiring from business. He 
now lives at Oakland, and is eighty-eight years 
old. He was first married, in Hardin County, 
Ky., to Frances 3IcDonald, born in Virginia ; 
this union was blessed by fourteen children, of 
whom three survive — Mrs. W. E. Brunk, Mrs. 
C. E. Chastain and Mrs. Louisa Ward. Sub- 
ject's father next married, in Illinois, Mrs. Eda 
E. Morris, by whom he had three children — 
Mrs. Reuben Morris, Steven Sumner (our sub- 
ject) and Larue, who died at the age of four years. 
Subject's early education was limited to two 
years in the common schools, but he has since 



74 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



stiulied much liy himself. Mr. Rust worked 
out from the age of fourteen till he was seven- 
teen, when he began farming for himself; this 
he continued till the fall of 1879, when he be- 
gan buying grain at Parma, two and one-half 
miles north of Oakland. In the fall of 1880, 
he sold his farm and came to Oakland, Potta- 
wattamie County, where he has since been en- 
gaged as a grain-dealer. Mr. Rust was married 
at Council Bluffs, September 2, 1865, to Mary 
Anne Strong, born in Ohio Februar3- 18, 1845, 
daughter of J. M. and Nancy (Barker) Strong, 
natives of Ohio, who came to this county in 
1863, and now live near Oakland. Mr.' and 
Mrs. Rust have one child — Bertie. 3Ir. Rust 
was for five years Treasurer of the school fund 
of Centre Township, and he is now Treasurer 
of the Oakland School Board. He is a Mason and 
an Odd Fellow ; in politics, he is a Republican. 
JAMES R. SLOAN, farmer, P. O. Oakland, 
Was born in Henderson Count}', 111., June 4, 
1854. He is the son of Workman and Pearl 
Ann (Roberts) Sloan. His father was born in 
Zanesville, Muskingum Co., Ohio, January 12, 
1824. He was a farmer, and came to Illinois 
when a young man. His (subject's) mother was 
born in Greene Count}', Penn., December 10, 
1831. His grandmother Sloan still lives in 
Henderson County, 111. She has never seen a 
railwaj' car, though she is living at present 
within four miles of the depot. Our subject 
received a good common school education, and 
lived at home until he was twenty-one years of 
age, when he made a start for himself He 
was married near Terre Haute, Hender.son 
Co., 111., June 10, 1875, to Analiue L. Showalter, 
born in Lancaster Count}', Penn., October 14, 
1853. She is the daughter of John Sho- 
walter, born in the same count}' October 19, 
1823, and died November 23, 1879, in Hender- 
son County, 111. Her mother was born in 
Montgomery County, Penn., December 24, 
1831, and is still living in Henderson County, 
111., where she and her husband moved Novem- 



ber 19, 1869. After his marriage, our subject 
lived and farmed in Illinois for six years. 
October 12, 1881, he came to this county on a 
prospecting tour, and, finally, made a purchase 
of land, the northwest quarter of Section 19, 
Township 75, Range 40. He left Illinois and 
moved on to his laud in this county March 3, 
1882. September 5, 1881, he was in a railroad 
disaster while going to visit some friends in 
Page County, this State. Thomas Leecox, the 
great inventor, was killed. Mr. Sloan sustained 
a dislocation of his right shoulder, and also 
received injuries in the back and bowels. Mr. 
and jMrs. Sloan have two children — William 
Oscar, liorn October 26, 1878, and Cora Emma, 
born September 13, 1880. They are members 
of the Baptist Church. In politics, Mr. Sloan 
is a Republican. 

S. SLOCUM, farmer, P. 0. Oakland, was 
born in Huron County, Ohio, December 24, 
1835 ; son of G. A. and Mary (Harrouue) Slo- 
cum ; he was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., 
May 10, 1811, is a shoemaker by trade, but has 
been engaged in farming in Belknap Township, 
Pottawattamie County, since August, 1854. 
Subject's mother was born in New Hampshire 
December 17, 1811, and died December 13, 
1878. Our subject was named by his grand- 
father Slocum after one of the latter's com- 
rades in the Revolution. Until twenty -one years 
of age, Mr. Slocum worked at home, then, after 
farming two years, he went to Council Bluffs 
and learned the carpenter trade, at which he 
began to work in 1860. He built the second 
log house and the third frame house in Bel- 
knap Township. Mr. Slocum continued to work 
at his trade till 1870, when he came to his 
present farm of sixty acres, situated 100 rods 
from the Oakland depot. He devotes the most 
of his time to gardening, occasionally working 
at his trade. He was married, in March, 1857, 
to Marilla Belknap, born September 21, 1836, 
died September 21, 1863. Her father, Orin 
Belknap, born in Kentucky, was the first settler 



BELKXAP TOWNSHIP. 



in Belknap Township, which was named after 
him. Her mother, Anne Draper, was born in 
Ohio, and died in this county about 1856. Mr. 
Slocum has by his first wife one child — George 
Orin, now in Las Vegas, New Mexico, engaged 
in the coal and coke business. Mr. Slocum 
was again married, in Center Township, January- 
3. 1867, to Emeline Reed, born in Mercer 
Count}', 111., Januar\' 23, 1843, daughter of 
Enos and Elizabeth (Rishling) Reed ; he was 
born in South Carolina March 9, 1795, and died 
in Mercer County, 111. ; she was born in Pitts- 
burgh, Penn., March 10, 1805 ; is now living in 
this county with her children. This second 
union has resulted in two children — Fred and 
Hattie Grace. Mr. Slocum is a member of the 
M. E. Church. In politics, he is a Republican, 
and believes in prohibition. 

J. S. WHITE, farmer, P, 0, Carson, was born 
in Fulton County, 111., June 3, 1845. He is 
the son of J. M. and Elizabeth (Rist) White; 
his father was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1820; 
he is a farmer, and lives on Section 22, Wash- 
ington Township, this county; he came from 
Henderson Countj-, 111., in 1867, to Mills Coun- 
ty, this State, and has lived in this county for 
the past two years. His (subject's) mother was 
born in Allegheny Count}-, Penn., in 1823, and 
died in Fulton County, 111., in 1858. In 1863, 
our subject joined the Union army, but was 
taken sick, and returned home on that account; 
he enlisted a second time, in Companj' H, 
Twenty-eighth Illinois Infantrj-. He was in 
the siege of Blobile, under Burnside, and at 
Forts Gains and Blakely. He was then trans- 
ferred to Brownsville, Texas, under command 
of Steele and Can by. He was mustered out of 
service at this latter place on March 25, 1865. 
He was married in Terre Haute, 111., June 11, 
1867, to Mary Spencer, born in Perr}- County, 
Ohio, September 29, 1848. She was the daugh- 
ter of Edward and Elizabeth (Fowler) Spencer, 
both natives of Ohio. Her father was a farmer; 
went to the war in 1861; he was taken prisoner 



at the time of Bank's retreat at Winchester, 
and died in Andersonville Prison in 1862; her 
mother died before the war. After his mar- 
riage, our subject farmed two seasons in Illi- 
nois, and then came to Mills County, this Slate. 
He has resided in this county about four years; 
his residence is situated in the northeast quar- 
ter Section 31, Belknap Township, where he 
farms 200 acres in and owns 160 acres else- 
where. He conducted a real estate office, hand- 
ling land all over this county; he was once 
elected Justice of the Peace, but declined to 
serve ; he has served as School Director ever 
since coming to this county; he has five chil- 
dren—John E., born May 3, 1808; William, 
born November 25, 1870; Mary J., born Octo- 
ber 25, 1872; Sarah, born October 20, 1874, 
and Charles W., born May 12, 1878. Mr. and 
Mrs. White are members of the Methodtst 
Episcopal Church. He is a member of the I. 
0. 0. F., and in politics is Independent. 

JAMES II. WRIGHT, farmer, P. 0. Oakland, 
was born in Henderson County, 111., January 
25, 1855. He is the son of James and Lncretia 
(Hammond) Wright. His father was born in 
Nelson County, Kj'., February 17, 1S12. He 
was a farmer, and emigrated to Illinois about 
1848. He is still living in this county. 
His (subject's) mother was born in the same 
count}' as his father, in 1817, and is still living. 
Our subject lived at home until he was twenty- 
two years of age, when he began farming for 
himself; he left Illinois with his father in the 
fall of 1 868, and came to this county, locating 
in Center Township. lie was married in Adair 
County, this State, in 1879, to Rosa Jennings, 
born in that county January 18, 1863. She 
is the daughter of Robert and Nancy (Sny- 
der) Jennings, both natives of Pennsylvania. 
Her father died in Warren County, 111., in 1864; 
her mother lives with subject, who, since his 
marriage, has been engaged in farming. Mr. 
and Mrs. Wright have one child, Lisle Claude, 
born March 26, 1881. In politics. Republican. 



76 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



BOOMEE TOWNSHIP. 



EDWIiN BUKBRIDGE, farmer, P. 0. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was bora in London, England, in 
1812. He was raised a farmer and has followed 
that almost his entire life. He was raised in 
Buckinghamshire, and farmed there till he 
was twenty-one and then went to London, and 
into the dairy business, and continued living 
there till he came to America in 1849. He 
was educated in Aspley and Rugby Schools. 
After leaving school he farmed largely under 
the Duke of Buckingham. After coming to 
America he followed farming in Pennsylvania 
for two j'ears, and then moved to Dubuque, 
Iowa, followed farming and cattle dealing. 
Moved into Pottawattamie County in 1865 ; has 
followed farming and stock-raising ever since, 
feeding from three to five car loads of cattle 
for shipping each year. He has nearly 100 
cows now, and has built a creamery for his own 
use. His farm consists of about 800 acres, all 
under fence, and his farming is stock-raising 
mostly. He has only been on his present farm 
for about eight years. While in England he was 
largely dealing in stock, and has traveled a 
great deal on the continent attending to his 
business. Soon after coming to America he 
was in Iowa, when there was not a railroad in 
the State, and when Indians and buffalo roamed 
over the prairies. Mr. Burbridge was married 
in England in June, 18-44 or 1845, to Miss 
Elizabeth Downs. They have seven children 
living and four dead — four sons and three 
daughters living. Two are married and farm- 
ing for themselves, the others are at home. His 
boys all follow farming, and intend that shall 
be their future occupation. Mr. Burbridge's 
life has been one which shows what a man 
with a determination can do, for he has had 
his reverses as well as his successes, but has 



never been discouraged. He is now one of the 
leading farmers and stock-raisers in Boomer 
Township. 

WILLIAM DARRINGTON, farmer, P. 0. 
Council Bluffs, was born in England in 1839, 
son of Charles Darrington. Mr. Darringtoa ar- 
rived in New York May 1, 1860. He crossed 
on a sailing vessel ; there were 600 on board ; 
they were four weeks on the ocean. After 
coming to America, he went to Nebraska, where 
he lived fdr three 3'ears, and then went to Utah, 
where he lived for nine years, and then came 
to Pottawattamie County, Boomer Township, 
April, 1872. He bought his present place at 
that time and has been on it since. He has 
always followed farming. His father also fol- 
lowed the same occupation. His parents never 
came to America; both are now dead. He was 
educated in England. He was twenty-one 
years old when coming to America. He was 
married in Utah in 1866 to Miss Mary Ann 
Sabey, born in England. They now have nine 
children — seven boys and two girls. When 
first buying in Boomer Township he paid $20 
per acre for 120 acres. It was improved. But 
since he has bought land that cost about $10 
per acre. His farm now consists of 360 acres. 
His farm is well improved. His farming is 
mostly raising corn, cattle and hogs. When 
Mr. Darrington came to America in 1860 it was 
with nothing and alone, but by energy and 
perseverance he has made a success of his life. 
He has always voted the Republican ticket, 
but does not trouble much about politics. Mr. 
Darrington has no relations in America, but 
has three sisters living in England. 

JOSEPH DEUR, farmer, P. 0. Missouri 
Valley, was born in France, in 1830, near the 
Switzerland line. He came to America when 



BOOMER TOWNSHIP. 



77 



he was nineteen j^ears old, and first settled in 
Oswego County, N. Y., after staying in the citj' 
of New York for about a month. He lived in 
Oswego County till 1859, and then came to 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and settled on 
his present place iu the fall of the same j'ear, 
and has been on it ever since. Most of his 
life has been spent in farming. His father 
died when he was two years old, and mother 
when he was twelve; from that on he had to make 
his own wa}'. When he landed in New York, 
he had only $15. Mr. Deur had oue brother, 
who came to America two j-ears first, but Mr. 
Deur did not know anj'thing of him for some 
time. This brother was killed in a coal mine 
near East St. Louis, HI., by the mine caving in. 
Mr. Deur has four sisters in the old country. 
He was married in New York, in 1857, to Miss 
Jeaunette Mohat. She was born in New York, 
but her parents were from France. Thej- have 
eight children — five boys and three girls. One 
of the daughters married, and one son in the 
lumber business in Missouri Valley, Harrison 
County, the remainder are at home. When 
buying laud he bought 100 acres and paid 
$S per acre. There was not a house between 
his place and Harris Grove at that time. 
What settlers that were near him were on 
Honey Creek; none had got out into the prairie. 
His farm now consists of 580 acres, and farm 
well improved. When first coming he had to 
buy a yoke of cattle on time, getting them of 
Dr. George McGavern. Everjthing that thej- 
had to bu}- then came from Council Bluffs. 
Every pound of butter or meat, unless the3- 
could make it, they had to get from Council 
Bluffs. No horses to work, but all cattle, and 
Mr. Deur did not know much about it, but had 
to learn. He is a member of the Catholic 
Church, and votes the Democratic ticket. His 
farming is mostly stock, and has about seventy- 
five head of cattle and horses, besides hogs. 
About 340 acres of his farm are in cultivation, the 
rest in meadow and pasture. Besides his farm 



he has also property in Missouri Valley, two 
good residence houses. Mr. Deur was in the 
service, belonging to Company B, Thirteenth 
Iowa, going out in 1864, and remained till the 
close of the war. Frorn Iowa the}- went to 
Tennessee, and was at Nashville in the battle 
between Hood and Thomas, and then followed 
Hood down into Alabama, and then were sent 
back to North Carolina to join Sherman's com- 
mand, and were with him till the close. 

THOMAS FRENCH, farmer, Council Bluffs, 
came to Pottawattamie Couut\' first in 1852, 
but did not remain but a short time, and then 
went to the mountains, freighting from the 
Missouri River to the mountains. He was en- 
gaged in this business till 1867. His home 
from 1852 to 1867 was just where he happened 
to be, but two winters he wintered in Council 
Bluffs. In 1867, he bought his present farm, 
and has been on it ever since. The first laud 
he bought of a man named Butterfield, and the 
place his house is on of Perry Reel, paying 
$20 per acre for 150 acres, and paid Mr. But- 
terfield about the same. On the farm there 
were about ten acres broken, and a shanty built 
on it, but no other improvements, although 
they had lived here for years. Mr. French 
went into general farming business when first 
coming, as fast as he could, but had a good 
deal to contend against. He has hauled corn 
to Council Bluffs and sold it for 10 cents per 
bushel, and had to take goods at a high price, 
in pay for the same, and wheat he has also 
hauled there and got 40 cents per bushel. At 
first he hired help, but from the prices re- 
ceived for grain, they could not pay their 
waj'. When moving to his farm, many old set- 
tlers told Mr. French that fruit would not 
grow, but he went to work setting out trees, 
and now has an orchard which has-been bear- 
ing so as to make it paying. Besides orchards, 
he has forest groves, etc. Mr. French has two 
farms, 280 acres in each, and it has cost him, 
from $7.50 to $20 per acre. It is all improved, 



78 



BIOGRArHICAL: 



about half in cultivation, the other half in 
pastures and meadows. Mr. French has one of 
the beet residences in Boomer Township, a 
large brick, two stories and a basement. He 
built it in 1870. It is 3Gx4-l feet. He also 
has a large barn. Mr. French has been suc- 
cessful in business, but has always worked 
hard for it, and that is how he has made what 
he has. He is an Englishman b}' birth, and 
came to Council Bluffs direct from England in 
1852; was six months making the trip, which 
now he could make in a few days. Left Liver- 
pool Januar3- 7 and came to New Orleans, and 
then up the river to St. Louis, rested a few 
days, and then came up the river to Keokuk, 
and from there took an ox cart and crossed the 
State to Council Bluffs, landing July 3. He 
was born May 27, 1832, son of James French. 
Mr. French has no relatives living at all, ex- 
cept one brother, who is still in England. He 
has been married twice, first in 1856, in Utah, 
to Miss Sarah Ann Spyge. She came from 
near Mr. French's home in England, just across 
the street, and they had played together when 
small children. He had five children by first 
wife, all living now and in Pottawattamie Coun- 
ty. Married second time, in Pottawattamie 
Count}', to Miss Mary Roberts; by this wife he 
has three children living; married in 1868. He 
is Democratic in politics. 

WILFRED HAINES, farmer, P. 0. Cres- 
cent City, was born in Council Bluffs in Janu- 
ary, 1851. His mother died when he was only a 
year or two old, and then he went to Canada, 
and lived there and in Prince Edward's Island 
and New Brunswick till he was nineteen jears 
old, and came back to Council Bluffs spring 
of 1869. Mr. Haines is the youngest of eleven 
children, all but the oldest and the 3'oungest 
dying when thej- were young. His brother 
went into the armj-, and never got hack. He 
was killed while in Missouri. Mr. Haines and 
his father were lost from each other from about 
1858 till 1868. When by advertising, the}- 



found out the place of each. Mr. Haines' 
father was out through the mountains, and 
in this way they were lost from each other, for 
the people Mr. Haines was with, changed to 
different parts of the English provinces. Since 
coming here in 1869, his home has been in 
Pottawattamie County, and the next j-ear came 
to the farm, and has been on it since. The 
farm of 570 acres is owned by his father, 
David Haines, of Council Bluffs, but their 
business is in partnership. On their farm, 
they have about 200 acres in cultivation; the 
remainder is in grass, pasture land and timber, 
having some of the best timber land in the 
township ; his farming is corn and stock, feed- 
ing about two car loads of cattle a year. 
Mr. Haines has been married twice, first about 
1872 to Miss Rosa B. Roberts, and second 
time in 1880 to Miss Dorcas Page, daughter of 
Thomas Page. Mr. Haines has three sons. 
Mr. Haines is Democratic. He is a member of 
the M. P. society. 

MICHAEL KILKENNY, farmer, P. O. 
Honey Creek, was born in Galway, Ireland, 
about 1827; came to America 1853. In 1855. 
he came to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and ran a dairy 
for Presley Sanders, brother of ex-Gov. 
Sanders, of Nebraska; was at Mt. Pleasant for 
about five years, and then to Glenwood, Mills 
County, working for Tootle, Green & Co., in a 
store. Came to Council Bluffs after about five 
years spent in Glenwood, and was in the dairy 
business for some time, and then went to plaster- 
ing for John Hammer. March, 1867, he came 
to Broomer Township, and went to farming 
and has been engaged in that business ever 
since. He traded for fifty acres of land before 
coming here, but now his farm consists of 
250 acres. His farming is general, but most- 
ly stock-raising. He was married in Mt. 
Pleasant, Iowa, to Miss Nora Lines. They 
have six children, four bo}'S and two daugh- 
ters. He is Democratic in politics, and is a 
Catholic. 



BOOMER TOWjSTSHIP. 



79 



WILLIAM McKEOWN, farming, P. 0. Har- 
rison, was born in 1828 in Bcckwitli Townsliip, 
Count}' of Kent. Upper Canada. He is tlio 
son of William McKeown who died before our 
subject was born. His mother was Jane 
(Lucas) McKeown ; she died in Boomer Town- 
ship. He was raised on a farm, and has fol- 
lowed it for a living all Lis life. His parents 
both came from the old countr}', mother from 
Ireland, and father horn in Ireland, but of 
Scotch parents, and thej' were married in Jlon- 
treal, Canada. He came to Pottawattamie 
County in 1847, and was at Bybee's Camp that 
winter. Was married Maj- 9. 1848, also in this 
township, and has lived here ever since. His 
wife was Miss Eliza Jane Hall. She had come 
with her brother from Indiana in 1847. He 
entered his land, part in 1853 and part in 
1855, entering 280 acres, most of which he 
still holds, and also has bought some meadow 
land in bottom on Big Pigeon. His farming is 
mostly corn, but has some stock. When here 
for some time there was no money to be ob- 
tained, so they worked for anything they could 
get — harvesting for a bushel of corn a day, 
and used a sickle. Their first house was made 
of logs, 14x16 feet, and covered with split 
boards. The first year or two, but little prai- 
rie was broken, because they did not have the 
teams, but would go where the timber was 
light and cut it off, then one yoke of cattle 
could break it. The cultivating was done with 
a. single shovel mostl)', some working a horse, 
others an ox. Their milling first was at the 
old Indian mill on the Mosquito, but, in 1849, 
a mill was built on Pigeon Creek in Hazel 
Dell Township, and then they went to it. 
Some stores having been opened up, their sup- 
plies soon came from Council Bluffs, but the 
first season the}' crossed the river to a settle- 
ment on the Nebraska side, where there was a 
store. He is Democratic in politics ; is a member 
of the re-organized Lattor-Day Saints' Church. 
His grandfather was a millvAiorht, and was 



working at a mill in Ireland, when he was 
caught and crushed. His wife, or Mr. McKe- 
own's grandmother, was sent for, so she went 
from Scotland to Ireland, and remained there, 
and iier child was born there, but never saw 
his father. Mr. McKeown's father remained 
there till he went to Canada. 3Ir. McKeown 
has been married twice : first, in May, 1848, to 
Miss Eliza Jane Hall, who died in 1870 ; was 
married again, in 1873, to Miss Janet H. 
Kirkwood. He had eleven children by his first 
wife, nine of whom are still living ; he had 
five In' last wife, four now living. Of the 
thirteen living children, eight are boys and five 
girls ; four are married. The oldest, William 
Alfred, is married and farming in Boomer 
Township. Two of his sons, Thomas Allen 
and Robert, are now engaged in the stock busi- 
ness in Nebraska. Joseph is also married and 
has a family ; he also is farming in Boomer 
Township. Two of his d.aughters are married, 
and are also living in Boomer Township. 

THOMAS PAGE, farming, P. 0. Harrison, 
was born in England, near Stratford-on-Avou. 
in 1818. Mr. Page's birthplace was near that 
of Shakespeare, and he has seen Shakespeare's 
birthplace many times. Mr. Page came to 
America in 1852, and settled first in Edwar;:ls 
County, 111., and lived there for five years, and 
came to Council BluflTs in July, 1857. With 
the exception of four years, he has lived in 
Pottawattamie County ever since. Those four 
years he was on the frontier in Nebraska and 
Colorado. Came to Boomer Township in 18G4, 
but did not buy his present farm till the win- 
ter of 1865, and since that time has been on 
his farm. His occupation from a child has 
been that of farming ; his father, John Page, 
was also a farmer. None of Mr. Page's rela- 
tives came to America that he knows of He 
was educated in England in the common 
schools till he was nine years old, and then 
what other education he got was at night 
schools and Sunday school. When Mr. Page 



80 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



bought his present farm, there were no improve- 
ments whatever ; no fence, grove, but open prai- 
rie. Now he has groves, good buildings and 
other improvements. His farm consists of 120 
acres, and he does all kinds of farming. He 
has been married twice ; first, in England, to 
Miss Elizabeth Painting ; she died after he 
came West, and while in Nebraska. He was 
married the second time to Mrs. Margaret 
Newton. They were married in Nebraska. 
He has three children b}' first wife and six by 
second wife, and one dead. Two of his chil- 
dren are married, both in this township. Mrs. 
Page also has two sons living in Boomer 
Township. Mrs. Page was born in York- 
shire, England. She was married in Eng- 
land to George Newton. The}- came to Bos- 
ton first. From there, Mrs. Newton, or Mrs. 
Page, came to Florence, Neb., with her two 
boys ; was married in Nebraska to Mr. Page in 
1S58. Mr. Page is Kepublican in politics; is 
a member of the Mutual Protectionists and 
also a Granger. He has held almost all of the 
township oflices. 

WILLIAM PETERS, Sr., farming. Council 
Bluffs, was born near Berlin, Prussia, in 1817. 
He left Prussia in 18-19, and went to England, 
and in 1850 came to America bj- way of New 
Orleans, and then to St. Louis. !Mr. Peters 
was in the army nearlj- nine years, and was in 
the King's body guard. He had to leave on 
account of taking part in the Revolution, and 
was acquainted with Carl Schurz, Gen. Sigel, 
and others that were in the Revolution, and 
came to this country. Mr. Peters and his 
brother left together, and lost all their property 
b}^ the Government confiscating it; they had 
$33,000 each in the bank. After coming to Amer- 
ica he did any kind of work he could get to do, 
till he had mone}- enough to buy a little farm 
near St. Louis, Mo.; but on account of health 
he sold that out, and went to California in 1854, 
and went to mining, went to Utah from Cali- 
fornia, and was married there March 20, 1858. 



to Miss Maggie Armstrong; she was born in 
Scotland, but came to America when j-oung. 
During the civil war, he acted as scout on the 
plains; was with Gen. Corner. Mr. Peters has 
been all through the West ; was in the employ 
of the Government, hauling provisions, etc., 
from Utah to California. In 1866, he came to 
Council Bluffs, and hay been in Pottawattamie 
County ever since; lived in Council Bluffs for 
three years, and then came to his farm in 1869, 
and has been on it since. His farm now consists 
of 200 acres, about eighty-five in cultivation, the 
remainder in meadow and pasture land. His 
farming is raising stock and corn. He has had 
thirteen children, eleven still living, six boj'S 
and five girls. Oue sou and two daughters are 
married; is a member of the M. P. society; he 
is Republican in politics. The brother, who 
came to America he does not know anything 
about now, and the last he knew of his other 
two brothers thej* were in the Prussian Army. 
Mr. Peters' life has been oue of unusual inter- 
est. In crossing from New Orleans to Cuba, 
the vessel he was on struck on a reef and was 
wrecked. Mr. Peters was the only one saved. 
Other incident*, of his engagements with the 
Indians, would be interesting, but space forbids 
the enumerating. 

CHRISTIAN PETERSON, farming, P. 0. 
Crescent City, was born in Denmark December 
20. 1831, but he remained there till he was twenty- 
two years old; came to Missouri, and was there 
about a year, and then to Kansas, and remained 
in Kansas, but made severel other changes before 
he settled in Pottawattamie Countj- in 1&67; 
tte spring of 18G8, he bought his present farm, 
and moved onto it, and since that time he has 
been living here. He was married, in 1852, in 
Denmark, before he came to America, to Miss 
Anna M. Christenson. The}' have six children, 
three boys and three girls. His farm consists 
of 240 acres, about half in cultivation, the 
other half is in timber, pasture and meadow land. 
When first buying he only got eighty acres, and 



BOOMER TOWNSHIP. 



81 



paid a little over $16 per acre, and since 
that time he has been adding to it and improv- 
ing; his farm now is well improved. On the 
first eighty acres there was a little frame shanty 
and ditches for fences. He has been a member 
of the Grange since it started, and of the Good 
Templars; he is Republican in politics; he is 
also a member of the Mutual Protection Society. 
I. M. SIGLER, farming, Council Bluffs, was 
born in Putnam County, Ind., September 3, 
1826, son of Eli Sigler, native of Tennessee. 
Mr. Sigler was raised in Indiana, and received 
his education there. By trade he is a tanner, 
and followed it till he came to Iowa, and has 
since followed farming. He came to Iowa in 
1855, and entered his farm, and then went back 
to Indiana and stayed two yeai's, but was pre- 
paring to come here. He was married in Indi- 
ana, in 1847. to Miss Phcebe Manker, born in 
Ohio. They have had nine children, six are 
still living — three boys and three girls, and 
three girls dead. Only two at home, the 
other four married; all in this count}' but the 
oldest son, and he is in Page County, Iowa, 
where he is in restaurant and grocery store in 
Blanchard, Iowa. In moving West, Mr. Sigler 
came in wagon with horse team, but sold them 
after coming, and bought cattle and began to 
break prairie. His farm is on Big Pigeon Creek, 
and when he came to it in 1857 there were not 
any horses on the Creek; the work was done 
with oxen. Wheat was cut with a scythe, and 
tramped out with oxen; then to get it made 
into flour they took it to William Reel's mill 
on Pigeon, where it was ground on the same 
stones as the corn, and they would bring it 
home bran and all together, and sift it at home; 
using bobbinet as a bolt. Robert Kent 
had the first fanning-mill on the creek, and 
would charge every fourth bushel for using the 
fan. When coming in 1855, he entered 200 
acres of Government land, and pre-empted 120 
of swamp land, and then when he came in 
1857, he entered this 120 which he had pre- 



empted, and besides this he bought the claim 
of William Goodwin of 120 acres; but this was 
railroad land, so he had to paj- the railroad 
company for it. He moved into a Mormon 
cabin on the Goodwin claim, and lived in it for 
abouta3-ear. In 1858, he bought his present 
dwelling house of William Reel, and moved it 
from Crescent City, and fixed it up, and moved 
into it in the spring of 1859. For some years 
his farming was mostly wheat ; but now his 
farming is mostly stock and corn. His farm 
now consists of about two hundred and fifty 
acres, as he has been selling some. When 
each township had a member of the Board of 
Supervisors, Mr. Sigler served for eight j-ears. 
and besides -this has held various offices in 
school and township. 3Ir. Sigler had joined a 
companj- in 1846 to go to the Mexican army, 
but while they were drilling and practicing in 
Green Castle, Ind., he was accidently shot 
through the wrist the day before they were to 
start, so that ended his service. He is Demo- 
cratic in politics; is a member of the Grange, 
and in 1854 joined the Masonic fraternity, but 
since coming to Iowa, he has not not joined any 
lodge, because they are so far distant. Mr. 
Sigler's ancestors were German, his grand- 
father coming from Germany. 

W. H. THOMAS, marble cutter, Missouri Val- 
ley, Harrison Co., was born in Utah Jan. 16, 
1857 ; came to Pottawattamie Co. in October, 
1806, settling in Boomer Township. He is the 
son of Thomas Thomas, who was born in 
Wales, and came to America in 1853 and set- 
tled in Utah, and remained there till 1866. 
He and familj- came to this count}- ; died 
January 17, 1877. His wife died June 19, 
1877. They left a family of eight children, of 
whom W. H. is the oldest, being only twenty 
when the familj- was left to his care. The 
family have remained together ever since, and 
during the five years Mr. W. H. Thomas has 
bought another farm of eight}- acres, and ten 
acres in a timber lot, all in cultivation and past- 



82 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ure and haj' land. He had partly learned his 
trade of marble cutter before his father died, 
and since has completed it, and now is engaged 
in following it, while his brother runs the farm. 
His marble shop he has on the farm, and his 
work finds its way into all of the cemeteries 
within twenty miles each way, some of his 
finest monuments going to Council BluflTs ceme- 
teries. He is a member of the Mutual Protec- 
tionists. He is Democratic in politics. Mr. 
Thomas was elected Assessor of the township 
when he was twenty -one years old, and has held 
it ever since ; has also been Secretary of 
School Board for three years. 

R. T. WARD, farmer, P. O. Council Bluffs, 
was born in England in 1847, in Suffolkshire ; 
son of 6. W. Ward. Mr. Ward's parents 
moved from England when he was about four 
years old, coming to Pottawattamie County in 
1851 ; stayed here for one year, and then emi- 
grated to Utah in 1852, and that was his home 
till 1872. He came back to Pottawattamie 
' County and settled on his present farm in 
1 873. He bought open prairie, paying for the 
first land $10 per acre, and $12.50 for the 
remainder. His farm consists of 235 acres ; 
about eighty acres in cultivation ; the remainder 
is in pasture and meadow land. His farming 
is raising corn, cattle and hogs. Mr. Ward 
was educated in Utah in common schools. He 
has always followed farming, and that was also 
his father's occupation most of his life. His 
mother died in 1860, and his father in August, 
1882. Mr. Ward is one of eleven living chil- 
dren, one dead. He was married, in Utah, to 
Lizzie Saby. She was also born in England. 
She came to New York in 1862, and to Utah in 
1863. They were married in 1867. They have 
eight children, four boys and four girls. He is 
Republican in politics, but does not take much 
interest in politics. Is a member of the M. P. 
Society. His farm is well improved with good 
buildings, etc. Ezra T. Benton, a Mormon 
minister, came out from Utah and preached 



that the Mormons should not remain here but 
go on. That is the reason Mr. Ward's parents 
moved on in 1852. They were stopping in Harris 
Grove at the time. 

J. R. WILLMOT, farmer, P. 0. Council Bluffs, 
was born in p]ngland September 10, 1835 ; 
came to America in 1863. First settled in 
Jersey City, N. J., then two years in Pennsyl- 
vania, and two j-ears in the mountains, and the 
remainder here in Pottawattamie County on 
his present farm. In the old countrj', he fol- 
lowed boating, and since coming to America he 
has been in the rolling mills, and in the mount- 
ains he was working on the Union Pacific, and 
never farmed till coming to his present place. 
His farm consists of 160 acres. When buying, 
he paid about $8 per acre. He does general 
farming, corn, stock, etc., having about eighty 
head of cattle, besides other stock. He was 
married, in Wales, Januarj', 1863, to Miss 
Sarah Williams. She was born iu Wales. 
The}- have seven boys and two girls. He is 
Democratic in politics. He was brought up 
under the Church of England, and was edu- 
cated in England. Mr. Willmot had three sis- 
ters and two brothers, but he does not know 
where any of them are. His farm was all open 
when he came to it — no improvements. 

JESSE AVRIGHT, farmer, P. 0. Missouri 
Valley, Harrison Co., came to Pottawattamie in 
the fall of 1866. and to his present farm in 
March, 1867 ; has been on it ever since. The 
first 80 acres that he bought was school land, 
paying $1.25 per acre. He is a native of Ken- 
tucky, Wayne County ; was born in 1830. His 
home was Kentucky till he moved to Iowa in 
1860, but lived in the eastern part of the State 
till 1866, when he came to Pottawattamie. 
When coming to his present farm, there was not 
a house between it and Harris Grove on the 
northeast. On Hone}' Creek to the north of 
him there were a few settlers. He has 200 
acres in his farm, and twenty acres in timber 
besides, almost the entire farm being in culti- 



CENTER TOWNSHIP. 



83 



vation. Mr. Wright was married, in Keutuck}', 
in 1855, to Miss Rlioda Jane McCoighn. Tliey 
hftve eleven children. In 1854, Mr. Wright 
had been out through Iowa, and was in Council 
Bluffs when it was Kanesville. He is a mem- 
ber of the Grange and of the Masonic frater- 



nity. He has alwa3-s been a Democrat. Mr. 
Wright has one of the most substantial barns 
to be found anywhere. Its storage capacity 
for hay is over sixty tons. He has also dem- 
onstrated that fruit-raising can be done with 
success in Boomer Townsl^ip. 



CENTER TOWNSHIP. 



T. C. ALEXANDER, physician and sur- 
geon, Oakland, was born in Union County, Ind., 
September 25, 1839. He is the son of James 
and Catharine (Hartsell) Alexander; he was 
born in Green County, Tenn., and she is a na- 
tive of Virginia. Thej- came to Indiana after 
their marriage, and in the fall of 1852. moved 
to Platte County, Mo., where they spent one 
winter, coming to Big Grove in the following 
spring, settling in Section 13, Township 75, 
Range 40. He sold this place to Ephraim 
Bird, and moved to Adams Count}-, this State, 
in 1856. The following year they went to 
Kansas, but returned during the drought in the 
fall of 18G0. In 1864. they moved to Jackson 
County, Kan. The father died in 1867, and 
the mother in 1879. Our subject lived with 
his parents until 18G0. In the following 3'ear, 
he enlisted, in Adams Count}-, in the Fourth 
Indiana Volunteer Infantrj', under Capt. E. Y. 
Burgan. His initiation in war procedures 
took place in Page County, where the}- camped 
for two days. Gen. G. M. Dodge, at that time 
a Colonel, ordered a false alarm to be sounded 
in order to try the boys. At 3 o'clock in the 
morning, they were ordered out without giving 
them time to dress, and in this condition were 
drawn up in line of battle. Our subject was 
engaged in many of the principal battles of the 
war, including Pea Ridge, Vicksburg, Lookout 
Mountain and Mission Ridge, at which latter 
places he carried the colors above the clouds. 
He was also engaged in the battles of Ring- 



gold and Resaca, 6a., at which latter place 
he received a gun-shot wound in both legs. He 
afterward lay in several hospitals, until, re- 
covering from his wounds, he rejoined his regi- 
ment at Raleigh, N. C. He was present at the 
surrender of Gen. J. E. Johnston, and was 
mustered out of service at Louisville, Ky., 
August 20, 1865. and returned to Big Grove, 
then his home, having returned on veteran fur- 
lough, and married at Big Grove, March 24, 
1864, Miss Phoebe Huff, born in Mercer County, 
111., May 25, 1849. She was the daughter of 
Louis and Susan (Palmer) Huff. Her father 
was born in Stokes County, N. C, February 22, 
1811. He came to Illinois, where he was mar- 
ried to Miss Palmer, who is a sister of Dr. Pal- 
mer, of Belknap Township. In 1865, our sub- 
ject moved to Jackson County, Kan., and farmed 
during the following year. He then sold his 
place, and commenced the study of medicine 
under D. W. Taylor, M. D., of Holton, Kan., an 
old army Surgeon. Hare he studied for three 
years, afterward taking two courses of lectures 
at the E. M. Institute, of Cincinnati. He prac- 
ticed at his profession in Holton until 1874, 
when he returned to Big Grove, where he has 
resided ever since. His residence is on the 
southwest quarter of Section 5, Township 75, 
Range 39. He has two children — Elmer Ells- 
worth, born June 9, 1865, and Laura Belle, 
born September 23, 1867. Mr. Alexander is a 
member of the I. 0. 0. F., and in politics is a 
Republican. 



84 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



A. L. BROWN, farmer, P. 0. Oakland, was 
born in Muskingum County, Ohio, Maj- 25, 
1827. He is the son of Benjamin and Nancy 
(McKee) Brown. His father was a farmer, 
born in New York State about 1796. He was 
an early settler in Qhio. He was married near 
Newark, N. J., in 1818, to Miss McKee, a 
native of that State. They moved to Mercer 
County, 111., in 1852, and thq father died there 
in 1862, and also the mother at the age of 
eighty-six. Our subject received a common- 
school education, and lived with his father till 
the age of twenty-one. He began life for him- 
self by getting married in Coshocton County, 
Ohio, April 20, 1845, to Elizabeth Catharine 
Menefee, born in Fauquier, now Culpepper 
County, Va., September 30, 1829. Her father, 
Charles William Menefee, was a farmer, and 
died in Mercer County, 111., in 1856. Her 
mother, Marj- Maddox, was born in Fauquier 
County, Va., August 5, 1807, and is still living 
with her son, Charles Menefee, in this county. 
After his marriage, the subject farmed in Ohio 
for four years, after which he went to Mer- 
cer County, 111., where he lived and farmed for 
twenty years. In the spring of 1873, he came 
to this county, locating on his present place, 
which consists of 240 acres, but he farms con- 
siderable more. He has eighty acres in Sec- 
tion 10, and 160 acres in Section 15, Township 
75, Range 39. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have had 
eight children, seven of whom are living — 
Samantha J., born June 20, 1849 ; Johanna, 
born July 28, 1851 ; Charles, born October 28, 
1853 ; Benjamin, twin brother to Charles, died 
May 16, 1858; Theodore D., born June 22, 
1856 ; Thomas W., born October 8, 1858 ; 
Hugh J., born September 13, 1861, and George 
A., born August 10, 1864. Samantha married 
Horace Bull. They are now living in Rock 
Island, 111. ; Johanna married Austin R. Dun- 
can, and they are living in Walnut, this count}-. 
The sons are all living at home. Mr. and Mrs. 
Brown are members of the Baptist Church, 



and two of the sons are members of the M. E. 
Church. In politics, the family are Repub- 
lican. 

ALFRED B. CURTIS, farming, P. 0. Oak- 
land, was born in Plainfield, Essex Co., N. J., 
October 30, 1847. He is the son of Jonathan 
and Hannah (Anglemau) Curtis, both natives 
of Plainfield, N. J. His father was a farmer, 
and moved to Tazewell County, 111., about 
1857. He then moved to Logan County, of 
the same State, about 1860, where he died 
August 23, 1866. The mother of our subject 
was born August 2, 1822, and is still living in 
Logan Count}', 111. Our subject lived at home 
up to the date of his- marriage, which occurred 
in Galva. Henry Co., 111., in 1874, when he 
married Sarah E. Frazee, born in the same 
place as our subject, November 10, 1844. She 
is the daughter of John W. and JIary (Rogers) 
Frazee, both natives of Essex County, N. J.; 
he born in 1811, and died in Peoria County, 
111., in 1872; she, born in 1814, and is still liv- 
ing in Galva, Henry Co.. 111. The parents left 
New Jersey in 1856, and came to Peoria Coun- 
ty, 111. After his marriage, our subject farmed 
in Logan County, 111., until he left for this 
State February 17, 1880, locating in Shelby 
County. He moved to Center Township, this 
county, in the spring of 1882, where he pur- 
chased eighty acres of land in Section 4, Town 
75, Range 39. He has two children — Oscar 
Whitfield, born February 27, 1877, and George 
Eugene, born June 25,1880. Mr. and Mrs. 
Curtis are members of the M. E. Church. He 
belongs to the Masonic fraternity, and in 
politics is a Republican, 

L. R. PUTNAM, farmer, P. 0. Carson, was 
born in Jefferson, Coos Co., N. H., October 22, 
1840. He is the sou of George and Eliza- 
beth (Perkins) Putnam ; he was born in Charles- 
town, Sullivan Co., N. H., February 16, 1799, 
and she in the same place as our subject Sep- 
tember 22, 1809. His father was a farmer ; 
moved to Vermont about 1842, and to Illinois 



CENTER TOWNSHIP. 



85 



in 1852, locating near Dixon, Lee County. 
Here they lived until 1871, when they came to 
this county, where the father died on Novem- 
ber 12, of the following year. The mother is 
at present living with our subject. They had 
nine children, eight of whom are living — Ada; 
Mary E., wife of H. R. Storrs ; George M., 
married ; Jane, wife of W. Nangle ; L. R. (our 
subject); Ellen, wife of F. Morris ; Belle, and 
Charles W. The whole family live within two 
miles of each other, and are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject is 
not married. His farm, which consists of 160 
acres, is situated in Section 33, Center Town- 
ship, and is the southwest quarter of that sec- 
tion. He has made his own improvements. 
In politics, he is a Republican. 

J. M. STRONG, farmer, P. 0. Oakland, was 
born in Berkshire County, Mass., September 5, 
1812. He is the son of John and Sadie (Kas- 
son) Strong, both natives of Berkshire Coun- 
ty, Mass. His father was born June 2, 1782, 
and was a farmer by occupation. His mother 
was born Ma}- 12, 1786. The parents moved to 
Meigs County, Ohio, in 1814, where thej- both 
died, he April 31, 1845, and she June 15, 1834. 
Our subject received a common school educa- 
tion, and worked at home till he became of age. 
He began life for himself as a farmer. He was 
married in Meigs County, Ohio, January 28, 
1834, to Mary M. Barker, born in Gallia 
County, of the same State, Januar}- 16, 1816. 
She is the daughter of Amos and Nancy 
(Russell) Barker ; he was born in Berkshire 
County, Mass., September 11, 1793, and died 
in our subject's house February 19, 1882 ; she 
was born in Greenbrier County, Va., December 
20, 1792, and died in Warren County, this 
State, May 8, 1876. Mrs. Strong's father 
moved to Ohio with his father's family in 1807, 
locating in Gallia County. In 1845, they came 
to Iowa, and settled in Warren County, where 
both are now buried. After his marriage our 
subject farmed in Ohio until 1846, when he 



came to this State, locating in Jefferson County. 
In 1865, he came to this county, settling on 
the place where he now resides. He has seven 
children living — Laura A., born July 25, 1835, 
wife of Harvey Clayton ; Silas Cook, born 
October 13, 1837, married Luc}- Clover; Mary 
N., born February 18, 1845, wife of S. S. Rust ; 
Z. C, born November 17, 1848, married Martha 
J. Bird ; Lucinda M., born August 28, 1854, 
wife of Thomas Wallace ; Horace E., born 
August 1, 1859, married Dolly Goff ; Frank 0., 
born November 7, 1861. Mr. J. C. Strong is 
a partner in the firm of Strong & Hofl", hard- 
ware and implements, Oakland. With the ex- 
ception of Horace E., who has gone to Boone 
County, Neb., all of the children are living in 
this count}'. Our subject owns eighty acres of 
land in Section 8, Township 75, Range 40, 
where he at present resides. He has been a 
member of the County Board of Supervisors 
of this county, serving two years. 

H. R. STORRS, farmer, P. 0. Carson, was 
born in Trenton, Oneida Co., N. Y., February 
3, 1828. He is the son of Calvin and Maj- 
G. (Wells) Storrs. His father was a farmer, 
born in the same place as our subject, and 
moved to Wisconsin, arriving in Milwaukee 
October 27, 1847 ; he died in Chippewa Coun- 
ty, Wis., iu 1868. The mother of our subject 
was born in Wethersfield, Hartford Co., Conn., 
and died in Wisconsin at the age of about 
eighty-three. Our subject received a common- 
school education, and afterward attended two 
terms at the high school. He worked at his 
grandfather's cheese-factory until he was eight- 
een years of age. He then began to learn the 
carpenter's trade, to which he apprenticed for 
three j-ears. He then went to Wisconsin with 
his father, where he engaged in farming. He 
lost his health by running a " thrasher," after 
which he went South and worked at his trade. 
He was at St. Louis, and was also an overseer 
on a plantation in Kentuck}', and acted also in 
the same capacity in Missouri. After three 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



3-ears, during which time he regained his 
health, he came to Illinois, stopping in Lee 
County, and was married at Dixon, the count}- 
seat of that county, January 11, 1855, to Mary 
E. Putnam, born in Jefferson, Coos Co., N. H., 
March 5, 1835. She is the daughter of 
George and Elizabeth (Perkins) Putnam. Our 
subject farmed in Lee County, 111., for six 
j-ears, when he moved to Chippewa County, 
Wis., living here five }'ears. He then returned 
to Dixon, 111., where he lived another six years. 
In October, 1872, he came to this county, 
locating in Center Township, purchasing his 
present place, which consists of 240 acres in 
Sections 26 and 33, Township 75, Range 39. 
He engages in general farming, besides buying 
and selling largely in stock. Mr. and Jlrs. 
Storrs have eight children living — Harriet A., 
Albert L., George A., Clara B., William R., 
Nellie L., Florence M. and Mabel P. The par- 
ents and the five oldest children are members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In poli- 
tics, Mr. Storrs is a Republican. 

REASON R. THOMAS, farmer, P. 0. Oak- 
land, was born in Nelson County, Ky., August 
28, 1828. He is the son of Eleazur and Ann 
(Garrett) Thomas. His father was born in Vir- 
ginia (as near as can be ascertained), in 1780, 
and died in Nelson Count}-, Ky., when our sub- 
ject was ten j-ears of age. His mother was 
born in Spencer County, Ky., and died in Nel- 
son County, of the same State, of cholera, in 
1833. Our subject received a common school 
education, but his ftither's death compelled him 
to look out for himself He lived with an uncle 
in Shelby Count}-, Ky., for seven years, after 
which he worked out by the month for some 
time. In the fall of 1848, he went to Spencer 



County, Ind., where he worked at farming in the 
summer and cut cord-wood in the fall, making 
several trips on flat boats down the Ohio River. 
In the fall of 1852, he went to Henderson County, 
111., wherfe he was married, August 2, 1855, to 
Mary C. C. Wright, born in Nelson County, 
Ky., April 17, 1839. She is the daughter of 
James and Lucretia (Hammond) Wright, both 
natives of the latter county, he born February 
17, 1812, and she March 30, 1814. The parents 
left their native State and settled in Hender- 
son County, 111., in the spring of 1848. They 
came to this county in the fall of 1 867, and are 
still living in Center Township. After the 
marriage, our subject commenced farming for 
himself in Henderson County, 111., where he 
lived till the fall of 1871, when he came to thi? 
county, locating on Graybill Creek, in Section 
16, Center Township. In the spring of 1873. 
he came to the place he now owns, purchas- 
ing the same in 1875. It consists of 120 acres, 
located in Section 17, Township 75, Range 39. 
He also farms eighty acres besides, and raises 
principally grain. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have 
twelve children, eight of whom are living — 
John Franklin, born August 25, 1857, died in 
November, 1861; Cyrena Adella, born October 
25, 1859, married January 1, 1878, to Sumner 
Palmer; James Amos, born December 10, 1861; 
McClelland, born June 15, 1864; Margaret 
Ellen, born October 26. 1866; Lucretia Ann, 
born January 28, 1869; Sarah E., born March 
11, 1871, died in August of the same year; 
Reason R., born July 20, 1872, died September 
6, 1873; Ira, born May 20, 1875; Era, born 
May 1, 1877, and Isaac Madison, born July 
19, 1879. In politics, our subject is a Demo- 
crat. 



CRESCENT TOWNSHIP. 



87 



CRESOEITT TOWNSHIP. 



I. A. BOREN, farmer, P. 0. Crescent City, 
was born in Hancock Countj-, 111., Januar}- 6, 
1842; his father, J. B. Boren, was born in Illi- 
nois April 6, 1817, and married Nancj- Mcin- 
tosh, \yho was born in Kentucky December 2, 
1811, and died April 14, 1867. She was the 
mother of seven children, five of whom are liv- 
ing. I. A., with his parents, left Illinois and 
came to Davis County, Iowa, in 1846, and, in 
1847, came to Pottawattamie Countv; at that 
time neighbors were few and far between. Mr. 
Boren attended the common schools, and, at an 
early age, adopted farming as his avocation, in 
which business he was successful. He mar- 
ried, in Crescent City, Iowa, January 14, 1877, 
Mary Smith, who was born in Michigan October 
24, 1854, daughter of William and Eunice 
(Lacy) Smith, both of New York. Mrs. Boren 
died in 1881, leaving one child, Frances M.; Mr. 
Boren has also lost one child. In politics he is 
a Democrat, having been elected a number of 
times to offices on that ticket; he is a member 
of the I. 0. of G. T.. and also of the M. P. So- 
ciety. 

ENOS P. CORBALY, farmer, P. 0. Crescent 
City, was born in Marion County, Ind., May 30, 
1851; his father, J. B. Corbaly, was born in the 
same count}- August 18, 1828; he married Eliza 
Pendergast, who was born in Bedford Countj', 
and died in 1858. Mr. Corbaly spent his child- 
hood daj-s attending the common schools, where 
he received his education; coming to the age 
of manhood, he was for a time a salesman; his 
mind being of a mechanical turn, he learned 
the carpenter's trade, but afterward adopted 
farming, of which business he makes a success- 
September 13, 1870, he came to Pottawattamie 
County, Iowa; August 30, 1874, at Crescent 
City, he married Mazie A. Dunkle, who was 



born in Center County, Penn., August 19, 1856; 
her parents were L. K. Dunkle, born in 1828, 
and Elizabeth (Myers) Dunkle, born December 
25, 1834. Mr. and Mrs. Corbaly have two 
children — Harry Gr. and John L. In politics, 
Mr. Corbaly is a Republican; he belongs to the 
societies of I. 0. of Gr. T. and the Grange. 

G. B. HAMPTON, farmer, P. 0. Crescent 
City, was born in Cumberland County, N. J.. 
January 14, 1856; his father, George Hampton, 
was born in Cumberland County April 1, 1830, 
and married Ruth Butcher, who was born in 
Cumberland Count}- in September, 1832; G. B. 
Hampton was their only child. In 1863, he 
with his parents came West, and settled in 
Hastings, Minn.; he received his education in 
the common schools, and afterward in the Uni- 
versity of Minnesota. He began life by teach- 
ing school, and for awhile was employed as 
traveling salesman until 1875, when he came to 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and has since re- 
sided here, excepting a few months spent at his 
father's home. He is now a practical farmer 
and stock-raiser, and has, by his own industry 
and integrity, attained an enviable position 
among his neighbors. In politics, he is a 
Democrat; he is also a Good Templar. 

WARREN M. HOUGH, farmer, P. 0. Cres- 
cent City, was born in Pottawattamie County, 
Iowa, April 24, 1849; his father, S. M. Hough, 
having come to Iowa in 1841, from Oswego 
County, N. Y., where he was born January 6. 
1818, and where he learned the blacksmith's 
trade. He married Eliza J. Allen, who was 
born in Oswego County, N. Y., April 15, 1823; 
they raised a family of ten children, six of 
whom survive. The father "died November 9, 
1881; at the age of ten, Mr. Hough with his 
parents, removed to Crawford County, Iowa, 



88 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



where he spent seven j'ears, and came back to 
this township in 1866. Here he has resided 
since, and has, bj- his industr\- and enterprise, 
gained the confidence of his neighbors, and has, 
at various times, filled township offices. At 
present he is a successful farmer and stock- 
raiser. In politics, he is a Greenbacker, having 
been converted to that party in 1876; since then 
he has also been a member of the I. 0. G. T.; 
He was married, in Crescent City, to Rebecca 
E. Dunkle, November 28, 1872. She came to 
Pottawattamie Count}- in 1870, with her par- 
ents, from Center Countj-, Penn.; she was born 
October 19, 1856. Her father, L. K. Dunkle, 
was born in 1828, and married Elizabeth Myers, 
who was born in same county December 25, 
1834. Mr. and Mrs. Hough have had three 
children, of whom but one, Walter, survives. 

DENVER HOUGH, farmer, P. 0. Crescent 
City, was born in Deloit, Crawford Co., Iowa, 
June 1, 1859, and is a son of S. M. and Eliza J. 
(Allen) Hough. S. M. Hough -was born in Os- 
wego County, N. Y., January 6, 1818, and died 
November 9, 1881; he was a blacksmith by 
trade; his wife was born April 15, 1823; they 
had ten children, six of whom are living. Sub- 
ject came to this township with his parents in 
1866, and has since resided here. He received 
his education in the common schools, and began 
life as a farmer, which occupation he has since 
followed. He was married in Crescent City, 
Iowa, March 15, 1882, to Miss Allie Alexan- 
der, a native of Pottawattamie Count}-, born 
February 1, 1862, daughter of Charles and 
Catharine (Scott) Alexander. Mr. Hough has 
held some township offices; he is a Good Tem- 
plar, and in politics a Greenbacker. He is a 
good musician, and has furnished the music for 
a great number of balls. 

MILTON C. HOUGH, farmer, P. 0. Cres- 
cent City, was born in Denison, Crawford Co., 
Iowa, August 3, 1863, and came to Pottawatta- 
mie County in 1866, with his father, Mortimer 
A. Hough. The latter was born in Lee County, 



Iowa, December 18, 1841; came to Pottawatta- 
mie County in 1846. and married Naomi Bar- 
rett, who was born at New Boston, Mercer Co., 
111., July 13, 1842, and to them five children 
were born. Milton C. received his education 
in the common schools, and is a natural pen- 
man, and also a musician. His father died No- 
vember 25, 1874, since which he has worked at 
farming to maintain and educate himself, and 
assisted his mother in doing the same for her 
younger sons ; he is a trusted employe; he 
joined the I. 0. G. T. in 1877. 

REV. H. KEITH, nursery and fruit grower. 
Crescent City, was born in Logan County, Ohio, 
June 8, 1826, son of Jacob Keith, who was 
born in Mason County, Ky., in February, 1793, 
and was engaged in farming and stock-raising 
until he died, February 13, 1869. He married 
Amelia Steward, of Mason County, Ky.. born 
December, 1793, bj-whom he had thirteen chil- 
dren, only four of whom are living. When the 
subject of this sketch was fourteen years of age, 
he, with his parents, came to Indiana; thence to 
Linn County, Mo., in 1837, where he remained 
until 1844. His childhood days were nearly 
devoid of school advantages, nevertheless he is 
a self-educated man. From Linn County he 
went to Mercer County, Mo., and remained 
until 1848. He married in Grundy County, 
Mo., October 7, 1846, Elizabeth H. Sutton, of 
Boone County, Mo., born March 6, 1826; her 
parents were John Sutton, born in 1795. in 
Garrett County, Ky., and Elizabeth (Davis) 
Sutton, of Madison County, Ky., born in 1801. 
Mr. Keith came from Missouri to Dallas Coun- 
ty, Iowa., where he remained until 1852, en- 
gaged in farming and cabinet work. He then 
removed to Mills County, Iowa, and remained 
until 1855, engaged in farming and stock-rais- 
ing. From there he went to Leavenworth, 
Kan., where he was principally engaged in 
farming. In 1856, he went to Dallas County, 
Iowa; remained a year, employed in farming, 
and then came to Grundy County, Mo., and fol- 



CRESCENT TOWNSHIP. 



89 



lowed farming until 1861, when he sold out and 
came to Waj-ne Couutj-, Iowa, where he re- 
mained six j-ears. August 20, 1862, he enlisted 
in the Thirty-fourth Iowa Volunteers, Company 
F, Capt. McClanahan, and was under command 
of Grant and Sherman. He was at the capture 
of Vicksburg and Arkansas Post, and was sent 
to Chicago with prisoners captured at Arkan- 
sas Post; he went to St. Louis; then to Iron 
Mountain; then back to St. Louis, where he 
was crippled in Benton Barracks, from which he 
was discharged March 27, 1863, when he re- 
turned to Wayne County, Iowa. There he was 
appointed missionary for East Des Moines Con- 
ference until 1867. when he was sent to Union 
County, Dak., by the Missionary Board. There 
he resided for sis years, and was sent from that 
district to the Legislature of Dakota. In 1873, 
he went to Antelope County, Neb., and in 1874 
to Cass County, where he engaged in merchan- 
dising. In 1875, he came to Avoca, this coun- 
ty, as a missionary; in 1876, went to Shelby 
County; 1877, to St. John, Harrison County; 
in 1878, to Washington County, Neb., and the 
same year to Furnas Countj-, where he re- 
mained until 1880, then removed to Blue Spring, 
Gage County, Neb. In 1881. he came t(j Cres- 
cent City, Iowa, and has since resided here; he 
is engaged at present in nursery and fruit grow- 
ing. At an early age, he became a Methodist 
Protestant, which has been his faith since. He 
has had eight children, six of whom are living. 
In politics, he is a Republican; he was first a 
Whig, then a Free-Soiler, and took an active 
part in the Kansas struggles; he is at present 
a member of the Grand Army Republic. 

J. B. MATLACK, farmer, P. 0. Crescent 
City, was born in Union County, Ind., Decem- 
ber 15, 1844; son of David H. Matlack, who 
was born in Pennsylvania April 21, 1819, was 
a harness-maker by trade, and died in 1880; he 
married Elizabeth Milward, who was born in 
Pennsylvania August 6, 1826, and died April 
29, 1845. J. B. was one of seven children, five 



of whom are still living. His mother having 
died when he was but a few months old, he was 
taken care of by his grandmother, who gave 
him a common school education, and afterward 
apprenticed him to learn saddlery and harness- 
making. When the rebellion broke out, he en- 
listed at the age of seventeen, as a private, in 
the Fifteenth Indiana Battery, Capt. A. D. 
Harvey, and took part in many engagements; 
was a prisoner of war four months, and was 
mustered out June 30, 1865. Returning to his 
home in Marion County, Ind., he was married, 
February 9, 1867, to Martha J. Swaford, who 
was born in Marion County, Ind., August 16, 
1851, daughter of Wesley and Catharine 

! (Marts) Swaford, both of Wayne County, Ind. 

' In 1868, Mr. Matlack came to Pottawattamie 
County, Iowa., where he has since resided, ex- 
cepting three years' residence at Big Grove. 
Since his residence in this township, he has en- 
gaged in farming and stock-raising. BIr. and 
Mrs. Matlack have four children — George A.i 

i Laura B., Willie A. and Pearl I. In politics. 
Mr. Matlack is a Republican, and has taken an 
active part in that party's actions, both local 
and otherwise; he has frequently been elected 
to ofBce, and was a candidate for membership 
in the Board of Supervisors of Pottawattamie 
County in 1881, his successful competitor be- 
ing S. G. Underwood. 

R. C. MENERAY, nursery, Crescent City, 
was born in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, July 
6, 1855, son of William Meneray, who was born 
in Canada in 1822, and married Sophia A. 
Packard, who was born in Ohio October 1, 
1828; he died March 10, 1880. To the parents 
eleven children were born, ten are now living, 
of whom R. C. Meneray is the fifth. At the age 
of three years he, with his father, came to Cres- 
cent City, Iowa, where the latter bought an in- 
terest in the Crescent Saw-Mill, and continued 
in that business until 1864, when he commenced 
fruit-growing and a nursery, which he continued 
until his death, when the business fell into the 



90 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



hands of our subject, who has since supplied 
the trade in his line of business, having now a 
nursery of fort}' acres, in which 3,000 trees are 
bearing at the present time. In politics, Mr. 
Meneray is a Kepubliean, having been elected 
to fill township offices on that ticket in a town- 
ship that is three-quarters Democratic. He is 
also a Good Templar. 

J. W. NUSUM, M. D., Crescent City, came to 
Crescent City four years ago, and began the 
practice of medicine, though previous to this 
he had practiced some time in Spring Hill, 
Warren County, Iowa. The Doctor was born 
in Waynesburg, Greene Co., Penn., in 1848, 
though his people moved to Virginia when he 
was four }'ears old; there the early years of his 
life were spent. In 1866, when he was nine- 
teen years old, he removed to Des Moines, 
Iowa, with his people. He began the study of 
medicine in Des Moines, under Dr. J. Grimes, 
and then studied with Dr. James T. Wakefield, 
of Spring Hill, Iowa, after which he took a 
course at Rush Medical College, Chicago, where 
he graduated in 1868. He then returned to 
Spring Hill, where he spent two years in part- 
nership with his old preceptor. Dr. Wakefield. 
In 1872, at Indianola, Iowa, the Doctor married 
Miss Emma Armstrong, a native of Guernsej' 
County, Ohio, born in 1852. Five children 
have been born to them, three of whom are now 
living, viz., Georgie G., Maggie E. and Ivy F. 
The genealogy of his family the Doctor is able 
to trace back to an honorable ancestry. His 
grandfather and grandmother were both natives 
of England, and born a short distance north of 
London. In their early settlement in the United 
States, his grandfather joined the Americans in 
the Indian war, and while fighting under St. 
Clair, was taken prisoner by the Indians and 
held a captive for three years. His father, 
George G. (who spelled his name Neusum), was 
born in Virginia in 1822, and lives in Iowa; 
his mother, Eliza J. (Kimball) Nusum, was 
born in Greene County, Penn., in 1826, and died 



in 1861. During the war of the rebellion, the 
Doctor spent some time in the Confederate serv- 
ice, under command of Gen. Morgan; he was 
wounded three times during his service; he has 
now a good and lucrative practice established, 
and has gained a place in four years which 
many physicians struggle ten years to attain. 
C. F. PRATT, farmer, P. 0. Crescent City. 
was born October 19, 1824, in Abbeville County, 
S. C; son of W. Pratt, who was born in Ab- 
beville County, S. C, September 27,1798, and 
was engaged in farming, when he married Mar- 
tha Murdock, born in Newberry County, S. C, 
July 30, 1803; he died January 26, 1863, but 
his wife survives, and is now seventy-nine years 
old. To iier seven children were born; five 
survive, of whom Mr. C. F. Pratt is one. He 
spent his earlier years on thefarm of his father, 
receiving a common school education. At the 
age of twenty, at his home, July 2, 1845, he 
married Gabrilla Callaham, who was born in 
the same county July 30, 1823; her parents 
were John and Nancy (Stephenson) Callaham, 
who were born respectively in Virginia and 
South Carolina. In 1845, Mr. Pratt removed 
to Chattooga County, Ga., and engaged in farm- 
ing and school teaching; he enlisted as a vol- 
unteer September 2, 1861, in Company I, 
Thirty-fifth Georgia, Hill's corps of Lee's army; 
took part in a number of engagements, and sur- 
rendered at Kingston, Ga., May 17, 1865. In 
1869, he came West, and stopped a few months 
at Omaha, Neb., then came to Pottawattamie 
County, Iowa, and engaged in saw-milling until 
1879, when he changed to farming, in which 
business he still continues. Mr. and Mrs. Pratt 
had nine children, one of whom Is dead. Their 
names are John W., Nancj' E., James A., Syl- 
vester v., Martha Ann (dead), Emma M., Phebe 
J., Charles F. and Frances L. Mr. Pratt be- 
longs to the Latter-Day Saints, or Mormons; he 
is a Greenbacker in politics, having been a 
candidate several times for count}' otlices on 
that ticket. He joined the Masonic fraternity 



CRESCENT TOWNSHIP. 



91 



in 1863, and is also a member of the Mutual 
Protectionists. 

S. V. PRATT, farming, P. 0. Crescent City, 
was born in Cliattooga County, Ga., April 10, 
1852, son of C. F. Pratt, born in Abbeville 
County, S. C, October 19, 1824, and Gabrilla 
(Callaham) Pratt, born in Abbeville Countj', S. 
C., ■which place the parents left and came to 
Chattooga Count}', (la., where S. V. was born 
and spent his childhood days, attending the 
common schools; he was one of nine children, 
eight of whom are living. In 1869, he with his 
parents, came West, stopped at Omaha a short 
time, and the same year came to Pottawattamie 
County, and engaged in lumbering and saw- 
milling until 1880, when he changed to farm- 
ing, which he is still pursuing. Mr. Pratt mar- 
ried Maggie T. Currie, in Crescent City, Iowa, 
December 10, 1878; she was born in Utah Sep- 
tember 6, 1860, daughter of John Currier, born 
in Scotland in 1836, and Elizabeth A. (Filcher) 
Currie, born in England in 1837. Mr. Pratt 
belongs to the church of Latter-Day Saints. 
In politics, he is a Greenbacker, having been 
elected to township offices on that ticket; he is 
a member of the M. P. Society. 

W. S. SWANSON, farming, P. 0. Crescent 
City, was born in Sturopokra, Sweden, January 
25, 1850, and with his parents came to Amer- 
ica in 1855, landing at St. Louis, Mo., March 

22, 1855, where he resided two years, and came 
to Florence, Neb., May 25, 1857, thence to 
Crescent City, Iowa, July 15, the same year. 
There he attended the common schools and 
received his education, working in summer on 
the farm, and attending school in winter. His 
fiithcr. Nelson Swanson, was born in Sweden 
August 14, 1821, and died January 12, 1881; 
his mother, Johannah (Jensen) Swanson, was 
born in Sweden December 27, 1824, and died 
October 11, 1874. In 1869, our subject went to 
Council Bluffs and worked at cabinet-making a 
year, then to Illinois for several months. May 

23. 1872, he went to Montana, and followed min- 



ing and prospecting for two years and six months, 
returning in November, 1874. May 16, 1876, 
he went to California, where he was for six 
months employed bj' the Southern Pacific Rail- 
way, as express messenger, which position he 
resigned for a position as foreman on a ranch. 
While there, he married Augusta Buckman, 
November 15, 1879; she was born in Sweden 
June 27, 1847. Mr. Swanson came to Potta- 
wattamie County April 6, 1880, and the same 
year he was called upon to mourn the loss of 
his wife, who died from consumption, contracted 
some time before. Mr. Swanson was married 
again, November 23, 1881, to Annie Johnson, 
born in Sweden April 28, 1856, and he has 
since his return from California resided here, 
and turned his attention to farming and stock- 
raising. He is a carpenter bj^ trade. He joined 
the I. 0. of G. T. in 1869. Mrs. Annie Swan- 
son's parents are John and Stina (Magnuson. 
Oisen, natives of Sweden, where he was born 
September 20, 1824, and she October 16, 1822. 
N. SWANSON, merchant and Postmaster, 
Crescent City, was born June 29, 1857, in 
Douglas County, Neb., in what was known 
then as " Winter Quarters," now Florence. His 
parents came to this country in 1855, residing 
for two years in St. Louis, Mo., and in the 
spring of 1857 coming to the "Winter Quar- 
ters " with a company of Mormons, to which 
denomination thej' belonged; on account of 
their financial condition they did not continue 
on their way to Utah. They came to Crescent 
City July 15, 1882, after which they withdrew 
from Mormonism. Mrs. Swanson's early life 
was spent on the farm; his parents being in 
limited circumstances, his education was con- 
fined mostly to the common schools, which 
in after years, he was able to attend in winter 
by working on the farm during tlie summer 
months. It was here that he attained that 
promptness and attention to business that char- 
acterized him in after years. Having qualified 
himself for a teacher, he began that vocation 



92 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



in 1878, and pursued it until October 22, 1879, 
when he was appointed Postmaster at Crescent 
City, Iowa; at that time he also engaged in the 
mercantile trade, and stock and grain buying 
which he continues at the present time. In 
politics, he is a Republican, and works for that 
party's interests. He was a candidate for the 
office of County Supermtendent of Schools in 
the Republican convention held in Council 
Bluffs, Iowa, September 9, 1881, in which Miss 
Smith received the nomination. He joined the 
I. 0. of G. T. December 12, 1874, and has con- 
tinued an active member since. Januar}- 21, 
1881, he joined the I. 0. 0. F. Mr. Swanson's 
parents were N. and Johannah (Jensen) Swan- 
son, natives of Sweden, he, born August 14, 
1821, died January 12, 1881; she, born Decem- 
ber 27, 1824, died October 11, 1874. 

J. H. SWANSON, Crescent City, brother of 
William and N. Swanson, was born in Crescent 
City, Iowa, August 20, 1859. His boyhood 
and youth were spent on his father's farm. At 
the age of nineteen years, he obtained a posi- 
tion as teacher in a countrj- school, and con- 
tinued for two years subsequently to teach in 
his own and adjoining townships; then went to 
Iowa College, Grinnell; thence to Griswold 
College, Davenport, where he has since been 
though he still makes Crescent City his home. 
His parents are Nelson and Johannah (Jensen) 
Swanson, natives of Sweden, he, born August 
14, 1821, was a farmer by occupation, and died 
January 12, 1881; she, born December 27, 1824, 
died October 11, 1874. They had eleven chil- 
dren, four of whom are dead. He is a mem- 
ber of the I. 0. G. T., and in politics is a Re- 
publican. 

W. SMITH, blacksmith. Crescent City, was 
born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1830. At 
the age of sixteen years, he began an apprentice- 
ship of four years at blacksmithing; after serv- 
ing his full term, he began working at his trade, 
and spent the time until 1869 in Greene County, 
111., Springfield, Ohio, Louisville. Ky., Colum- 



bus, Ind., and Council Bluffs, Iowa, spending 
one year in the latter place and then moving to 
Cresceut^City, where he has since resided; he 
has been a hard and industrious worker, and is 
well established in business. In 1859. he mar- 
ried Miss Mary Wilson, a native of Tennessee, 
but a resident of Missouri at the time of their 
marriage. They have but one child, Charles, 
who is now in his eighteenth year, and is a 
sober, stead}' and industrious young man. Mr. 
Smith is a Democrat, but not a politician. He is 
able to trace the genealogy of his family back 
to his grandfather Smith, who was a native of 
Ireland; his parents were John and Elizabeth 
(Bellville) Smith, the latter a native of Brandy- 
wine, Del. 

W. STRANG, farmer, P. 0. Crescent City, 
was born in Crescent Township, Pottawattamie 
County, Iowa, November 27, 1858; his father, 
W. Strang, was born June 23, 1816, and mar- 
ried Jane Meur, who was born in 1825; thej- 
were both natives of Scotland, from which 
country they emigrated in 1853 to Pottawatta- 
mie County, Iowa, where the father carried on 
farming and stock-raising till his death, which 
occurred November 1, 1881. 3Ir. Strang at- 
tended the common schools, and at maturity 
adopted farming as his avocation. He is one 
of four children now living, six having died. 
Mr. Strang is a member of the church of Latter- 
Da}' Saints. In politics he is a Democrat; he 
also belongs to the society of the Mutual Pro- 
tectionists. 

H. A. TERRY, nurseryman. Crescent City, 
has been a resident of Pottawattamie County 
since 1847; he was among the first white set- 
tlers of the county ,-aud has remained a resident 
of it during the greater portion of the time 
since he first strayed so far from the older- set- 
tled country of the East and became a resident 
of the frontier. He is a native of Cortland 
County, N. Y., where he was born in 1826. 
When he was ten years of age, his people re- 
moved to Oakland Countv, Mich. He remained 



GARNER TOWNSHIP. 



93 



there until his seventeenth year, and then went 
to Knox County-, 111., where he resided until 
1846. In 1848, he was married to Miss Rachel 
T. Slnlne, widow of M. Sinine; sis children were 
born to them, of whom Henrj- S. was the first 
white child born iu Crescent Township. Mr. 
Terry's second marriage, after the death of his 
lirst wife, was to Esther J., daughter of S. M. 
and Eliza J. Hough. Three children have been 
born of this marriage. When Mr. Terrj' first 
came to Pottawattamie County, he engaged in 
the seed business, he being for many ^-ears the 
first and only seed merchant on the Missouri 
River. He combined with his seed trade the 
sales of small fruit nursery stock. In the fall 
of 1855, he began the nursery business, and his 
sales began in 1856; since that time, he has 
been steadily engaged in the business. For the 
first twenty years, his sales were all made at 
the nursery. He then established local agents, 
and now he is doing an exclusive wholesale 
business. Fifty acres of his farm of 120 acres 
are devoted exclusively to nursery. He is the 
oldest and most thoroughlj- posted dealer in his 
line in the county. In 1855. when the first 



agricultural society in the county was organ- 
ized, he was elected Secretary. Politically, he 
is a Democrat, and as a citizen and honorable, 
upright member of the community, Mr. Terry 
stands without a superior in Crescent Township. 
HENRY S. TERRY, farmer, P. O. Crescent 
City, was the first white child born in Crescent 
Township. His parents, H. A. and Rachel T. 
(Sinine) Terr}-, were among the first settlers of 
the township, and a more complete sketch of 
them will be found elsewhere in this work. 
Henry S. was born September 2, 1849, in the 
village of Crescent, and has spent most of his 
life in the township. He had the advantages of 
the public schools of his native village, and 
then spent some time at Notre Dame College 
of South Bend, Ind. January 2, 1870, he mar- 
ried Miss Matilda Thompson, a native of Knox 
Count}-, Mo., though her people had been resi- 
dents of Crescent Township for many years 
prior to her marriage. Starting in business for 
himself after his marriage, Mr. Terry now has 
a nicely improved farm about two miles north 
of Crescent City. Mr. and Mrs. Terry have one 
child, born January 2, 1879. 



GAEIS'EE TOWNSHIP. 



W. W. CAxMPBELL, farmer. P. 0. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Indiana in 1840, and is of i 
Scotch descent; his parents were William and 
Maria (Cross) Campbell, natives of New York i 
State; both are dead. The family consisted of 
twelve children, two of whom are dead, the rest 
live in Iowa. When about four years of age, 
Mr. Campbell migi-ated to Jlissouri with his 
parents, and there received his education, i 
About 185.3, Sir. Campbell, with his parents, j 
removed from Missouri to Silver Creek Town- \ 
ship, Pottawattamie Co., Iowa; when they first 
settled in that township, their nearest neighbor 
on one side was two miles distant, and on the 
other six miles. Mr. Campbell was married iu 



Iowa, January, 1864, to Miss Hannah Ross, of 
Mills County, Iowa, daughter of Charles and 
Polly Ross, he living, she dead; they came 
from Ohio to Mills County, Iowa, in 1853; 
they were the parents of sixteen children, eight 
of whom are dead. Mr. and 3Irs. Campbell 
have had six children, two of whom are dead. 
Mr. Campbell cultivates about 150 acres of 
land; he has held several township offices, and 
is a Republican. 

JOHN CLARK, P. 0. Council Blufls, was 
born iu England in 1821; son of James and 
Rachael (Goodman) Clark, both deceased; his 
father was a weaver. Mr. Clark has three 
brothers and one sister, all married and living 



94 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



in England. There our subject received his 
education in select schools, and was appren- 
ticed as a shoemaker, which trade he followed 
in England, and continued in this country till 
1867, when he located on his present place and 
became a farmer, which occupation he still pur- 
sues. Mr. Clark was married, in 1845, to Miss 
Rachael Smart, daughter of Thomas and Eliza- 
beth Smart, both deceased. Mrs. Clark has 
one sister and three brothers in Utah, and one 
brother in England. Mr. Clark came to 
America in 1851, and lived till 1853, in New 
Orleans for a short time, and the remainder of 
the time in St. Louis; he then came to Council 
Bluffs, his original intention being to join the 
Mormons at Salt Lake, but disapproving of 
some of the practices of the church he stopped 
here. His farm consists of 300 acres, about 
eighty of which are under cultivation, eighty 
acres pasture, and the remainder timber. Mr. 
Clark conducts general farming, and also has 
quite an apiary. December 22, 1881, Mr. and 
Mrs. Clark made a visit to England, the voyage 
occupying nine davs, whereas their first voy- 
age, some thirtj' -one years previous, occupied 
over two months. The children of Mr. and 
Mrs. Clark are A. J., farming in Boomer Town- 
ship; Rachael E., now Mrs. Winchester, of Gar- 
ner Township; John T., at home; Henrietta 
now Mrs. Wright, of Boomer Township; and 
Heur}- J., at home. One son died when young. 
Mr. Clark takes an active part in educational 
matters; he was Justice of the Peace four 
years; is a member of the '■ Patrons of Hus- 
bandrj'," and in politics is a Democrat. 

G. W. CROSSLEY, farmer and stock-raiser 
P. 0. Council Bluffs, was born in Lincolnshire, 
England, August 6, 1854, son of William and 
Susan (Hand) Crossley, natives of England, and 
both dead. He came here in 1855, with his 
parents, and settled on the farm where he now 
lives; he has two sisters, one, Mrs. John A. Orr, 
living in Harrison County. Iowa, and one, Mrs. 
S. S. Fletcher, keeping house for him at the 



present time. The family came to this coun- 
trj' with a company expecting to join the Mor- 
mons in LTtah, but the mother was taken sick, 
and by the time she recovered they decided 
not to go to Utah. They landed first in New 
Orleans, thence bj- steamer to Keokuk, Iowa, 
then across the Stale iu ox carts. When they 
reached Garner Township, they found a Mor- 
mon settlement at what was called Carterville. 
Most of the early settlers were Mormons, dis- 
satisfied with the religion as exemplied in the 
West. Upon first coming to this county, Mr. 
Crossle3''s father bought a claim from a man 
b^' the name of Clough, pre-empted 120 acres, 
and this has since been added to until the 
farm now consists of about 800 acres, 160 of 
which belong to our subject's sister, who keeps 
house for him. When they first settled on the 
place, it was in a wild state, and the only build- 
ing upon it was an old log hut, left by the 
Mormons, on their way to Salt Lake City. Mr- 
Crossley is engaged in stock-raising, feeding 
the most of his grain; he has fourteen head of 
thoroughbred Short-Horn cattle, and all the rest 
of his stock is of a high grade; he has a small 
orchard and raises some small fruits. Mr. 
Crosslej' is no partisan, but votes for whom he 
considers the best man. 

W. H. GARNER, P. 0. Council Blufls, was 
born in Garner Township. Pottawattamie Co., 
Iowa, in 1849, son of Wm. and Sarah (Warkman) 
Garner, who came from North Carolina to Illi- 
nois, and from there to Pottawattamie Co., Iowa, 
in 1 846. Thej- had eleven children, two boys and 
nine girls. One of the latter is dead. The}' 
are all married and settled in Garner Township, 
except three, who live in Hazel Dell Township. 
Their father having pre-empted land, gave each 
of them 200 acres, with a good house upon it. 
Before Mr. Garner divided his land among his 
children, the Rock Island Railroad ran across 
his farm for five miles. Our subject has always 
worked at farming, excepting some time spent 
in a woolen factory. His present farm consists 



GAKNER TOWNSHIP. 



95 



of 180 acres, mostly under cultivation and well- 
improved, although when he first took it, in 
1874, it was entirel}- unimproved. He has an 
orchard of four and a half acres, which has just 
commenced bearing ; also grapes and other 
small fruits. Mr. Garner was married in De- 
cember, 1871. to Miss Lena McMullen. daugh- 
ter of James and Hannah (Poe) McMullen, who 
came here from Indiana in an early day. Her 
mother died when Mrs. Garner was quite small. 
Her father, who is now dead, served in the 
Mexican war. Mr. and Mrs. Garner have one 
son and two daughters. Mr. Garner is a member 
of the Knights of Pythias. He and his brothers 
are Democrats. 

JOSEPH HANCOCK, farmer, P. 0. Council 
Bluffs, was born in England in 1829 ; he came 
to America in 1854, settling in Missouri, in Holt 
County, where he had built a brewery. In 1862, 
he went back to England ; stayed till 1866, and 
then returning to America spent that year on 
the plains, and April 2, 1867, he settled at his 
present place, on which there were then a num- 
ber of old Mormon huts, which had gone to 
ruin. From that time, he has been improving 
his place by planting orchards, etc. Jlr. Han- 
cock was married, in 1853, in tVales, to Letitia 
Stanlej', born in England. Mr. Hancock was 
educated in England, and went to Wales when 
he was about sixteen j-ears old. He has a 
brother and a sister living in Utah, being all 
his relatives in America. In England, he has 
three sisters and one brother. One brother 
died in Wales a few years ago. Mrs. Hancock 
has seven sisters and three brothers in England, 
and one sister dead. Mr. and Mrs. Hancock 
have one daughter and three sons. Their 
daughter, Mary E., is married to Henry Bateman, 
living in Boomer Township, Pottawattamie Co., 
where he is now farming ; Joseph H., twen- 
ty-two years old ; Charles B., twenty years old, 
and John, seventeen j-ears old, all living at 
home. One son is buried in Missouri. Mr. 
Hancock has always had to depend on his own 



resources. He was doing a good business in Mis- 
souri and lost it during the war. Since coming 
to his present place, he has made a good prop- 
erty. He came to this countrj- as a Mormon, 
coming with Mormons to New Orleans ; thence 
to Holt County, Mo., where he abandoned them 
and their religion. Mr. Hancock is a Democrat. 
WILLIAM HARMS, farmer, P. 0. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Germany in 1830, son of 
Albolt and Sophia Harms, both dead ; mother 
died when subject was very small, and father 
when he was about eight j'ears old. Mr. Harms 
was educated in Germany. He had one brother, 
who was drowned when five 3'ears old ; also 
one half-brother and two half-sisters, all of 
whom are dead. His fiither was a farmer, and 
Mr. Harms has followed the same occupation 
all of his life. He came to America in 1850, 
and settled in Dixon, 111., where he lived till 
1863. He was married, in 1854, to Miss Hen- 
rietta Minssen, born in 1829 in Germany, daugh- 
ter of Folgett and Wilhelmina Minssen, both of 
whom died in Germanj'. Mrs. Harms came to 
America in 1853. She has one brother living 
in this country. After moving to Jones Coun- 
ty, Iowa, in 1863, Mr. Harms went into the 
army in 1864, staj-ing till the close of the war. 
He was in the Seventeenth Army Corps, Fourth 
Division, Fifteenth Iowa, and was with Sher- 
man in his march to the sea, being also with 
him when Atlanta was burned. Mr. Harms 
came out without a wound. In 1871, Mr. and 
Mrs. Harms came to their present place, it be- 
ing then unimproved prairie. Mr. Harms bought 
eighty acres first, but has since added to it till 
he now has a farm of 190 acres, mostlj- under 
cultivation and general improvement. He does 
general farming. Mr. and Mrs. Harms have 
six children, all at home except their oldest 
daughter, Katie, who married George Young, of 
Norwalk Township, Pottawattamie Co. ; oldest 
son, Henry, is twenty -one years of age ; second 
daughter, Sophia, was born in 1862; second 
son, Edward, in 1864 ; third son, William, iti 



96 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



1868 ; third daughter, Emma, in 1870. Mr. 
Harms and wife are members of the Lutheran 
Church. 

WM. HEILEMAN, farmer, P. 0. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born in Germany in 1857; son 
of William and Wilhelmina (Marker) Heileman, 
living in German}'. Subject was educated in 
Germany, where he has five brothers, he being 
the only child iu America. His father was in 
the arm}-, but now has an otHce on a railroad. 
Our subject has always followed farming. He 
was married, April 16, 1879, to Miss Lucretia 
Stoker. They have one child, a little girl. Mr. 
Heileman came to this countr}' when only fifteen 
years old, with an uncle, settling at Fort Dodge, 
Webster Co., Iowa, where he followed farming; 
he came to Pottawattamie County in April, 
1877, and has been here since engaged in gen- 
eral farming. He is now farming Mrs. Stoker's 
farm, but owns one of eighty acres in Minden 
Township, partly improved. Since coming to 
America at fifteen years of age. he has made 
his own way. 

G. P. KEMP, farmer, P. 0. Council Bluff's, 
was born in Randolph County, Va., March 
7, 1837, son of W. C. and and Eliza A. (Wil- 
son) Kemp; he was born in Huntington County, 
Penn., in February, 1802, and died in May, 
1880; while in Virginia he was Couutj- Sur- 
veyor, and also practiced law; after coming to 
Iowa, he kept hotel and speculated in land. 
Subject's mother was born iu Randolph County, 
A''a., in 1818, and lives in Wayne County, 
Iowa; she is the mother of five boys and three 
girls, one of each sex being dead. Mr. Kemp 
attended the subscription schools of Vir- 
ginia, where he subsequently conducted the 
stage line for five .years, between the James and 
Ohio Rivers. After coming to Iowa, he con- 
tinued the stage business for several years, and 
then became messenger and ticket agent on the 
train running from Council Bluffs to Bartlett; 
leaving the latter business, he was engaged with 
J. W. Morse, in the express business, till 



March, 1875, when he setled where he now lives. 
Mr. Kemp was married in Lewis, Cass Co., 
Iowa, October 26, 1863, to Miss J. A. Mann, 
born in St. Thomas, Canada, July 22, 1845; 
daughter of L. Mann, born in St. Thomas. 
Canada, December, 1808, died April 5, 1852. 
and Almira (Taylor) Mann, born in Erie, Penn., 
November 4, 1820. Mr. and Mrs. Kemp have 
three children — May B., William F. and Bessie 
A. Mr. Kemp belongs to the Masonic fra- 
ternitj- of Council Bluffs; he is a Republican, 
and has held several township offices. 

J. B. MEGINNESS. farmer, P. 0. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Lancaster County. Penn.. 
iu 1837, son of Benjamin and Sarah Meginness, 
natives of Pennsylvania; he died in 1868. she 
in 1850. Mr. Meginness attended the common 
schools, and afterward went to the Academy at 
Jersey Shore, Penn. He has three brothers 
farming in Pottawattamie County. Iowa; one 
in California in the same occupation, and one 
in Pennsylvania as chief editor of the Williams- 
port Gazette and Bulletin. Mr. Meginness came 
to Council Bluffs in the fall of 1846; crossed 
over into Nebraska and stayed in what is now 
Florence, till the spring of 1848. then came 
back to the Iowa side, remaining till 1853. and 
then returning to Pennsylvania, where he re- 
mained four years. In 1863, he enlisted in the 
Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, and was under 
Steele's command in Arkansas; he was captured 
April 30, 1864, at Jenkin's Ferrj-, Saline 
River, while he laj* wounded on the field, after 
Steele's retreat; he was subsequent!}- taken to 
Tyler, Texas, and mustered out with paroled 
prisoners in Februar}-, 1865. In 1858, in Pot- 
tawattamie County, Iowa, Mr. Meginness was 
married to Mrs. (Nixon) Debolt, daughter of 
William Nixon. The}- have one son and three 
daughters. Mr. Meginness came to this place 
in the spring of 1868, and purchased an unim- 
proved farm; he now has 450 acres, about one- 
half of which is under cultivation; he raises 
stock extensively; he is a plasterer by trade, 



GARNER TOWNSHIP. 



97 



but has been engaged in farming since 1859. 
Mr. Meginness owes liis success in life to liis 
own energy and perseverance; he is a Repub- 
lican in politics. 

L. PROUTY, farming, P. 0. Council Bluffs, 
was born in Massachusetts in 1831, son of 
Pliny and Melissa Prout}', natives of Massa- 
chusetts, and the parents of five boys and three 
girls. Mr. Prouty was educated at the common 
schools and at Leicester Academy, Massachu- [ 
setts, and in that State taught school, having i 
charge of one of the city schools of Worcester 
in 1854. He then taught two years in Vir- 
ginia, where he was married, in 1857, to Miss 
Esther J. Hull, of Rockbridge County, that 
State. He left Virginia for Nebraska as a sur- 
veyor ; thence to this township, where he 
rented a farm for three j^ears of Mr. Bump ; 
then rented for three years of Mr. Henry Gar- 
ner the place which he now owns, having 
bought it in the spring of 1861. Since his res- 
idence in this township, Mr. Prouty has taught 
school for ten winters, carr3ing on farming 
during the summer months. He is still identi- 
fied with the schools of the township. 

MRS. MARGUERITE STOKER, Council 
Bluffs, was born in North Carolina in 1822 ; 
daughter of John and Rhoda Judd. When 
Mrs. Stoker was quite 30ung, she moved, with 
her parents, from North Carolina to Indiana, 
where she was raised and educated. When 
seventeen years of age, she married Mr. E. 
Stoker, born in Ohio in 1816. At the time of 
her marriage, she was living with her mother 
(her father having died ten j-ears before) on the 
Des Moines River, near what was called Meeke's 
Mill at that time a flouring mill, subsequent!}- 
a woolen- mill ; there she had lived a year pre- 
vious to her marriage. The first two years 
after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Stoker lived 
in the eastern part of Garner Township, and 
then moved onto the present place. When 
they first settled in this township, almost their 
only neis'hbors were Indians and half-breeds. 



and they were obliged to procure their pro- 
visions in Missouri. When the Western lands 
first came into market, Mr. Stoker purchased 
160 acres ; he also entered land, and subse- 
quently added to this till the farm now consists 
of 360 acres. Mr. Stoker died in 1855, le.iving 
his wife with seven children, two of whom live 
in Harrison County and five in this county ; 
thej- are all married, except the j'oungest 
son. 

J. W. TEMPLETON, farmer, P. 0. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Scotland in 1835; son of 
Archibald and Janet (Mcintosh) Templetou, na- 
tives of Scotland, both deceased; the father was a 
farmer. Mr. Templeton has three brothers and 
three sisters living and one bro'her dead; he has 
two brothers in America, one being in Michigan 
and one in Dakota Territory, the rest of the 
children are in Scotland. Mr. Templeton re- 
ceived his education in his native country, 
where he dealt in fruits, groceries, etc., and also 
followed farming before coming to this country. 
He lost everything in Scotland, and came here 
to start anew. He arrived in Chicago in De- 
cember, 1871, and remained there as a laborer 
one year; then went to Colorado, and followed 
farming four years, having to irrigate all his 
land. In 1876, while Mr. Templeton was re- 
turning to Colorado bj' wagon from Des Moines, 
Iowa, a colt injured itself on a wire fence, causing 
a delay ofseveral days, during which Mr. Temple- 
ton purchased seventy- acres, a part of his present 
farm, in Iowa ; this laud was slightly improved. 
He now has 300 acres all under cultivation, ex- 
cept 120 acres of pasture ; he has an orchard 
often acres, two of which are bearing at the 
present time ; he has three teams, fift}" head of 
cattle and fifty hogs, and carries on general 
farming. He has a comfortable house and out- 
buildings, and has set out shade trees, etc. He 
was married, July 4, 1872, in Kankakee, 111., to 
Eliza Hanna, a native of Scotland, from where 
she emigrated, when quite joung, with her par- 
ents; her father is dead, and her mother lives 



98 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



in Illinois, where Mrs. Templetou also has two 
sisters. Mr. Templeton is a Republican. 

JOHN J. TIARKS, farmer, P. 0. Council 
BlufTs, was born in Germany in 1848 ; son of 
Henry and Mary Tiarks, both of whom died 
when subject was young. He is the only child ; 
was educated in Germany, and also went to 
school in America. He came to this country 
when eighteen years of age, and has no relatives 
here. When first coming to America, he set- 
tled in Jones County. Iowa, where he farmed 
in summer and went to school in winter. In 
1870. he returned to Germany, was married to 
Lizzie Oltmanns, and then came to this county 
ai)d settled on his present farm. When he first 
took his farm, it was raw prairie ; he bought at 
that time eighty acres, but has since added to 
it. till he now has 5U0 acres, all inclosed by 
fence, 200 acres being in pasture, with good im- 
provements, buildings, orchard and small fruits. 
He pays most of his attention to stock-raising, 
feeding all his grain. In county elections, he 
always selects what he thinks the best men, but 
votes the Republican ticket in national elections. 
He has four children, all boys. His wife's par- 
ents are both in the old country. Mr. Tiarks 
inherited enough money from his parents to 
give him a good start in life. He has crossed 
the ocean five times, taking his family over 
to Germany for a visit in the winter of 
1880-81. 

T. W. VAN SCIEVER & BRO., farming, 
P. 0. Council Bluffs, were born near Columbus. 
Ohio, T. \V. in 1854, and C. L. in 18G0; sons 
of George and Nancy (Romine) Van Sciever, 
he born in Philadelphia in 1809, and she in 
Virginia in 1814; both deceased; eight of the 
famil}- are dead; our subjects have two broth- 
ers and two sisters living in Ohio. T. W. and 
brother commenced their education in the com- 
mon schools, then T. W. attended the Agricult- 
ural College of Columbus, Ohio, and afterward 



read law at that place; C. L. continued his 
studies in Shippensburg, Penn. The two 
brothers began life farming and handling stock. 
In 1881, they were engaged in the mercantile 
business, and also the manfaeture of brick. 
They started for Dakota, but arriving at Coun- 
cil Bluffs changed their minds, and purchased 
their present farm of 450 acres iu Pottawatta- 
mie County partly improved. Thej- turn their 
attention mostly to stock-raising, and intend 
soon to devote their entire time to the raising 
of Short-Horn cattle and Poland-China hogs. 
They have an orchard of about three acres, 
which they are enlarging; they are also setting 
out groves. Mr. T. W. Van Sciever was mar- 
ried, December 28, 1875, to Miss Addie B. 
Smith, of Columbus, Ohio, daughter of Charles 
C. and Lucy Smith, parents of six children, 
of whom Mrs. Van Sceiver is the eklest. Her 
father came to Columbus, Ohio, in 1861, where 
he, in connection with his father, ran the larg- 
est steam tannery in Central Ohio, furnishing 
leather for the Government during the war. 
Her father died in 1876; her mother lives iu 
Columbus, Ohio, where she has also a brother 
and sister, they and Mrs. Van Sciever being 
the only surviving children. Mr. and Mrs. 
Van Sciever have one child, a son four years 
old. Mrs. Van Sciever attended Otterbein 
Universitj', studying three years in the scien- 
tific course. The Van Sciever Bros, trace their 
origin to Holland, where their great-grand- 
father was a Commodore, owning a line of ves- 
sels, which ran between New York and Liver- 
pool; he was also one of the first manufactur- 
ers of shoes in Philadelphia; their grandfather 
was a sea captain. Their father came to Frank- 
lin Count}-; Ohio, when he was but nine j^ears 
old, and lived there till his death, being one 
of the first settlers of that couutv; one of his 
sons now lives on the farm he first located on. 
Our subjects are Democrats. 



GROVE TOWNSHIP. 



99 



GEOVE TOWNSHIP. 



WILLIAM H. BLANEY, farmer, P. O. Gris- 
wolcl, Cass Co., Iowa, was born in New York 
City Februar}' 17, 1835, son of John and Ros- 
hanna (Crook) Blane^-, lie born in Ireland and 
she in England, died on Long Island in 1865. 
They had two children, both still living. Sub- 
ject received a common school education ; com- 
menced life as a carriage and wagon maker, and 
married about 1853, in New Jersej-, Catharine 
Noggle, born in New York September 3, 1816, 
daughter of William and Leah (Bogart) Nog- 
gle, both born in New York, and both died 
there. Subject has held several township offices ; 
worked for the United States Government from 
1861 to August, 1863, repairing wagons at Ft. 
.Monroe ; also in South Carolina in 1864. and 
Nashville through the fall of 1864 and 1865. 
In 1865, he went to Pennsylvania ; worked in 
the oil regions until the winter of 1868, when 
he went to Illinois, staying one month ; thence 
to this county, in company with John Noggle ; 
thence to W3'oming Territorj', where he worked 
on the U. P. R. R. in the repair shops for one 
year. Returning to this count}-, in 1869, he 
bought fort}' acres of land at $5.50 per acre, 
and now owns eighty acres, valued at S35 per 
acre. There is a fine j'oung orchard, all kinds 
of small fruits and a fine grove on the place. 
Mr. and Mrs. Blane}* have two children — George 
W. and Rosa — both born in New York City. 
Subject is a Republican. 

DAVID BOLTON, farmer, P. 0. Wheeler's 
Grove, born in Virginia December 9, 1823, son 
of Jacob and pjlizabeth (Insley) Bolton, both 
born in Virginia. He died in Georgia about 
1859, she in Iowa about 1873. They had nine 
children, five of whom are living. Subject re- 
ceived a common school education ; commenced 
life at the age of twenty as a miller ; followed 



this avocation about eight years ; millwright 
for several years ; carpenter for about sixteen 
years, and married Miss Martha A. Fisher, in 
Virginia, on December 11, 1845, who was born 
in that State July 29, and is a daughter of 
Joseph and Mar}- (Catlet) Fisher, both born in 
Virginia. She died in Iowa about 1868. Sub- 
ject scouted for Gen. Cox for a short time in 
1862, and drove his staff team awhile. Mr. 
and Mrs. Bolton have had ten children, nine of 
whom are living. Mrs. Bolton was formerly a 
member of the Baptist Church. He is a Re- 
publican. In 1862, he moved from Virginia to 
Cedar County, Iowa, renting a farm for his 
boys, while he worked at his trade as a mill- 
wright and carpenter, moving in 1875 to this 
township, renting a farm for two years. He 
then bought 160 acres at $8.12i^, which is now 
valued at $30 per acre. It has fine improve- 
ments, with about two acres of young orchard, 
over one acre of mixed grove, about twenty 
acres of natural timber and one mile of osage 
hedge fence. There are also forty bearing 
grapevines and a large quantity of raspberry 
bushes. Mr. Bolton is now erecting a beautiful 
two-story frame residence. The main building 
is to be 32x16 feet, the L 26x14 feet, the cellar 
the same size as the L ; five rooms above and 
five below, the upper rooms corresponding in 
size with those below ; a hall 6x16 feet on both 
floors. The front rooms are to be 15x16 feet, 
the bed rooms 11x8 feet, the kitchen 14x15 feet, 
dining-room 14x11 feet. 

GEORGE BOLTON, farmer. P.O. Macedonia, 
born in Cedar Co., Iowa, December 9, 1840, son of 
Wm, H,and Sarah (Southern) Bolton, he, a farm- 
er, born in Virginia, died in Cedar County, 
Iowa, in 1863; she, born in North Carolina in 
April, 1808, is still living in Michigan, They 



100 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



had nine children, all of whom are living. Sub- 
ject received a common school education ; com- 
menced life as a farmer, and married in Iowa, 
November 8, 1860, Miss Anna M. Pearce, bora 
in Ohio March 20, 1838, daughter of Dennis 
and Marj- (Pollock) Pearce, both natives of 
Ohio. He died in Iowa, and she is still living. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bolton have had nine children, 
viz., Charles E., A. W., Ida M., Minnie A. 
(dead), L. D. (dead), P. K. (dead), Albert, Nel- 
lie G. and James Garfield, all born in Iowa. 
Subject has been Township Clerk, as well as 
filling other offices ; is a member of the M. P. 
Church, a Republican, an Odd Fellow, and 
moved from Cedar Count}-, Iowa, to this countj' 
in 1877 ; bought 240 acres of land at $18 per 
acre, which is now valued at about $40 per 
acre. There are about two acres of very fine 
orchard, and other small fruits on the place. 

J. W. CONNOR, farmer, P. 0. Wheeler's 
Crrove, born in Middlebury, Summit Co., Ohio, 
July 11, 1847, son of Thomas and Elizabeth 
(Thompson) Connor; he, born in County Kildare, 
Ireland in 1810; came to America in 1842, set- 
tling in the Western Reserve, Ohio, where he fol- 
lowed his avocation of woolen manufacturing, 
moving to Iowa in 1854, and settling on the farm 
where he now lives in this township, having re- 
tired from active business; she, born in York- 
shire, England, in 1809, came to America in 1843, 
just one year later than her husband; is still 
living, and is the mother of three children, sub- 
ject being the oldest son. Subject received a 
limited common school education; he is a fine 
conversationalist, being well read, very public- 
spirited, encouraging any enterprise which is 
for the public good, and commenced life as a 
farmer, working on his father's farm for several 
j-ears after his marriage, generally controlling 
its affairs, but now he owns a farm of 110 acres 
adjoining the old homestead, keeping him hap- 
pily near his aged parents. Subject is a Re- 
publican, though not a noisj' politician; and 
married Miss Laura Peckenpaugh in this coun- 



ty on October 1, 1871, born in Warren County, 
111., on July 8, 1850, daughter of Louis B. and 
Aurilla (Sellers) Peckenpaugh, he, born in Craw- 
ford Count}', Ind., on August 6, 1826, emi- 
grated to this State about 1854, settled at or 
near Logan, Harrison County, this State, where 
he lived till his death, which occurred Decem- 
ber 6, 1856, leaving a wife and four small chil- 
dren, which were cast upon the charit}' of the 
world; she, born in Crawford County, Ind., May 
19, 1826, is still living in this county. Mr. and 
Mrs. Connor have two bright girls, viz., Minnie, 
born August 22, 1872; and Kate, born August 
21, 1874. Subject's farm is pleasantly located, 
being five and a half miles southeast of Mace- 
donia, and two miles southwest of Wheeler's 
Grove Post Office, just east of Farm Creek, the 
principal stream running through the township; 
has forty-five acres of very beautiful, healthy 
grove of natural young timber, consisting of 
hickory, oak, walnut, elm and ash. The farm 
cost about $1,500, and is now valued at about 
$4,000. 

ISAAC DENTON, farmer, P. O. Wheeler's 
Grove, born in New York April 7, 1821, son 
of James and Anna (Tillison) Denton, both 
born in New York; he died in the same State 
in 1825, and she in Iowa in 1862; they had 
ten children. Subject received a common 
school education; commenced life as an orphan 
boj". working on the farm, and was married in 
Michigan August 30, 1844, to Mary Etta Moore 
born in Ohio November 26, 1829, daughter of 
John and Phebe (Eddy) Moore, he, born in the 
Eastern States, died in 1851; she, born in 
Massachusetts, died in Iowa in 1874. Mr. and 
Mrs. Denton have had nine children, four of 
whom are living, viz.. Nancy, James, Frank 
and Charle}-. Subject moved from Michigan 
to Illinois in 1851; sis 3-ears later to Missouri; 
in 1859, to Decatur County, Iowa, and the same 
\-ear to this county, living on his brother's place 
until 1860, when he bought forty acres of land 
at $10 per acre, and now owns eight}' acres, val- 



GROVE TOWNSHIP. 



101 



lied at $40 per acre. There is a fine grove, a 
young orchard, and two good wells on the 
place. Subject is a Republican and a Method- 
ist. Williard, William and Wallace Denton 
were triplets, born September 30, 1863, one of 
whom lived nine days, another three weeks, and 
the other five weeks. Two infants also were 
born and died the same day, January 27, 1864, 
by which it will be seen that the five children 
were born within four months of each other, 
one of the most remarkable circumstances ever 
recorded in obstetrical historJ^ 

JOHN HARDING, farmer, P. O. Wheelers 
Grove, born in Wiltshire, England, December 
28, 1820, son of John and Elizabeth (Hewer) 
Harding, he born in Gloucestershire, England; 
died in England about 1828; she born in Wilt- 
shire, England, died in England April 3, 1848. 
They had eight children, and as far is known 
four are living. Subject received a common 
school education; began life as a tenant farmer 
in England; married Miss Louisa Trotman in 
England about 1850, who was born there June 
20, 1825, and is the daughter of Cornelius and 
Ann (Reeves) Trotman, both born in England; 
he died about 1869; she died in 1849. Subject 
has been ever ready to serve his fellow-citizens, 
and has held the offices of Trustee, School Di- 
rector and Supervisor; is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, and came to this 
county from England in 1866, buying 109 acres 
of land, valued at about S6.80 per acre, and now 
owns 270 acres, valued at about $28 per acre; of 
this there are eighty or ninety acres of timber. 
Mr. and Mrs. Harding have had the following 
children— Ellen, Elizabeth, born May 29, 1853; 
Mary, born December 1, 1854; Hester D., on 
January 19, 1856; Bertha C, March 8, 1857; 
August M., May 6, 1858; Finnetta, June 28, 
1859; Fannie S. J., November 22, 1860; Robert 
J., July 18, 1865; twin girls, October 15, 186,6, 
and Thomas W., October 12, 1867. All were 
born in England except the twin girls and 
Thomas, who were born in this county. Hester 



and Bertha were drowned in England Octo- 
ber 21, 1858. The twins died in this county 
October 26, 1866. Mary C. died May 4, 1869. 
Fannie S. J. died April 6, 1880. 

SAMUEL H. HOPKINS, farmer, P. 0. Mace- 
donia, born in Michigan May 17, 1841, son of 
Samuel and Philancy (Holt) Hopkins, he, a car- 
penter, born in Vermont, died in Michigan in 
1854; she, born in New York, died in Missouri 
in 1863. They had five children, two of whom 
are living. Subject received a common school 
education, commenced life as a farmer, and 
married Miss Emma Fayborn in Iowa, who was 
born in Ohio in 1848, and is the daughter of 
Wooster and Charlotte (McMillan) Faj'born; 
he born in Vermont, she in Ohio; both are still 
living. Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins have had four 
children, viz.. Flora G., Herbert L. (died in 
1872), Edith J. and lone, all born in this 
county. Subject has filled almost all the town- 
ship offices at different times, and enlisted in 
Company B, Fifth Iowa Cavalr}' in 1861; mus- 
tered out at Cairo, 111., in 1863; was in several 
engagements in Kentucky and Tennessee; was 
wounded four times, and carries three balls in 
his bod3' now. He is a Republican, an Odd 
Fellow, and a member of the M. P. Church; he 
moved from Michigan to Illinois about 1857, 
worked on the farm as a laborer until 1859, 
when he moved to this count}-, working by the 
month until he enlisted; bought forty acres of 
land in 1863 at $7.50 per acre, and now owns 
eighty acres in this township, valued at about 
$35 per acre; there are ten acres of natural 
timber and is well stocked. 

PETER JAMISON, farmer, P. 0. Wheeler's 
Grove, was born in Ireland in 1844, sou of x\lex- 
ander and Mary (Kain) Jamison, both born in 
Ireland; he died April, 1882, and she is still 
living. They were the parents of eleven chil- 
dren, six of whom are living. Subject received 
a common school education, began life as a 
farmer, and was married to Miss Ellen Keegan, 
December 6, 1876, a native of Ireland, born 



103 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



about 1852, and daughter of Patrick and Mary 
(Dal}') Keegan. both natives of Ireland; he is 
still living; she died in Ireland about 1874; 
they had eleven children, four of whom are 
living. Mr. and Mrs. Jamison have two chil- 
dren — Mary, born October 5, 1877, and Alex- 
ander, born June 18, 1880. Subject came from 
Ireland to Knox County, 111., in 1866; from 
thence to the Rock}- Mountains, hunting for 
gold, which proved so successful that he went 
back to Ireland on a visit to his parents for 
three or four months; when he returned to this 
countrj-, ho came to this count}-, and, in 1874, 
bought 120 acres of land at $13.50 per acre, 
which are now worth S35.00 per acre. There 
is a fine ^oung orchard, and also some fine na- 
tural timber on the place. Mr. Jamison is a 
Democrat and a Freemason. 

W. T. JOHxXSON, tarmer, P. 0. Wheeler's 
CJrove, was born in Kentucky July 15, 1829, 
son of Evander and Editha (Reedy) Johnson, 
both born iu Kentucky, died in Illinois, he 
about 1869, she about 1871. They had six 
children, five of whom are living. Subject re- 
ceived a common school education; commenced 
life as a farmer, and married, iu March, 1855, 
Elizabeth Dehort, born in Indiana in 1835, 
daughter of Larkin and Sarah (Collet) Dehort. 
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have two children — 
Leander, born in Illinois; William R., born in 
April, 1873. Subject is a member of the Cum- 
berland Presbyterian Church, a Democrat, a 
member of the Vigilant Committee; and moved 
from Warren Count}-, 111., to this county in 
1870, and bought 160 acres of land for $15 per 
acre; he now has about 400 acres, valued at 
about $30 per acre. 

E. J. McBRIDE, farmer, P. O. Wheeler's 
Grove, born in Indiana April 9, 1850, .son of 
William and Mary (Whitted) McBride; he, a 
farmer, born iu North Carolina, is still living; 
she, born iu North Caroline, died in Iowa in 
1874. They were the parents of twelve chil- 
dren, eight of whom are living. Subject re- 



ceived a common school education; commenced 
life as a farmer, and married, on February 11, 
1875, in Iowa, Sarah L. Woody, born in Indi- 
ana September 27, 1852, daughter of James and 
Asenath (Maglemery) Woody; he, born in 
North Carolina, died about 1877; she, born in 
North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. McBride have 
had three children, viz., Minnie May, born 
March 5, 1876, died August 8, 1876; Annie M., 
born August 8, 1879; William D., born Febru- 
ary 2, 1882, all born in this county. Sub- 
ject is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, a Democrat, and moved from Jasper 
County, this State, to this county in 1873, and 
broke prairie for other parties for two years, 
then rented land for three years. In 1878, he 
bought forty acres of land at $20 per acre, now 
valued at $30 per acre. There is a small or- 
chard, and about two acres of flue grove on the 
farm. 

A. M. MILLER, farmer, P. 0. Wheeler's 
Grove, was born in Tennessee in 1838, son of 
John H. and Mary (Ewiug) Miller; he, born in 
Tennessee, died in 1848; she, born in Tennes- 
see, died in 1844. They had four children, sub- 
ject being the only oue living. Subject re- 
ceived a good education, having passed through 
the high school, commencing life as a carpen- 
ter, and was married, in this State, on Novem- 
ber 23, 1865, to Naucy E. Garrett, born in Ohio 
April 20, 1839, daughter of Robert and Sarah 
I. (Patterson) Garrett; he, born in Pennsylva- 
nia, died in 1855 ; she, born iu Tennessee, 
died in 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have 
three children — Carrie, born November 18, 
1867; Orion G., born October 10, 1869; Ar- 
thur E., born July 13, 1872; all of them being 
born in Davis County, this State. Subject is a 
member of the C. P. Church; a Republican; 
mustered in Company I, Thirteenth Iowa In- 
fantry, November 2, 1861; mustered out at 
Louisville, Ky., July 22, 1865; was in the 
first battle of Shiloh, the two battles of Corinth, 
Vicksburg, siege of Atlanta; Sherman's march 



GROVE TOWNSHIP. 



103 



to the sea, and the grand review. He has 
held several township offices; moved from Ten- 
nessee to Davis County. Iowa, in 1847; from 
thence to this township in 1874; bought the 
undivided half of 120 acres for $10 per acre, 
and now has 120 acres valued at about $30 per 
acre. There is a grove of natural timber, a 
small orchard, and he is now erecting a fine 
one-and-a half story building on his place. 

G. B. OTTO, blacksmitli and farmer, P. 0. 
Wheeler's Grove, born in Pennsj-lvania, May^ 
1831, son of James and Mehetabel (Field) Otto ; 
he, a farmer, boru in Pennsj'lvania in 1796, 
died in Iowa in 1869 ; she, born in Delaware 
in 1803, died in Iowa in 1880. They had 
eleven children, eight of whom are living. Sub- 
ject received a common-school education; com- 
menced life as a blacksmith, and married, in 
this county, in 1859, Sarah J. Pritchett, born in 
Tennessee in 1841, daughter of John W. and 
Lucinda (Traynor) Pritchett ; he died in 1845 
and she in 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Otto have had 
nine children, viiz. : John W., Harriet E. (dead), 
Rebecca J., Iva E. and Eva I. (twins), James 
B. (dead), Orpha A., Effle (dead) and Olive L. 
Subject is a Democrat ; moved with his parents 
from Pennsj-lvania to Ohio in 1837, then to 
this county in 1851 ; about 1855, he bought 
forty acres of land at S8 per acre, and now has 
eighty acres valued at about $25 per acre; 
there is a small orchard and other small fruits 
on the place. 

A. W. PEARCE, farmer, P. 0. Wheeler's 
Grove, born in Richland County, Ohio, Sep- 
tember 22, 1840, son of Dennis C. and Mary 
(Pollock) Pearce ; he, a farmer, born in Ohio, 
died in Scott Count}-, Iowa, about August, 
1854 ; she, bom in Ohio in 1811. is still living. 
They had nine children, seven of whom are 
living. Subject received a common-school edu- 
cation ; commenced life as a farmer, renting a 
farm in Cedar County, Iowa, in 1866, and mar- 
ried Miss Agnes Bolton, September 11, 1866, 
who was born in Cedar County, Iowa, February 



28, 1847, daughter of William H. and Sarah 
(Southern) Bolton ; he, born in Virginia, died 
in Cedar County, this State, in 1863 ; she, born 
in North Carolina in 1810, is still living in 
Michigan, Mr, and Mrs, Pearce have six chil- 
dren, viz. : Merrill E., born July 13, 1867 ; 
Mertie C, January 11, 1869 ; Estella K., Octo- 
ber 29, 1872 ; Dessie I., February 23, 1877; 
Ethel G., August 24, 1879, and Laura J., July 
15, 1881. Subject enlisted in Company E, 
Eleventh Iowa lufantry, on the 23d of Septem- 
ber, 1861 ; discharged honorably, in Kentucky, 
Jul}' 15, 1865 ; participated in several severe 
engagements, such as the battles of Shiloh and 
Vicksburg ; taken prisoner at Atlanta, Ga.. 
July 22, 1864 ; was in prison seven months 
and four days ; in Andersonville one month ; 
Charleston two or three days and in Sumter 
Prison, South Carolina, the balance of the 
time. He has served his township as Clerk, 
School Director, etc. ; is a member of the 'SI. E. 
Church and moved with his parents from Ohio 
to McLean County, 111. ; lived there one year ; 
moved to Cedar County, this State, and in 1 869 
he bought forty acres of land there, but sold out 
and went to Polk County, Neb., in 1873, where 
he took a homestead of 160 acres ; in 1875, he 
sold out and came to this county, buying 120 
acres of land at $10 per acre, but afterward 
sold forty acres at about $17.75 per acre, and 
now owns eighty acres valued at about $30 
per acre, with a fine young orchard and about 
four acres of natural timber on the place. 

G. M. PUTNAM, farmer, P. 0. Carson, born 
in New Hampshire in 1837, son of George and 
Elizabeth (Perkins) Putnam ; he died in this 
State, November 12, 1872 ; she is still living 
in this State. They had nine children, eight 
of whom are still living. Subject received a 
common-school education, commenced life as a 
farmer and was married in Illinois, in 1868, to 
Emily A. Jackson, born December 16, 1842, 
and daughter of William and Maria (Moulton) 
Jackson, Mr, and Mrs, Putnam have six chil- 



104 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



dren, viz. : Fred, Edith, William, Mjrtle, 
Blanche and Francis. Subject has held some 
township offices ; is a member of the M. E. 
Church, a Republican ; enlisted in Companj- A, 
Seventy-fifth Illinois Infantry ; mustered out 
June, 18G5 ; was in the battles of Stone River, 
Perryville, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, 
Kenesaw. Atlanta, Franklin, Nashville, Tenn., 
and others. He moved from New Hampshire 
to Illinois in 1853, thence to Iowa in 1873, 
when he bought 1 60 acres of land for $9 per acre, 
which is worth at least 830 per acre. There is 
a. small young orchard of about one acre and 
some natural and artificial timber on the place. 
ISOM REYNOLDS, farmer, P. 0. Wheeler's 
Grove, born in North Carolina January 16, 
1847, son of Wilson and Nancy (Spurling) 
Reynolds, both born in North Carolina ; he, 
a farmer, is probably still living ; she is still 
living. They had eight children, four of whom 
are living. Subject received a common-school 
education ; commenced life as a laborer on the 
farm, and was married in this county, Novem- 
ber 11, 1875, to Miss Cornelia J. Foot, born in 
Ohio October 25, 1851, daughter of Adonijah 
and Elizabeth (Bedell) Foot ; he, born in New 
York ; she, in New Jersey ; both are still 
living. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds have two chil- 
dren, viz. : Eva Elnora, born in this county, 
January 20, 1877. and Hermie Blanche, also 
born in this county, March 26, 1878. Subject 
is a member of the Christian Church, a Repub- 
lican, a Vigilante and was drafted into Company 
D, North Carolina Infantry, remaining three or 
four months when he was sent home on a sick 
furlough, and the war closing before his return, 
this ended his military career. He moved from 
North Carolina to Hardin County, Iowa, about 
1870, working as a hired man, moving in 1872 
to this county, where he leased land until about 
1874, when he bought eighty acres at §10 per 
acre, which is now worth S30 per acre. There 
is a fine 3'oung orchard of one and one-half 
acres, a mixed grove of the same amount and 



a large quantity of the smaller fruits on the 
place. 

COLUMBUS REYNOLDS, farmer, P. 0. 
Carson, born in North Carolina November 12, 
1848, son of Wilson and Nancy (Spurling) 
Reynolds; he. a farmer, born in North Carolina, 
is still living; she, born in the same place, is 
also still living. They had eight children, four 
of whom are living. Subject received a com- 
mon school education; commenced life as a 
farmer, working for others, and married, in 
Iowa, September 16, 1872, Sarah Wilson, born 
in Indiana July 10, 1851, daughter of William 
T. and Anna (Pemberton) Wilson; he, born in 
North Carolina August 22, 1821; she, born in 
Indiana August 17, 1827, died October, 1872. 
Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds have three children, 
viz., Nancy R., Laura J. and Anna E., all born 
in this county. He is a Christian, a Republi- 
can, an Odd Fellow; and moved from North 
Carolina to Whitesides Countj', 111., in 1867, 
working for the farmers; in the fall, he moved 
to Hardin County, Iowa; worked by the month 
until 1868, when he moved to this couut3- and 
leased land for a few years. In 1872, he 
bought eighty acres of land at $10 per acre; 
now owns 240 acres valued at $45 per acre. 
There is a very fine orchard of about three 
acres, a large quantity of small fruits, and a 
very beautiful, large two-story residence on the 
farm. In 1880, he was damaged to the extent 
of $800 by the cyclone, which passed through 
this region on June 9, 1880; some of his horses 
were blown eight}- rods; his cattle, hogs and 
chickens were blown all over the prairie for a 
distance of at least a mile. 

JOHN JACKSON RODENBOUGH, farmer, 
P. 0. Wheeler's Grove; born in New Jersey, 
June 10, 1832, son of George S. and Elizabeth 
(Jackson) Rodenbough, both natives of New 
Jersey; he, a shoemaker, was born about 1802, 
is still living; she died in August, 1878. They 
had twelve children, ten of whom are living. 
Subject received a common school education, 



GROVE TOWXSHIP. 



105 



commeueed life as a farmer, and was married 
the first time in Illinois, in 1S39, to !Mary A. 
Axtel, who died in 1872, and was a daughter 
of Thomas and Sarah (Robb) Axtel, of Penn- 
s\-lvania, who are both dead. In Illinois, in 
1873, he took for his second wife Eunice Dilley, 
born in Pennsj'lvania in 1839, and daughter of 
William Dillej-, bora in Pennsylvania, and who 
still lives. There are four children by the first 
marriage, viz., Wilbert E., George T., Flora B. 
and Hattie, and three bj- the second wife, viz., 
Mary A. E.. William H. and Janetta, all liv- 
ing. Subject is a member of the Methodist 
Protestant Church; a Republican; and moved 
from New Jersey to Illinois about 1863; from 
thence to this county in 18G7; broke prairie; 
worked on the railroad, and, about 1870, bought 
fortj' acres at $10 per acre; he now owns 120 
acres, valued at about S35 per acre. There is 
a small orchard, and forty acres of brush and 
timber on the place. He has six first-class 
horses, eighteen j'ouug cattle and fifty hogs. 

C. G. STARR, farmer, P. 0. Carson, born in 
Ohio in 1823, son of Josiah and Mary (Cannon) 
Starr; he, a farmer and shoemaker, born in 
Connecticut in 178(5, died in Ohio in 1862; 
she, born in Massachusetts in 1788, died in 
Ohio in 1874. They were the parents of eight 
children. Subject received a common school 
education; began life as a farmer, also as a 
cooper, and was married in Ohio, in 1850, to 
Susan Williamson, born in Ohio in 1833, daugh- 
ter of Palmer and Amy (Horton) Williamson, 
both born in New York; he in 1802, she in 
1804. Mr. and Mrs. Starr have five children, 
viz., Ella, Warner, Palmer, Mabel and Lylburn, 
Subject's business has been farming, though he 
has been a cooper, a tanner, and also been in 
the saltpeter business as well as a Justice of 
the Peace. He moved from Lake County, HI., 
to this county in the spring of 1868, the trip 
having been made in a covered wagon, and oc- 
cupying three weeks. He moved onto his own 
land, having bought it two years previous for 



$3 per acre; the same land is now worth $35 
per acre. Mr. Starr is a Republican. 

AUGUSTUS J. ST. CLAIR, farmer, P. O. 
Macedonia, born in Logan, 111., October 21, 1856, 
a great-grandson of Gen. St. Clair, of Revolu- 
tionary fame, and son of Joseph N. and Melissa 
Ann (Briggs) St. Clair, he, a carpenter by ti-ade, 
born in New York, died in Kansas July 4, 1872 ; 
she, born in Vermont in 1828, is still living ; 
they had eight children, all of whom are living. 
Subject received a common-school education ; 
began life as a farmer and married in Kansas, 
on January 1, 1880, Lenora C. Penu, born jn 
California, February 21, 1856, daughter of 
Josiah W. and Martha A. (Clark) Penn ; he, 
born in Tennessee June 21, 1827, died in 
Missouri, October 15, 1870 ; she, born in Ohio 
August 9, 1829, is still living. Mr. and Mrs. 
St. Clair have one child. Bertha, born Jul}- 25, 
1881. Subject is a Christian and a Democrat; 
and moved from Illinois to Crawford County, 
Kan., in 1872, farming on his own land and 
trading in cattle until 1881, when he moved to 
to this county and shortly afterward rented 
the farm on which he now lives and which he 
contemplates buying soon. There are about 
fourteen acres of natural timber, 100 head of 
sheep and other stock on the place. 

THOMAS SHEETS, farmer, P. 0. Wheeler's 
Grove, born in Seneca County, Ohio, December 
6, 1835, son of Greenberry and Marcella (Petti- 
cord) Sheets ; he, born in Maryland in 1788, 
emigrated to Ohio when about twenty-seven 
years old, settled on a farm, improved it and 
remained there till his death, about 1847 ; she, 
born in Maryland in 1795, died in Ohio in 
1877, and was mother of nine children, three 
of whom are living. Subject received a com- 
mon-school education ; began life at sixteen 
years of age as a stock trader, buying for W. 
H. Gibson, of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, for about 
four years ; emigrating to Belmont, Wright 
County, this State, working for various com- 
panies as a fur trader for about ten years. 



106 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



when he moved to Wheeler's Grove, this town- 
ship, where he bought eight\- acres of land, 
but now owns 200 ; has devoted his attention 
largely to dealing in real estate. Subject is a 
Republican, a Freemason, has been a member 
of the Board of Supervisors and held various 
other township and county offices. Mr. Sheets 
married Miss Emma Dumond. of Wright 
County, Iowa, January 1, 1860, born in Lake 
County, Ind., July 22, 1841, daughter of Archey 
and Elizabeth (Martin) Dumond ; he, a farmer 
and saw-miller, born in Seneca County, Ohio, in 
1803, emigrated to Michigan, thence to Indiana, 
thence to Iowa in 1855, where he owned a saw- 
mill and followed fiirming, died in 1857 ; she, 
born in Ohio about 1808, is still living in 
Harper County, Kan. Mr. and Mrs. Sheets 
have had six children, three of whom are living, 
viz., Llewellyn, Earl and Almira. 

ABRAHAM SMITH, farmer, P. 0. Wheeler's 
Grove, born in Macedonia Township, this coun- 
ty, on June 29, 1849, son of John and Sarah 
(Winegar) Smith ; he, born in Union County, 
S. C, in February, 1800, died in Iowa, February 
25, 1870 ; she, born in Pennsylvania in 1801, 
died in this State November 15, 1880. The}' 
had four children, three of whom are living. 
Subject received a common-school education ; 
commenced life as a painter, following the 
trade for fourteen jears, and was married in 
Montgomery County, Januarj' 1, 1874, to Olive 
Malissa Knapp, born at Wheeler's Grove, this 
count}', August 5, 1855, daughter of Edward 
W. and Charlotte Malissa (Otto) Knapp ; he, 
born in Michigan, in 1810, is still living ; she, 
in Ohio, in 1816, is still living. Mr. and Mrs. 
Smith have had four children, viz. : Janie 
Belle, born February 26, 1876 ; Mabel Grace, 
born December 29, 1877 ; Abraham Clifford, 
born March 16, 1879, died January 6, 1880 ; 
Paul George, born November 19, 1881. Sub- 
ject is a Republican, a Vigilante, a member of 
the L. D. S. ; commenced about 1868 to farm 
on his father's place ; a year later, he returned 



to his trade ; in 1881, he bought fortj- acres of 
laud at $30 per acre, and now owns about 
sixty-five acres valued at $35 per acre ; there 
are twelve acres of natural timber, a fine young 
orchard and other fruits on the place. He is 
also engaged in the apiar}- business, having 
thirtj'-two stands of bees. 

JOHN D. TEDRO, farmer, P. 0. Wheeler's 
Grove, born in Westmoreland County, Penn , 
October 17, 1845, son of Leonard and Naucj' 
(Carpenter) Tedro ; he, born in Somerset 
County, Penn., December 22, 1810, is still liv- 
ing ; she, born in Westmoreland Count}', Penn., 
September 26, 1809, died June 23, 1847. They 
had eight children, six of whom are living. 
Subject received a common-school education ; 
commenced life as a farmer, and married Miss 
Sarah Stevick in Lee Count}-, this State, No- 
vember 1, 1866 ; born in Harrisburg, Penn., 
December, 7, 1846, daughter of David and 
Mary (Zarker) Stevick ; he, born in Harris- 
burg, Penn., still living ; she, born in Harris- 
burg, Penn., about 1828, died in this State in 
April, 1861. Mr. and Mrs. Tedro have had 
four children, viz. ; Frank B., born August 
16, 1867 ; Cora Bell, born June 7, 1869. died 
January 11, 1870 ; Alice N., born July 4, 1871 ; 
Judd, born October 17, 1880. Subject enlisted 
in Company L, First Iowa Cavalry, at West 
Point, this State, March 26, 1864 : was in sev- 
eral engagements, and was discharged February 
16, 1866, at Austin, Texas. He moved with 
his parents from Pennsylvania to Lee County, 
this State, in 1855; in 1867, he moved to Mont- 
gomery County, this State, and rented land 
for two years ; moving in 1870 to this town- 
ship, bought eighty acres of land at $12.50 per 
acre, and now owns 160 acres valued at $30 
per acre ; there is about one acre of fine young 
orchard, five acres of grove, consisting of 
maple, ash, Cottonwood, sycamore, box-elder 
and elm ; there are also grape vines, a consid- 
erable amount of small fruits and one and one- 
quarter miles of osage and locust fence. 



HARDIN TOWNSHIP. 



107 



L. D. WOODMANSEE, merchant, Wheeler's 
Grove, born in New Jersey March 21, 1833; he 
emigrated with his father's family to Ohio in 
1843, and remained there till 1858, then emi- 
grated to Illinois, and settled in Logan Coun- 
ty, where he followed farming till coming to 
Iowa in 1864, when he settled in Pottawattamie 
County, three miles north of Macedonia. He 
owned a portion of the land now occupied by 
the town of Carson in Pattawattamie County; 
from there he went into the mercantile business 
in old Macedonia in 18GG. but continued in 
charge of a farm of 160 acres south of Mace- 
donia; this business was continued for three 
years, when he sold out, and bought a grist- 
mill on East Nishuabotna River, in Jlontgomery 
County, Iowa. He continued in the milling 
business one year, then traded for a farm in 
Pottawattamie County, near Wheeler's Grove, 
on Farm Creek. He remained on that farm 
till 1875, and then opened the mercantile busi- 
ness at Wheeler's Grove, where he conducts 
mercantile, stock and agricultural business; 



he owns 567 acres adjoining the town of Wheel- 
er's Grove. His father, John Woodmansee, 
was born in New Jersey in 1804; he emigrated 
to Shelby County, Ohio, in 1843; has always 
been a farmer, and still lives on the farm on 
which he first settled; his mother, Harriet 
(Piatt) Woodmansee, was born in New Jersey 
about 1813. She is the mother of seven chil- 
dren, of whom six are living, three being in 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Mr. Woodman- 
see has been Township Clerk, and is now Jus- 
tice of the Peace. ■ Mr. Woodmansee married 
Mary Niswanger, of Shelby County, Ohio, Feb- 
ruary 7, 1858; she was born April 18, 1836; 
her father, Samuel Niswanger, was born in 
Greene County, Ohio, in 1806; her mother, 
Nanc}- Scarf, was born in Greene County, 
Ohio, and died in 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Wood- 
mansee have three children — Hattie Alice, 
Laura E. and Edith S., whose ages are re- 
spectively twenty-three, twentj--two and four- 
teen. Mr. Woodmansee is a staunch Repub- 
lican. 



HARDIN TOWNSHIP. 



J. C. BARNARD, farmer, P. O. Snapp, 
was born October IS, 1820, in Hnntsville, 
Ala. , and is the son of Timothy and Eliza- 
beth (Daniel) Barnard. Both of his parents 
•were born in Massachusetts. Father died in 
1829; mother in 1856. The family consisted 
of four brothers, one of whom was killed in 
the army. Mr. Barnard was educated in the 
common schools of Illinois. Began life with 
farming, and has followed it most of the time 
since; however, he has been in the mercantile 
business for a short while at different times. 
He has voted the Republican ticket ever since 
Fort Sumter was fired on. In lSr)4, he was 
married to Miss Abbie Sanford, who was bom 
ir Michigan, and is the daughter of Joel H. 



and Anna M. (Ragan) Sanford; father born 
in New York State, but mother came across 
the water from Ireland when she was a baby. 
Mr. and Mrs. Barnard both joined the Meth- 
odist Chiu-ch in Warren, 111., about the 
year 1856. Mi\ Barnard is a member of the 
Masonic order, Lodge No. 36, Illinois; be- 
came a member in 1850. In 1821, he moved 
to Illinois with his parents. They settled in 
Franklin County, and lived there till he was 
about twenty-five years old, and then went to 
the north part of the State, settling in Jo 
Daviess County; bought about nine hundi-ed 
acres of land, which had just been opened to 
the public. Here he followed fanning, with 
the exception of a year or two, in which he 



108 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



was in business in Warren, 111., till he came 
to his present farm in Hardin Township in 
1865. Here he farmed till in the fall of 1877 ; 
then rented his place and went into the har- 
ness business in Avoca, Pottawattamie Coun- 
ty. Here he built up a good trade, having 
several men in his employ, but the health of 
family required a change, so, in the spring 
of 1881, he closed out business and spent 
the year in Colorado, and then retiu'ned to 
his farm. Mr. and Mrs. Barnard's lives have 
been saddened by the loss of five of their 
children. The oldest son, Albert, born De- 
cember 16, 1855, resides now at Avoca, Iowa, 
where he has been in the photograph busi- 
ness, but which, on account of ill health, he 
has had to give up; Charlie, born in 1860, 
died at four months old; Delia, born in 1863, 
died at six months old; Gracie, born in 1875, 
died at four years old; Frank Barnard, after 
reaching the age of twenty-one years, died 
June 23,. 1879; and Clara Bell died April 22, 
1880, in her seventeenth year. Frank and 
Clara Bell were both members of the Meth- 
odist Church at Avoca, as is also Eva, who 
was bom in 1871, and is now at home with 
her parents. It has always been Mr. Bar- 
nard's aim to give his children a good edu- 
cation, and in this he would have succeeded 
if death had not intercepted. Mr. Barnard 
has a farm of 240 acres, well improved, an 
orchard of 600 apple trees, besides other 
fruits, all in bearing. Some of the apple 
trees have been bearing about nine years. 
Mr. Barnard started in life with but little 
property, but, by hard work and economy, he 
has accumulated quite a property, but is not 
in sufficient health to take charge of his farm, 
so he rents it. Mr. Barnard has had seven 
children born to him. two of whom are liv- 
ing — Albert L. and Eva; those dead are 
Frank, Charles, Clara Bell, Delia and 
Grace. 



FREDERICK BOLLMEIER, farmer, P. 
O. Council Bluffs, was born in Prussia in 
1850. Is the son of Frederick W. and Char- 
lotte (Mahler) Bollmeier, who were farmers, 
and lived and died in Gei-many, his 
mother dying in 1861, and father in 1880. 
Mr. Bollmeier has one brother and two 
sisters, one sister being in Pennsylvania, 
while the others remain in the old country. 
He was educated in his native country, and 
worked at diiferent employments till he came 
to America in 1868 ; then worked three years 
in the rolling-mills in Pittsburgh. Penn. In 
1871, he came to Cedar County, Iowa, and 
worked on a farm for some time, and then 
to Mills County, farming there for over a 
year, then to Pottawattamie County in 1873; 
worked on a farm by the month. In 1875, 
he bought a farm of eighty acres, and moved 
onto the same in 1876, and added to his farm 
till now he has 140 acres. Mr. Bollmeier 
does not take much interest in political affairs; 
has never voted for President but once, but 
then voted the Democratic ticket. In 1871, 
he was married to Miss Caroline Luker, who 
came from near his old home in 1868. Her 
parents are living in this country; also she 
has two brothers and one sister living in 
America. They have two boys and one daugh- 
ter. Mr. Bollmeier and wife were brought 
up in the Lutheran Church, and ai-e members 
of the same church now. When they came 
to their farm in 1876, it was open prairie, 
but now the whole farm is under cultivation. 
and considerable improvements have been 
made. Mr. Bollmeier is doing general farm- 
ing, and has made all he has by his own in- 
dustry. 

L. W. CARLISLE, farmer, P. O. Council 
Bluffs, was born in 1836 in Ohio, and is the 
son of John and Ann E. (Baldwin) Carlisle, 
who were also born in Ohio. He is the son 
of a farmer, and has two brothers and two 



HARDIN TOWNSHIP. 



109 



sisters, all living in this county. He was 
educated in the common schools of his na- 
tive State, and began life as a farmer. In 
1861, Ml-. Carlisle enlisted with the Fifty- 
fourth Ohio Regiment, Second Brigade, Sec- 
ond Division of Fifteenth Ai-my Corps. He 
continued in the army till 1865, when peace 
was again established. He had one brother 
in the army for some time. Both came out 
with scarcely a scratch. He has always voted 
the Republican ticket. In the year 1860, he 
was first married, to Cecilia Stuart, who was 
born in Ohio in 1838. Both of her parents 
died while she was quite small. His wife 
died in 1872. They have two children, both 
living in Pottawattamie County. Iowa. In 
1868, he moved from Ohio to this State, and 
stayed here till 1879, farming most of the 
time. Then he went to Ohio, sold his farm 
on Silver Creek, this county, and stayed in 
Ohio till 1881. when he was again married, 
to Miss Louisa Standish, of Ohio, and came 
here to live, fanning for the season on Mr. 
Baj-nard's farm, in Hardin Township. Mr. 
Cai'lisle's life has been one of quiet, it being 
spent mostly on a farm. In 1859 he took a 
trip to Pike's Peak, but soon returned. 

H. A. DONER, farmer, P. O. Council 
Bluffs. One of the most successful young 
men in Hardin Township is Mr. H. A. Do- 
ner, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio, 
in 1850. He is the son of Henry and Aman- 
da (Johnson) Doner. He is one of six broth- 
ers and thi-ee sisters, one brother and one sis- 
ter being dead. In August, 1851, his father 
moved from Ohio to Northeastern Indiana, 
then, after a stay of eleven years, moved back 
to Ohio, going to Defiance County; lived 
there three years, then sold out and came to 
Jasper County, Iowa, and lived there till his 
death, in 1868. On account of these changes, 
INIr. Doner attended the common schools in 
Indiana, Ohio and Iowa. He has always fol- 



lowed his father's occupation — that of farm- 
ing — and is a Republican in politics. His 
mother is now living in Mills County, Iowa. 
In 1871, he went to Bureau County, 111. 
where he worked on a fann for about six 
years, and then came to Pottawattamie Coun- 
ty, Iowa, and bought, in j^artnership with his 
brother, a quarter-section of land, pju-t of 
which was improved to some extent. They 
then divided the land, each taking an eighty- 
acre lot. Since that time, Mr. H. A. Doner 
has added to his farm, till now it consists of 
320 acres, all under cultivation, well stocked 
and considerably improved. In 1882, he 
was married to Laura Swarts, of Potta- 
wattamie County. Her mother is dead, but 
her father lives in Mills County. She has 
one brother living, and one dead. Mr. Do- 
ner attributes his success in life to hard work, 
early and late, and a fixed determination to 
succeed. 

HENRY HARTING, farmer, P. O. Coun- 
cil Blidls, was born in Germany in 1842, son 
of Frederick and Mary (Lietsmith) Harting: 
he, a farmer and laborer, born in Germany, 
moved to this country about 1845, lived at 
York. Penn. , till 1867, when he came to this 
county, and died August 17, 1878; she, also 
born in Germany, is still living in this town- 
ship, and was the mother of three sons and 
two daughters. Subject received his educa- 
tion in the common schools of York, Penn.; 
commenced life as a blacksmith, and married, 
in York, Penn., September 10, 1865, Rebecca 
Fahs, bom in York County, Penn., daughter 
of John and Mary Fahs, of York, Penn. Mr. 
and !Mi's. Hai'ting are the pai'ents of the fol- 
lowing children, viz. : Mary Jane, born 
April 20. 1866; Clara H., February 17, 1868; 
Charles Henry, December 10, 1869; Fannie 
F., July 20, 1878. Subject is a Democrat; 
worked for some time in a blacksmith shop; 
one year in the rolling-mills; seven years in 



110 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



the boiler shops; leaving the shop, he came 
here in 1870, and has followed farming since 
1871. He came to America with his parents 
when about two and a half years old; lived 
in York, Penn,, until he came to this State to 
see his parents, who had come here some time 
before. In the following year, he brought 
his family out, farmed on his mother's place 
until 1877, when he removed to his present 
place, which, at that time, consisted cf eighty 
acres, since adding to it until now he has a 
farm of 280 acres, all under fence, and over 
half in cultivation. He has improved his 
farm, and has a small apple orchard and 
other fruits. 

G. A. HEYWOOD, farmer, P. O. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Vermont December 25, 
1835; is the son of Jonathan D. and Chris- 
tina (Mathewson) Heywood. His father was 
born in Massachvisetts. He was a far;, er on 
the side of the Green Mountains, biit is now 
living in Pottawattamie County. His mother 
is dead. Father joined the Mormons in Ver- 
mont, but mother's 2>eople were Quakers, and 
shewoiild not join the Mormons. But his fa- 
ther sold out and followed the MoiTQons to 
Nauvoo, 111., although it was against the will 
of his mother. There they had a farm and 
town property, and were living here at the 
time of the uprising of the mob which drove 
them out. One evening, while his father and 
mother were standing on the porch, two Mor- 
mons rode by ai-med, a strap by which the 
gun was carried broke and let the gun fall to 
the ground; in striking, it was discharged; 
one buckshot striick his mother in the neck, 
while another struck her in the back and 
glanced to the side. For some time they 
despaired of her life, but she finally recov- 
ered. Soon after this accident, the mob sur- 
rounded their house, took Mr. Haywood's fa- 
ther and sent him across the river to the Iowa 
side, and gave him warning that if he re- 



turned they would kill him. He did return, 
however, was captured, taken to the temple, 
and, while one was sent for a warrant for his 
arrest, others watched him, but, before the 
warrant was procured, he escaped and crossed 
the river. One night, a few days after this, he 
again returned, to try and persuade his wife 
to go to Council Bluffs with the Mormons, 
but she refused to follow them any farther, 
BO he returned, but afterward sent a neigh- 
bor's boy over to the Illinois side, and this 
boy induced Mr. Q. A. Heywood and his two 
brothers to go down to the river, and there 
was a man in a skiff who asked them to take 
a ride, which they did; he rowed them across 
to the Iowa side, and there they found their 
father waiting for them. He took them in a 
wagon and drove off some distance, and left 
them with a Mormon family. A short time 
after this, he went back one nisrht and eot 
his little daughter, who was about six months 
old at that time. She was soon afterward re- 
turned to her mother, however. The father 
and thi-ee sons came to Western Iowa with 
the Mormons. Mr. Heywood remembers see- 
ing the Mormons make chain shot and fire it 
at the mob, with a cannon made from a cast- 
iron steamboat shaft, being cut into and one 
end filled up. His mother, after recovering 
from the wound, still lived in Nauvoo for 
about five years ; was then married, and 
moved to Eastern Iowa, and lived there till 
her death, about fifteen years after the time 
of the mob. Her daughter, who had been 
with her all the time, was now almost woman- 
grown, but did not know that she had any 
brothers. The mother had kept the place of 
her residence a secret from Mr. Heywood's 
father, for fear that he would tiy to get their 
daughter. Just before ilr. Heywood's moth- 
er's death, she told her daughter of her fa- 
ther and brothers, and told her where they 
were, and where some letters were which she 



HARDIN TOWNSHIP. 



Ill 



had received from her sons through their 
aunt in Vermont. Laura, the daughter, then 
made herself known to her father and brothers, 
and, soon after this, the father and youngest 
brother went to see her, and soon afterward 
she came to her father's, but did not live 
there long till she was married to John Kel- 
ley, of Jasper Coimty, Iowa, and is now liv- 
ing there. Thus the family circle was broken 
up on account of religious beliefs; on all 
other subjects, there was perfect harmony. 
But Mr. Heywood's father thought it his duty 
to follow the chui'ch in its varied changes, 
while his mother could not think the same. 
His father was afterward cut oil" from the 
church because he called Taylor a rascal, so 
he did not follow them to Salt Lake. The 
family came here about 1847. (It was in the 
fall, after the first Mormon emigration in the 
spring.) They settled on land which Mr. 
Heywood's father now owns. In the settle- 
ment, there were about eighty families, on as 
many acres. All the houses were log huts, 
and they called it Springville. They had 
their schools and churches, but, when the 
Mormons moved to Salt Lake, the Heywood 
family was all that was left in the place. 
The first year they had to live mostly on 
coru-meal and game. Everything cost a 
high price, and there was no money and no 
work; but, after the first crop, which was 
good, they got along without any trouble. 
With a few exceptions, Mr. Heywood is as 
old a settler as is in the county. He was 
married, in 1857, to Miss Martha J. Allen, 
daughter of Russell and Sarah (Ray) Allen; 
she was bom in Indiana; parents both dead. 
They have three sons and seven daughters. 
Mr. Heywood has not as large a farm as many, 
but there are few farms in Hardin Township 
which show more care than his does. He has 
been on his present place for twelve years; 
has an apple orchard of 250 trees in bearing. 



besides various other kinds of fruits. His 
orchards and shade trees have been out ten 
years, and some of them measure in diame- 
ter as much as eighteen inches. 

V. R. J. MORRIS, farmer, P. O. Weston, 
was born in Des Moines County, this State. 
March 3, 1840, son of William and Catha- 
rine (Cothran) Morris, she a widow, he a na- 
tive of New York; was a farmer, and one of 
the pioneers of Iowa, coming in 1836; he died 
in 1867, at the age of eighty- four years. 
The mother died in 1843. Our subject was 
their only child, but he had a half-brother 
and a half-sister, the result of his father's 
subsequent marriage. Our subject received 
a common-school education in this State, and 
started in life as a farmer. He was married 
in his native county, April 13, 1861, to Isa- 
bella Allison, born in Ireland March 17, 
1840. daughter of John and Elizabeth (Barr) 
Allison, natives also of Ii-eland, he still liv- 
ing; she died June 30, 1865. Mr. and Mrs. 
Morris have had five children — Sai'ah Jane, 
Elizabeth Catharine (deceased), William 
Leslie, Elbert Garner and Van Rensselaer. 
Our subject enlisted, in 1864, in the Fif- 
teenth Iowa Infantrv, and served till the close 
of the war. He served on detached duty with 
Sherman in his march to the sea, and was 
mustered out at Louisville, Ky, He came to 
his present place in 1873, previous to which, 
however, he had traveled for some two years 
in Missouri and elsewhere. He purchased 
160 acres of unimproved land, on which he 
lived for two years, when he moved to Coun- 
cil Bluffs on account of family sickness, there 
being no physicians in the surrounding coun- 
try at that time. He remained in the latter 
city for three years, and then returned to his 
farm, on which he has since remained. He 
has formerly raised gi-ain principally, but is 
now giving extensive attention to stock. Mr. 
Morris has held several township and school 



112 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



offices. In politics, he is a Republican, and a 
member of the Masonic fraternity. 

CHARLES C. PLATNER, farmer and 
stock-raiser, P. O. Council Bluffs, born in 
Council Blufifs, this State, Februaiy 3, 1856, 
son of Ira and Elizabeth (Blair) Platner, both 
still living in Council Bluffs, he born in 
New York, she in this State. Subject has 
one full brother, two half-brothers and one 
half-sister; was educated in Council Blufifs; 
commenced life as a farmer in 1878; married, 
in Council Bluffs, September 21, 1881. Miss 
Anna B. Smith, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, 
daughter of H. A. and Maria (Kistler) Smith. 
Subject came to his mother's farm of 320 
acres in 1878, and has since been farming 
and stock-raising, dealing in cattle and 
thoroughbred horses; has Lottie Moon, four 
of her colts, and other thoroughbred horses. 
He has improved the farm, which is one of 
the finest in the township. 

"WILLIAM F. PLUNKET, farmer, P. O. 
Council Bluffs. In the fall of 1870, when 
Mr. "William F. Plunket became a resident of 
Hardin Township, the country was settled by 
but a few farmers and stock men. Choosing 
one of the finest locations in the township, 
Mr. Plunket has devoted his time and energj' 
to the development of a fine farm, and he has 
succeeded admirably. He first bought 200 
acres, but has since added forty acres to his 
original purchase, and now has what is gen- 
erally conceded to be the finest farm in Har- 
din Township. For four years after purchas- 
ing the farm, he lived in a small hut, occu- 
pied by the original owner, Mr. E. A. Hu- 
ber. He then erected his present residence, 
the main part of which is 16x26 feet and two 
stories, with a sixteen-foot post. The L, or 
wing, is 11x16 feet. A fine cellar, walled 
with brick, is under the main building. His 
barn, which is the finest in the township, is 
an old-fashioned frame, and is solid and sub- 



stantial. This he built in the spring of 
1882. It is 36x50 feet, with sixteen-foot 
posts. Both buildings cost him S3,0i)0. 
Hardin Township doos not boast a finer orchard 
than is to be found on the farm of Mr. Plun- 
ket. It consists of nearly six hundred fine 
trees, all of which have been reared by him- 
self. Mr. Plunket is a native of Mason 
County, 111., where he was born in 1833. 
His parents moved from there to Hemy 
County, Iowa, while there were plenty of In- 
dians to be had for neighbors, if they so de- 
sired. There the early life of ^Yilliam F. 
was spent. In 1854. he went to Colorado, 
where he remained for three years, mining 
and prospecting. Retiu'ning to Iowa, he 
bought a farm in Henry Covmty, and resided 
there imtil he sold out and came to his pres- 
ent home. In 1858, he married Miss Nancy 
Coy, of Henry County, Iowa. Her people 
became residents of that county as early as 
1855. Six boys have been born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Plunket, but no girls have blessed their 
union. Politically, Mr. Plunket is a Demo- 
crat, though he is governed more by princi- 
ple than party ties when casting his vote. 

REES D. " PRICE, farmer, P. O. Snapp. 
The oldest settler now in Hardin Township 
is Rees D. Price, who was born in Wales in 
1813, and is the son of Daniel and Mary 
(Hopkins) Price. His father was a mason, 
and died in 1835, and buried on Christmas 
Day; his mother died in 1827. In the fam- 
ily there were five sons and four daughters, 
of whom Mr. Rees D. Price is the only one 
now livincr. Mr. Price was educated in 
Wales, in his native language. He started 
in life as a miner, and continued in the same 
till he came to America, and has since fol- 
lowed farming most of the time. Was first 
married in 1834, and had one daughter by 
first wife, who is now living in Omaha, Neb. 
In 1839, his wife died, but Sir. Price was 



HARDIN TOWNSHIP. 



113 



married a second time, in 1840, to Miss Jane 
Jones, of Wales. They have had nine chil- 
dren, seven of whom are still alive. Febru- 
ary 13, 18-49, Mr Price and family left Wales 
and went to Liverpool; from there they em- 
bai'ked about March ] . After seven weeks 
and two days on the ocean, they arrived at 
New Orleans, and there took a boat on the 
Mississippi River to St. Louis. A little son, 
who had taken sick on the ocean, died at 
landing in St. Louis; they buried him there, 
and took a boat for Council Bluffs, Iowa, at 
which place they landed May 17, 1849. Dur- 
ing the trip from St. Louis to Council Bluffs, 
the cholera had been raging on board, and 
out of the 240 Welsh emigrants on board, 
forty-seven died, besides many others of dif- 
ferent nationality. They remained that year 
at Council Point, where they landed. The 
fall of 1849, there being no work to be done 
here. Mr. Price went to St. Louis on the last 
boat from Upper Missouri; worked at St. 
Louis till, in the winter, word came that one 
of his children was sick, and, as there was no 
other way of traveling, he, with two of his 
friends, walked all the distance from St. 
Louis to Council Bluffs, making the trip in 
twenty days. June 8, 1850, Mr. Price moved 
with his family to Hardin Township, buying 
a claim and settling in what was called Log 
City, it being a colony of Mormons, and in 
the city there were thirteen log huts. This 
was on Section 28, and on Section 32 there 
was another settlement of eleven huts. Be- 
sides these two settlements, there were only 
two more huts in the township in 1850, and, 
in the summer of this year, mo:t all of the 
Mormons moved to Salt Lake, and Mr. Price' s 
family was the only one remaining in the 
township. In the year 1854, Mr. Price 
moved to his present farm, one mile south of 
his first place. Here he entered 200 acres of 
Government land at that time. In 1863, he 



went to Pike's Peak, but remained but a short 
time, when he returned home, and has been 
on the farm ever since. Mr. Price came here 
with a Mormon colony, but, after getting 
here, he found that their practices were dif- 
ferent from what they preached in Wales, so 
he forsook them, and, when they went to Salt 
Lake, he remained behind. Mrs. Price has 
two brothers still living — one in Wales, while 
the other, John E. Jones, is now in Eosedale, 
Kan. In 1879, he paid his sister a visit, it 
being the first time he had seen her for over 
thirty -three years, and her other brother she 
has never seen since leaving Wales. John 
E. Jones had been in Scotland for several 
years before his sister came to America, but 
he came to America about 1863, and has 
since lived in Chicago, 111., Pittsburgh, 
Perm., Topeka and Rosedale, Kan., being in 
rolling-mills. Mr. Price's daughters are all 
married, but none of the sons. The oldest son, 
Evan J., lives at Fort Benton, Mon., and is 
in the stock business. The second, John 
A., was the first child born in Hardin 
Township, and is now Township Assessor, 
and owns the land on which he was born, the 
old log city. Rees A., the third, is now in 
Denver, Colo., but has a farm in Hardin 
Township, William E, is the youngest, and 
is farming at home. Together, Mr. Price 
and sons have 480 acres or land, and are 
farming and stock-raising. When Mr. Price 
came to Pottawattamie County, Indians were 
of common occurrence, although they had been 
removed over the river the year before: and 
the best house at Council Bluffs was made of 
logs. When first coming here, Mr. Price 
had no hogs, or nothing of any kind to make 
meat of, so they had to depend upon game, 
but prairie chickens were so thick that it was 
not much trouble to trap them; catching 
more than they could use at the time, they 
salted and dried the breasts for use in the 



lU 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



spring. There being a mill near Council 
Bluffs, their grain was taken to it to be 
ground, but it had been built for the In- 
dians, so, if a white man had his grist in 
grinding, and an Indian brought his, the mill 
had to stop, and the corn taken out of the 
hopper, and give the Indian the preference. 
One time, after high waters, and what bridges 
there were were washed away, their meal gave 
out, and they resorted to grinding 'corn in a 
coifee-mill, and found that it could be done 
quite well, at least fast enough to keep off 
hunger. At Mr. Price's we find two old rel- 
ics, one, a hand- board, or waiter, used in the 
time of Queen Elizabeth, is made of solid 
mahogany, and is about eighteen inches in 
diameter; the other, a Welsh Bilile, "Pub- 
lished in London by John Bill, Christopher 
Barker, Thomas Newcomb and Henry Hills, 
printers to His Royal Highness the King, 
and sold by John Hancock, under the sign 
of the three Bibles, in Pope-Head alley, in 
Cornhill, 1678." This Bible contained the 
prayers and all the ceremonies of the Church 
of England at that time. 

NATHAN SHERWOOD, farmer, P. O. 
Weston, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, 
June 6, 1837, son of Lewis and Lockey (Ad- 
ams) Sherwood, natives of New Haven Coun- 
ty, Conn., he, a farmer, born November 1, 
1794, and is still living with his only daugh- 
ter, Sarah, in Clinton County, this State; she, 
born December 13, 1798, and died September 
1 5, 1867. They were the parents of nine chil- 
dren — seven sons and two daughters — of 
whom six are living. Oui- subject received a 
common school education in his native State, 
and has followed farming all of his life. In 
1857, he came to Clinton County, this State, 
where he lived for seventeen years, after 
which he moved to Harrison County, this 
State, living in that county for four and a 
half years, when he came to this county and 



settled in Norwalk Township, where he' 
stayed until 1880, in which year he purchased 
his present farm of 160 acres of improved 
land, on which he has since remained. He 
was married, in his native county in Ohio, 
April 4, 1865, to Isabella E. Johnson, born 
in the same county August 3, 1843, daughter 
of Harvey and Julia Jane (Haskins) John- 
son, natives also of Delaware County, Ohio, 
he born October 27, IS 10, and is still living 
in his native county; she born in 1813, and 
died October 21, 1845. Mr. and Mrs. Sher- 
wood have fom- children — Dellie C, Jennie 
O. , Sarah H. and Harvey Lewis. The Sher- 
wood family are descendants from throe 
brothers who came to this country about one 
hundred years ago. Our subject's father was 
one of the earliest settlers in Berlin Town- 
ship, Clinton County, this State, at which 
time he entered land at $1.25 per acre. He 
was in the war of 1812, and now draws a 
pension. Although eigthy-nine years old, 
his life has been one of hard work. Our sub- 
ject is a member of the Methodist Church, 
and his wife of the Baptist Church. He is 
a strong Republican, and a member of the 
Masonic fraternity. 

HERBERT M. THOMAS, farmer. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born February 24, 1847, at 
Jacksonville, Vt., and is the son of R C. and 
Mary Ann (Bassett) Thomas. He had three 
brothers and three sisters. Coming to Har- 
din Tovraship while quite young, most of his 
education was obtained in the common schools 
of Hardin Township. His whole life has 
been spent on a farm. In 1857, he moved 
with his parents from their home in Vermont 
to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, his father 
settling on the farm where he has lived ever 
since. Mr. Thomas lived on the old farm till 
in November, 1869, when he was married to 
Mary L. Smith, the daughter of John Godfrey 
and Johanna Christina Smith. Her parents 



HAZEL DELL TOWNSHIP. 



115 



moved from Germany to Indiana; from there 
moved to Iowa, and are still living, and follow 
farming. After getting married, Mr. Thom- 
as moved to his present home, where he has 
a farm of 240 acres, made by his own indus- 
try. He also has three sons. Mr. Thomas 
is. as his father, a Republican in politics. 
The father of Herbert M. Thomas, R. C. 
Thomas, is one of the oldest citizens in Har- 
din Township, being born in Wilmington, 
Vt., in 1809, and is the son of Nathaniel and 
Hannah (Cummings) Thomas. His father 
was born in Salem, Mass., and mother in 
Vermont. IMr. R. C. Thomas, when only 
nine year sold, was sent from his home in 
Vermont back to Massachusetts, where he 
learned the boot and shoe trade. He re- 



mained there till he was twent3'-one years 
old, when he returned to Vermont and worked 
at his trade there till he came to Pottawatta- 
mie County, Iowa, in 1857, and has been on 
the place he first improved ever since. In 
the year 1844 or 1845, he was married to 
Mary Ann Bassett, daughter of Jonathan 
and Amy (Moore) Bassett, and was born in 
Vermont. Their family consisted of four 
sons and three daughters, of whom two sons 
and one daughter are still living; also his 
wife is still alive. When they first settled 
in Hardin Township, there were only one or 
two houses between Keg Creek and Council 
Bluffs, a distance of about twelve miles, ex- 
cept now and then a log hut along some of 
the streams, belonging to the Mormons, 



HAZEL DELL TOWNSHIP. 



O. L. BARRETT, Council Bluffs, was born 
in Delaware County, Iowa, August 3, 1848, 
son of Lemuel and Mary Ann (Blue) Barrett; 
he, born August 10, 1821, in Green Castle, 
Ind, died December 7, 1855, and was a farm- 
er by occupation; she, born in Ohio June 20, 
1822, lives with our subject. The parents 
had ten children, seven of whom — four boys 
and three girls — are living. The father of 
our subject left Indiana when eighteen years 
of age, and settled in De Kalli County, 111., 
in 1839, There he followed farming with his 
father till after marriage, which occurred in 
Pontiac, 111,, February 12, 1836, He then 
bought a farm in Delawai'e County, Iowa, 
where he remained about five years, thence 
moved to Pottawattamie County and located 
on the farm where he died, and where our 
subject now lives. Mr. Barrett was educated 
in the common schools of this township, and 



has always been a close I'eader, He takes 
pride in assisting in every good work, and is 
a strong temperance man. He carries on his 
farm in a thorough, scientific manner, having 
all the late appliances with which to work. 
His maternal grandf?ither was a soldier in 
the war of 1812, serving his time in full and 
being honorably discharged. Mr. Barrett 
was married, at Council Bluffs, Iowa, April 
31, 1872, to Emma Caroline Stoffanson, born 
in Sweden October 19, 1851, daughter of Pe- 
ter and Cecelia (Strickerson) Stoffanson, na- 
tives of Sweden, he born November 22, 1823, 
she born January 8, 1827, Mr. and Mrs. Bar- 
rett have six children — William Oliver, Ben- 
jamin Franklin, Burlie Clayton, Lulu May, 
Isaac Everett and C. Mr. Barrett has been 
Road Sujiervisor, Constable, School Director, 
President of the School Board, and is now 
Secretary of the board, which office he has 



116 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



held three years. He belongs to the Inde- 
pendent Order of Good Templars, and is a 
Republican. 

SOLOMON McMULLEN, farmer, P. O. 
Crescent City, was born in Ohio June C, 1832, 
son of William and Catharine (Myers) McMul- 
len; he, born in Virginia March 15, 1783, 
died October 8, 1878, was a farmer; she was 
born in Ohio February 10, 1776, and died 
November 10, 1848, in Missouri, near Spring- 
held; they had eleven children, six of whom 
were boys and five girls. When our Subject 
was nine years of a re, he removed with his 
parents to Lawrence County, Mo. After re 
maining there eleven years, they emigrated 
to Pottawattamie County. Iowa, in 1852. 
There the father died, and there our subject 
has since been employed in farming. Mr. 
McMallen has a farm of about four hundred 
acres, a good portion of which is timber; 
He grows the ordinary farm crops, and raises 
considerable stock. Mr. McMullen was mar- 
ried, in Iowa, December 2, 1852, to Ellen 
Dunkle, born in Ohio March 10, 1835, daugh- 
ter of William and Mary (McMullen) Dun- 
kle; he, born in Virginia January 10, 1781, 
died December 30, 1873; she, born in Ohio 
January 20, 1777, died September 20, 1831. 
Mr. and Mrs. McMullen have been blessed 
with six children -— Mary Catharine, born 
September 30, 1853; Amanda Jane, Decem- 
ber 30, 1855; John William, October 16, 1859; 
Daniel Boone, June 3, 1863; Anna Laura, 
September 18, 1867; and Reuben Lee, Jan- 
uary 18, 1876. Mr. McMullen is a Demo- 
crat, but believes in home protection. 

CHARLES O. MUSSER, farmer, P. O. 
Council Bluffs, was born in Millwood, Knox 
Co., Ohio, July 17, 1842, son of John and 
Caroline A. (Souls) Musser, natives of Penn- 
sylvania; he, born May 21, 1817, in Somerset 
County, Ohio, was a cabinet-maker by trade, 
and died in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in 



October, 1868; she, born near Gettysburg 
April 11, 1822, is the mother of nine children. 
Mr. Musser came to Pottawattamie County 
with his parents in May, 1854, and was en- 
gaged in farming till twenty-one years of age, 
when he enlisted in Company A, Twenty-ninth 
Iowa Volunteers, and served till the close of 
the war. He was present at the battles of 
Helena and Little Rock, Ark. ; was in the 
Camden campaign, and at the siege of Mo- 
bile; he was also actively engaged in the Ya- 
zoo Pass expedition. He was mustered out 
as Sergeant August 10, 1865, and returned 
home Aujfust 29. Mr. Musser was married, 
in this county, November 26, 1867, to Emily 
J. Triplett, born in Ohio April 15, 1849, 
daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Pollock) 
Triplett, he born in Virginia in 1827, she 
born in Pennsylvania in 1829. Mr. and MJrs. 
Musser have four children — John Thomas, 
Sarah C, Charles F. and Jessie M. Mr. 
Musser is engaged in general farming and 
fruit-growing. He has held the various ofB- 
ces of his township, and was census-taker 
of 1880. He is a Presbyterian, a member of 
the Grand Army of the Republic, and a Re- 
publican. 

JAMES W. OSBORN, farmer, P. O. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born in Virginia February 2, 
1827, son of George and Millanda (Good- 
win) Osboru. natives of Virginia; he, born 
April 13, 1780, was a farmer by occupation, 
and died at his home near Winchester, Va., 
during the latter part of the late war, and whilst 
a battle was being fought near his house. Our 
subject's mother was born December 3, 1789, 
and died October 11,1845, near Winchester, Va. 
The parents had seven children, five of whom 
are living. Mr. Osborn received his early 
education in the subscription schools of his 
native place. He is a man well posted in the 
general affairs of the day. He first rented 
the old homestead, which he farmed for five 



HAZEL DELL TOWNSHIP. 



117 



years. The farm then being sold for the 
benefit of the heirs, our subject removed to 
Missouri, and settled near St. Joe, where he 
remained till the spring of 1865, when he 
came to Pottawattamie County. He first saw 
his present farm the morning after the assas- 
sination of President Lincoln. At that time 
the farm was unimproved, and but one small 
house upon it. jVIr. Osborn now owns 500 
acres in this county. He was married, in 
Virginia, May 21, 1857, to Margaret Ester, 
born in Baltimore, Md. , February 23, 1834, 
daughter of John and Susan Byard (Perkins) 
Ester, he, born in Ireland about 1802, died in 
1864; she, born in 1802, died in 1853. Mr. 
and Mrs. Osborn have nine childi-en — Olin 
(married), James H. , Charles E., William 
A., Susan M., Lillian, Margetta M., George 
H. and Hunter. The family are members of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Os- 
born is a Democrat. 

PERKY REEL, farmer, P. O. Honey 
Creek Station. William A. Reel was a na- 
tive of Virginia, but moved to Indiana about 
1822, settling in Putnam County. In 1850. 
he came to Iowa, and, liking the country, 
purchased two claims, one for himself and 
one for his son-in-law, Edmond Latham. Mr. 
Latham and a Mr. Cox came in the fall of 

1851, and then Mr. Reel in the spring of 

1852, and through Mr. Reel's influence, al- 
most all the settlers that came from Putnam 
and Clay Covmties. Ind., came to this part of 
the county. Mr. William Reel bought the 
mill on Pigeon Creek when first coming in 
1852, and resided near the same till his death, 
in 1859. Mr. Reel did as much or more than 
any one to make this part of the county what 
it is — a community filled up with energetic 
and successful farmers. Mr. William Reel 
had two sons — W. R., who is now in Monta- 
na in the mining business; and Perry Reel, 
the subject of this sketch. Mr. Perry Reel 



was born in Putnam County, Ind., in 1838, 
and came to this county with his parents in 
1852, and since that time Pottawattamie 
County has been his home. Mr. Reel's edu- 
cation was obtained in the subscription 
schools of Indiana. When coming here, they 
did not have any schools, so his chances for 
an education depended on himself. Mr. 
Reel's main business has been that of farm- 
ing. His politics have always been those of 
his father — Democratic. Previous to 1867, 
'Mi. Reel had served five years as a member 
of the Board of Supervisors from his town- 
ship. In 1867, he was elected Sherifi" of Pot- 
tawattamie County, and again re-elected in 
1869, going out of office January, 1872. He 
then was on the farm till the fall of 1873; 
he was elected County Treasurer and served 
two years, and again, in 1877, he was elected 
Sheriff, and held the office two terms, going 
out January, 1882. Mr Reel's election to 
office so many times in a county where his 
support had to come from Republicans, as 
well as his own party, tells more of his per- 
sonal character and uprightness than any 
other words can, and he feels indebted to 
both parties for the honor. Mr. Reel was 
married, in 1862, to Miss Millie Branson, 
who was also born in Indiana. She came to 
Pottawattamie County in the spring of 1860, 
with her father, Jonathan Branson. They 
have five children living — two boys and three 
girls — all at home. Mr. Reel also has his 
fair share of this world's goods, having quite 
a large body of land, most of it, however, 
being grass land and pasture. Still, his 
home fhrm of 160 acres is well improved, 
fine forest groves, convenient farm buildings, 
fruit, etc. Mr. Reel has water works on a 
small scale on his farm. A wind-mill pumps 
water into a tank or reservoir on a bluQ" about 
seventy feet above the level of his building 
grounds, and from this pipes are laid below 



118 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



frost depth to different places around his 
grounds where he has hydi-ants. Other 
things are made convenient in proportion. 
The place tirst settled by William A. Reel is 
now owned by H. B. Paris. When Mi- Will- 
iam A. Reel built his house on the old 
home place, it was probably the finest 



house in the county at the time, and, 
with lumber and everything else so ex- 
pensive, the house cost about $8,000. At 
]VIi'. Reel's close of office, January, 1882, the 
Council Bluffs bar presented him with a 
line gold-headed cane, in token of their 
good will. 



JAMES TOWN'S HIP. 



THOMAS BEATTY, fai-mer, P. O. Han- 
cock, was born in Fayette County, Penn. , 
September "25, 1845, son of William and 
Charlotte (Gable) Beatty, he born in Fayette 
County, Penn., September -1, 1814, she in 
Preston County, Va., now West Virginia, 
July 4, 1821. They are farmers, and are 
living in James Township. They are the 
parents of nine children — four sons and five 
daughters. Our subject received his educa- 
tion in his native State, and also attended 
school some in Muscatine County, this State. 
He came to James Township in 1874, and 
purchased 120 acres of land, eighty acres of 
which cost $8 per acre, and the balance $15. 
He made improvements on the place, and sold 
it in 1875 at $20 per acre. In 1877, he 
bought 200 acres of improved land at $22.50 
per acre. In 1880, he added eighty acres of 
prairie land, costing $10.50 per acre, which 
he uses as a pasture. He added forty acres 
of improved land at $25 per acre in 1882, 
and now has a good farm of 320 acres, which 
is a good proof of the wisdom of Greeley's 
advice — " Young man, go West. " Our sub- 
ject is not married. He is an Odd Fellow, 
Valley Lodge, No. 439, and also a member 
of the A. H. T. S. In politics, he is a Dem- 
ocrat. 

SAMUEL D. BLAKELY, farmer, P. O. 
Hancock, was born ia Allegheny County, 



Penn., November 22, 1849, son of James P. 
and Rebecca (Crouse) Blakely. His father 
was a farmer, born in December, 1820, and 
is now living in Henry County, 111. The 
mother of our subject was a native of Wash- 
ington County, Penn., and died in Henry 
County, 111., in October, 1873. They had 
five children — three boys and two girls. Our 
subject was educated in Orion Academy, 
Henry County, 111., and also went to school 
in Washington County, this State. He taught 
school for a number of years in Illinois and 
this State. He has been Secretary of the 
School Board for two years. He came to 
Illinois in 1857, where he farmed and taught 
till 1878, when he came to this township and 
purchased eighty acres of land in James 
Township at $12 per acre. He set out an or- 
chard, built a good house, and otherwise im- 
proved it. He engaged in general farming. 
He was married, April 13, 1882, near Dub- 
lin, ^\'ashington County, this State, to Lizzie 
M. Bathurst, born in that county August 22, 
1855, daughter of R. C. Bathurst, born in 
Pennsylvania in 1825. Mrs. Blakely's moth- 
er was born in Washington County, this State. 
Our subject is a member of the Presbyterian 
Church, and his wife of the Methodist 
Church. In politics, he is a Democrat. 

H. C. BRANDES, farmer, P. O. Hancock, 
was born in Germany April 14, 1852, son of 



JAMES TOWNSHIP. 



119 



H. C. and Dorothea (Katz) Brandes, both na- 
tives of Germany, he born in 1813, and died 
in the place of his birth in 1858; she born in 
1813, and is still living in her native coun- 
try. They had four children — one son and 
three daughters. Our subject received his 
education in Germany, and began life as a 
farmer. He came to the United States in 
1869, and located in La Salle County, 111., 
v^here he lived until 1877. He then came to 
James Township, where he had purchased 
160 acres of land at $8 per acre in 1874. He 
built on this place, and otherwise improved 
it. In 1879, he bought 120 acres at $12.40 
per acre, and in 1880 added eighty acres at 
$15.50 per acre, which, with eighty acre at 
$15 per acre which he purchased in 1882, 
give him a good farm of 440 acres, which 
contains good buildings and other improve- 
ments. He engages in general farming, and 
feeds stock in the winter. He was married, 
in Forest, Livingston Co., 111., March 11, 
1874, to Magdalena Miller, born in La Salle 
County, 111., December 3, 1857, daughter of 
Nicholas and Katharina Miller, he born in 
Alsace, Germany, January 28, 1829; she in 
Boston, Mass., June 29, 1836. :Mr. and Mrs. 
Brandes have four children — George Hemy, 
born February 12, 1876; Walter E., born 
December 28, 1878; Celia M., born January 
11, 1880; and Ada Josephine, born February 
15, 1882. Oiu- subject has filled several 
township offices, and is now a Township 
Trustee for a second term. He is a member 
of the German Evangelical Association, and 
in politics is a Republican. 

WILLIAM M. CROUCH, farmer, P. O. 
Hancock, was born in Ripley County, Ind., 
October 4, 1839, son of John and Maria 
(Markland) Crouch, both natives of Kentucky, 
he born in 1818, and she in 1822. The father 
died in this State in 18/9, and the mother in 
1873. They had twelve children — three sons 



and nine daughters — of whom the sons and 
four daughters are now living. Our subject 
received his education in Indiana and this 
State, and began life as a farmer. August 
2, 1862, he enlisted in the Twenty-sixth Iowa 
Infantry, Company A, Capt. Williams. He 
was engaged in the battles of Arkansas Post, 
siege of Vicksbm-g, Chattanooga and Look- 
out Mountain. He served three years. He 
was married, December 19, 1868, in Clinton 
County, this State, to Esther Adams, born in 
Pennsylvania May 9, 1845, daughter of James 
and Sarah Adams, both natives of Ireland. 
Mr. and Mrs. Crouch had four children — one 
boy and three girls — of whom there are liv- 
ing Lulu, bom in 1869; and Bertba, born 
January 18. 1882. Our subject came to 
James Township in 1874, and purchased 320 
acres of land at $11 per acre. He has since 
made some substantial improvements, includ- 
ing a live-acre grove and an orchard. He 
engages in general farming. Our subject 
has filled some township offices, and is at 
present Township Trustee. He is a member 
of the A. H. T. S. , and in politics is a Re- 
publican. 

S. M. HILDEBRAND, farmer, P. O. Han- 
cock, was born in Rockingham County, Va., 
March 26, 1847, son of Samuel and Elizabeth 
(Paul) Hildebrand, he born in Virginia in 
1811, and is still living, in Iowa City, this 
State. The parents had five childi'sn — three 
sons and two daughters. Our subject re- 
ceived his education inVirginia and this State. 
March 29, 1864, he enlisted in Company- H, 
Thirty-third Iowa Infantry, Capt. W. Gore. 
He took part in the engagements at Spanish 
Fort, Mobile and Whistler Station. He re- 
ceived an honorable discharge September 5, 
1865. He was mairied, in Iowa County, this 
State, February 23, 1871, to Miss Julia F. 
Cole, born in that county February 20, 1853, 
daughter of Stewart and Sarah P. (Dennis) 



120 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Cole, both natives of Illinois, he born in 
1824, and she in 1830. Mr. and Mrs. Hilde- 
brand have two children — Willie, born June 
1. 1873; and Alta, born March 23, 1875. 
Our subject came to James Township in 1875, 
and purchased eighty acres of laud at SIO per 
acre. He has since made many substantial 
improvements, including an orchard of 200 
trees and a grove. He carries on general 
farming. He is a member of the Christian 
Church, and of the A. H. T. S. In politics, 
he is a Republican. 

JUDSON B. HOGATE, farmer, P. O. Oak- 
land, was born in Salem, Columbiana Co., 
Ohio, September 24, 1853, son of Nicholas 
and Anna (Dolbow) Hogate, he born in De- 
cember, 1816, in New Jersey; she born in 
Delaware in 1818. They were farmers, and 
are now living on the old homestead in Jeffer- 
son County, this State, where they have lived 
for twenty-eight years. They had live chil- 
dren — two boys and three daughters. Our 
subject received his education in Jefferson 
County, this Sta e, and began life for himself 
by clerking one year in a grocery store m Ot- 
tumwa, Iowa, after which he went to farm- 
ing. CHe was married, February 20, 1873, in 
Fairfield, this State, to Anna Moore, born in 
Jeffei-son County in 1855, daughter of Rob- 
ert and Sarah Ann (Stewart) Moore, he born 
n laiiaaa Iq 1S17. sha in Peaasylvaaia in 
1828. In the month following his marriage, 
our subject came to this county, locating in 
Pleasant Township. In September, 1878, 
he purchased eighty acres in James Town- 
ship, Section 31, paying §11.25 per acre, 
forty acres of which were already broken. 
In 1879, he bought forty acres more at $14 
per acre, and in 1881 purchased another forty 
acres at $11 per acre. He now has a good 
farm of 160 acres, which is all under cultiva- 
tion. He engages in general farming, and 
keeps a stock of Norman horses. He has 



filled several township offices. In religion he- 
is Evangelical, and in politics he is a Demo- 
crat. He has one child, Robert Edward, 
born August 13, 1874. iVIr. Hogate's father 
and brother Jesse were in the late civil war. 

A. N. HALLADAY, farmer, P. O. Oak- 
land, was born in Dearborn Co.-.nty, Ind. , 
March 22, 1828, son of Asariah and Polly 
(Johnson) Halladay. His father was a f ai-m- 
er, born in New York in 1791; was a soldier 
in the war of 1812, and died in 1856 in La 
Porte County. Ind. The mother of our sub- 
ject was a native of Vermont, and died in the 
same place 'as her husband, in 1860. They 
had nine children — six boys and three girls. 
Our subject received his education in Fort 
Wayne, Ind., and began life as a farmer. 
He was married, in Porter County, Ind., De- 
cember 25. 1850, to Elizabeth Elliott, born 
in Ohio October 28, 1832, daughter of Sam- 
uel and Mary (Carter) Elliott, he born in 
Ohio. Our subject came to James Township 
in 1868, and, in 1873, purchased 120 acres of 
land at $8 per acre, which is now improved, 
and contains an orchard and a grove. He 
engages in general farming. His children 
are six in number — Frank S., Lydia, Anna 
and,Annis (twins), Carrie and Charley. Mrs. 
Halladay died March 7, 1880. She was a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
Our subject has been Township Trustee, and 
has tilled other offices in the township. He 
is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and 
was Master of his lodge for two years. In 
politics, he is a Republican. 

STEPHEN JAMES, farmer, P. " O. Oak- 
land, was born in Lorain County, Ohio, 
June 23, 1823, son of George F. James, a 
farmer, born in Stockbridge, Mass., and died 
in Lorain County, Ohio, in 1863. The 
mother of our subject was born in Stamford, 
Conn., and died in James Township in 1864. 
The parents had six children — three boys and 



JAMES TOWNSHIP. 



121 



three girls. Our subject began life as a 
farmer; lived in his native State fifteen years, 
when he removed to Indiana, where he re- 
mained until ISo'l. He was married, in 
Porter County, Ind., November 12, 1849, to 
Charlotte Reynolds, born in Chautatiqua 
County, N. Y. , daughter of Hugh Reynolds, 
born in the same county. In 1852, our sub- 
ject came to this State, locating at Fort Des 
Moines, where he lived for three years. He 
then came to James Township, this county, 
where he purchased 2U0 acres of wild land at 
$6 per acre. He made improvements on it, 
and, in 1863, sold it at $10 per acre. He 
then bought 120 acres — eighty acres at §6 
and forty acres at $8 per acre. He has made 
many substantial improvements on this place, 
including an orchard, a nice grove and good 
buildings. He has also dealt inland to some 
extent, having bought, improved and sold 
over three hundred acres. He engages in gen- 
eral farming it', and Mi-s. James have six 
children — Carrie, William, George, Lysan- 
der, Anna and Nettie. Our subject has filled 
many township offices. He is an A., F. & A. 
M. . Ai'k Lodge, No. 335. In politics, he is 
a Democrat. In his younger days. Mr. James 
was very fond of traveling and has been over 
the greater part of the United States and 
most of the Territories. 

THOMAS H. JEFFERSON, farmer, P. O. 
Oakland, was born in Trumbull County, 
Ohio, Februarj' 23, 1839, son of William 
and Elizabeth (Hewitt) Jefferson, both na- 
tives of England, he bom April 24, 1804, and 
died in August, 1878, in Black Hawk Coun- 
ty, this State; she, bom September 2, 1801, 
and died in the same place as her husband, 
February 12, 1878. They were farmers, and 
had four children — three sons and one daugh- 
ter. Our subject received his education in 
his native county, and began life as a farm- 
er. He was married, in Erie County, Penn. , 



March 22, 1864, to Rose M. Stewart, bom in 
that county October 12, 1842. She is the 
daughter of Simeon and Hannah (Blakeslee) 
Stewart, he born in Genesee County, N. Y., 
October 2, 1795; she born in Chenango 
County, N. Y'., January 8, 1808. Our sub- 
ject came to this State January 15, 1868, lo- 
cating in Black Hawk County. The follow- 
ing year, he moved to Missouri, where he en- 
gaged in farming. In 1872, he came to this 
county and purchased eighty acres in Bel- 
knap Township, at $12.50 per acre. In 1876, 
he bought 160 acres more, at SIO per acre. 
In 1879, he traded the first eighty acres for 
160 acres in James Township, where he now 
resides, and has a good farm of 320 acres, 
including a grove and an orchard. He en- 
gages in general farming, and raises and 
feeds his own stock. He has three children 
— Stewart S., born March 13, 1865; Char- 
ley C, born February 26, 1869; and Thom- 
as W. , born August 19, 1874. Our subject 
has served the township several times in an 
official capacity. In politics, he is a Demo- 
crat. 

JAMES S. LAWRENCE, farmer, P. O. 
Oakland, was born in La Salle County, 111., 
February 1, 1853, son of Isaac B. and Caro- 
line E. Lawrence, he born in Pennsylvania 
May 2, 1824, and died in Marshall County, 
111., in 1865; she was a native of Ohio, born 
July 4, 1826, and is still living, in Polk 
County, this State. They were farmers, 
and had nine children — six sons and three 
daughters. Our subject received his school- 
ing in many different localities, including 
La Salle, Marshall and Putnam Counties, 
111., and Polk and Johnson Counties, this 
State. He began life as a farmer. He came 
to Johnson County, this State, in 1870, and 
lived there until 1877, after which he lived in 
Shelby County, this State, where he rented 
land for one year. He then came to James 



122 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



Township, this county, and purchased eighty 
acres of partly improved land, paying $12 
per acre. He has since made some substan- 
tial improvements on the place, having put 
up good baildings and set out trees. He 
carries on general farming. July 4, 1875, 
he was married, in Johnson County, this 
State, to Arabella Moore, bom in that county 
March 13, 1860, daughter of William W. 
and Phoebe S. (Robert) Moore, both natives 
of Ohio. Her father was born July 21, 1834, 
and died August 4, 1884. in Andersonville 
Prison, having been wounded and captured 
at the battle of Atlanta. Her mother was 
born July 12, 1834, and died in 1871, in 
Johnson County, this State. Mr. and ]\Ir3. 
Lawrence have had four children — George 
Ellsworth (deceased), Myrtie Maud, Ernest 
Roy and Marion Oliver. Our subject has 
filled township offices. In religion, he is 
Evangelical, and in politics is a Republican. 

W. W. LIVINGSTON, farmer, P.O. Han- 
cock, was born in Scott County, this State, 
April 25, 1854, son of Hugh and Elizabeth 
Livingston, he born in Pennsylvania in 1804, 
she in England in 1805. They are farmers, 
and are living in Avoca, this county. They 
had eleven children — five sons and six daugh- 
ters. Our subject received his schooling in 
Illinois. He was maiTied, in Rock Island, 
111. , August 14, 1874, to Miss Mary A. B. 
Crawford, born in Henry County, of that 
State, in 1856, the daughter of Edward Craw- 
ford. The year following his marriage, our 
subject came to James Township, and, in 
1878, purchased eighty acres of prairie land 
at $16 per acre. He has made many sub- 
stantial improvements, including an orchard 
and shade trees. He carries on general 
farming. He has four children — Ella, James 
B., Charles E. and Cyrus Dixon. 

JOHN McCONAIJGHEY. farmer, P. O. 
Oakland, was born in Marion County, this 



State, April 13, 1854, son of James and Mary 
Ann (Wiers) McConaughey, he born in 
Guernsey County, Ohio, and she a native of 
Pennsylvania. The parents are farmers, and 
are now living in Marion County, this State. 
They had eight children — three sons and five 
daughters, of whom the sons and three daugh- 
ters are now living. Our subject received 
his education in his native county. He was 
married, February 28, 1877, to Miss Frances 
E. Myers. They have two children — Doro- 
thea May. born November 8, 1877; and 
Clyde Loson, born in ISSl. Our- subject 
came to James Township in 1877, and rented 
land for three years, after which he pui-chased 
eighty acres of prairie land at $10 per acre. 
He has since made some good improvements 
on this place, and engages in general farm- 
ing. He is a member of the Christian 
Church, and in politics is a Republican. 

HENRY RAPP, farmer, P. O. Minden, 
was born in Germany September 14, 1831, 
son of Johannes and Magdalena Rapp, both 
natives of Germany, he born'April 17, 1806, 
and she in 1806. Her father is still living 
in his native town, where the mother died. 
They had nine children — five sons and foui' 
daughters — of whom thi-ee boys and two 
girls are now living. Our subject received 
his education in his native place, and began 
life as a farmer. He came to the United 
States in 1851, landing in Baltimore, Md. 
He went to Frederick, Md., where he learned 
the tanner's trade. He then went to Union- 
town, Fayette Co. , Penn. In 1854, he came 
to Ottawa, La Salle Co., 111., where he was 
man'ied, January 31, 1856, to Eva Maier, 
born in Germany December 24, 1833. She 
is the daughter of Johannes and Maria (Hell- 
stern) Maier, both natives of Germany, he 
born in 1789, and she died in 1844, in her 
native town. In 1878, our subject came to 
James Township, this county, and purchased 



JAMES TOWNSHIP. 



123 



eighty acres of wild land at $8 per acre. He 
improved it, and, in 1880, bought forty acres 
more at f 10 per acre. Mr. Kapp has tilled 
several township offices. He has had nine 
children, of whom there are living John C, 
Lena, Mary C, Hemy and Louisa. Our 
subject is a member of the German Evangel- 
ical Association. He was a Mason, and a 
member of the German Benevolent Associa- 
tion of Ottawa, 111. In politics, he is an In- 
dependent. One of Mr. Eapp's sons has just 
finished a coiu'se of study in the German 
Church at Mt. Pleasant, preparatory to en- 
tering the ministry of the Methodist 
Church. 

H. H. ROUNDS, farmer, P. O. Hancock, 
was born in Ogdensburg, N. Y., in April, 
1844, son of Hiram and Lucinda (Hastings) 
Rounds, both natives of Rich ford, Vt., he 
born in 1804. and died in San Bernardino 
County, Cal., in August, 1868; she born in 
ISOo. and died in Leavenworth. Kan., in 
186U. They were farmers, and had six chil- 
dren — four sons and two daughters. Our 
subject received his schooling in Dane Coun- 
ty, Wis., and Illinois. He was married, 
April 13, 1866, in Anamosa, Jones County, 
this State, to Elizabeth Brock, born in Lake 
County, 111., March 18, 1839, daughter of 
Robert and Katharina (Blair) Brock, he born 
in New York City in 1804. and is still living, 
in Fairbury, Jefferson Co., Neb. He is a 
farmer. Mrs. Rounds' mother was a native 
of Canada, born in 1807, and died in Clinton 
County, this State, in 1871. Oiar subject 
has six children living, and two deceased 
(who were twins). Those living are Eiigene 
Henry, born February 7, 1867; Stephen 
W.. born August 15. 1869; John W., 
born March 15, 1871; Cora Isabelle, born 
June 25, 1873 ; Alice M. , born February 3, 
1875; and Mary C, born December 19. 1879. 
Our subject came to James Township, this . 



county, in 1873, after having lived one sum- 
mer in Nebraska. He purchased eighty 
acres of prairie land at $7 per acre, and, in 
1877, added forty acres of improved land at 
$15 per acre. He made several subsequent 
purchases, including twenty acres at $16.50 
per acre, forty acres at $21.25 per acre, the 
two latter purchases being improved land. 
In 1881, he bought eighty acres of prairie 
land at $12.50 per acre, and now has 260 
acres of good land, and carries on general 
farming. In politics, he is a Republican. 

MARTHA E. SAGE, Oakland, widow of 
Charles S. * Sage, who was born in Berlin, 
Hartford Co.. Conn., January 4, 1845, son 
of Raljih and Katharine (Marcy) Sage. Mr. 
Sage died March 27, 1879. He was a farm- 
er, had tilled several township offices, and was 
a Republican in politics. He enlisted in the 
Union army during our late civil war, and 
served four years, up to the close of that 
bloody conflict. He came to this county in 
1871, locating in Center Township. March 
25, 1876, he removed to James Township, 
where he purchased 160 acres of improved 
land at $15 per acre. He was married, Jan- 
uary 31, 1870, in Fenton, Whitesides Co., 
111., to our subject, then Martha E. Stevens, 
born in Bradford County, Penn., February 
28, 1847. She is the daughter of Solon and 
Charlotte (Smith) Stevens, he born in Brad- 
ford County, Penn., October 17, 1820, and 
she a native of New York State, born Sep- 
tember 22, 1822. The parents are still liv. 
ing in Whitesides County, 111., and are 
farmers. They had seven children — one boy 
and six sirls — of whom one girl is deceased. 
Our subject received her education in White- 
sides County, 111. In 1880, she built a one- 
and-a-half-story frame house, 16x24, well tin- 
ished. Her two daughters are living with 
her — Lotta Callista. born December 5, 1870; 
and Etta Maude, born December 18, 1876. 



134 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Our subjeet lives on the place, but rents the 
land, having general fanning done thereon. 

JOHN SENN, farmer, P. O. Avoca, was 
born in Switzerland April 24, IS'26, son of 
Joseph and Mary (leekly) Senn, both natives 
of Switzerland, he born in 1788, and died in 
Scott County, this State, April 12, 1870; and 
she died in the same county in 1863. His 
father was a harness-maker, and was the fa- 
ther of eleven children — nine boys and two 
girls — of whom iive boys are now dead. Our 
subject was married, in Havre, France, De- 
cember 27, 1855, to Kathrina Solond, born 
in Switzerland in 1828, and died in Le 
Claire, Scott County, this State, in 1863. 
Her parents were natives of Switzerland, and 
also died in that country. By her our sub- 
ject had five children — three boys and two 
girls — of whom three are living — Louie, Au- 
gust and Edward. Mr. Senn was married a 
second time, October 28, 1865, to Margaret 
Woller, born in Holstein, Germany, May 8, 
1888. Her parents were both born in the 
latter place, also. Mr. and Mrs. Senn had 
six children — Henry, Julius, Bertha, Lena 
(deceased), Maggie and Lillie. Mrs. Senn 
died in James Township, this county, in 
1876, to which township our subject came in 
March, 1874, and purchased 160 acres of 
prairie land at $12 per acre, after renting 
for four years. He now has good buildings 
on his place, and has made some substantial 
improvements, including an orchard and a 
grove. He engages in general farming. Has 
been Eoad Supervisor. In religion, he 
is a Catholic, and in politics a strong Demo- 
crat. 

JOSEPH STROEBELE, farmer, P. O. 
Oakland, was born in Germany July 9, 1841, 
son of Ottmir and Elizabeth (Selbherr) Stroe- 
bele, both natives of Germany, he born in 
1800, and she in 1808. They both died in 
their native town, he in 1872, and she Jan- 



uary 11, 1865. They were the parents of 
four children — three boys and one girl. Our 
subject received his education in his native 
land, and began life as a farmer. He came 
to the United States in 1865, and went to St. 
Louis, Mo., and from there to Council Bluffs, 
where he remained for three years. Here he 
was married, April 17, 1869, to Bertha Tetz- 
laff, born in Germany October 6, 1846, 
daughter of Martin and Louise (Brisemeis- 
ter) Tetzlaff, both natives of Germany. After 
his marriage, our subject removed to Mills 
County, this State, where he rented land for 
two years. In 1871, he came to James Town- 
ship, this county, where he purchased eighty 
acres of land at $7 per acre. He improved 
it, and now has a grove and an orchard. He 
engages in general farming. Mr. and Mrs. 
Stroebele have live children — Emil H. O., 
Mary E., Theresa E. Edward J. and Viola 
O. In religion, Mr. Stroebele is a Catholic, 
and his wife a Lutheran. He is an Odd 
Fellow, Humboldt Lodge, No. 174. In pol- 
ities, he is a Republican. 

HERMAN VIETH, farmer. P. O. Minden, 
was born in Germany May 17, 1848, son of 
Michael and Charlotte (Gatting) Vieth, both 
natives of Germany. His father was born in 
1820; was a carpenter; came to the United 
States in 1870. and is now living in James 
Township, where the mother is also living. 
Our subject received his education in his na- 
tive country, and began life as a cabinet-ma- 
ker. He was married, in Ottawa, 111., Au- 
gust 6, 1872, to Amelia Jacobs, born in Phil- 
adelphia, Penn., September 29, 1850, daugh- 
ter of Henry and Katharine (Machetanz) Ja- 
cobs, both natives of Germany, he born in 
1824, and she in 1826. Our subject was a 
merchant in Neola for four years, after whi ch 
he sold out and came to James Township 
and in 1875, purchased eighty acres of land 
at $7 per acre. He put up some fine build- 



JAMES TOWNSHIP. 



125 



ings, and has otherwise improved his place. 
He engages in general farming. He has 
live children — Emma, Henry, Eddie, Nellie 
and Minnie. He is a member of the German 
Evangelical Association. He is an Odd Fel- 
low, Neola Lodge, No. 410, and is also a 
charter member of the Legion of Honor, Ne- 
ola. In politics, he is a Republican. 

WILLIAM F. WRIGHT, farmer, P. O. 
Oakland, was born in Henderson County, 
111., February 10, 1857, son of James and 
Lucretia (Hammon) Wright, both natives of 
Kentucky, he born February 17, 1812, and 
she in 1817. The father is a farmer, and is 
now living in James Township. The mother 
is also living. They had eleven childi-en — 
fom- sons and seven daughters. Our subject 
received his educatioQ in this county, and 
has always been a farmer. He came to James 
Township in 1868, and, in 1881, pm-chased 
eighty acres of prairie land at $12.50 per 
acre, which is now all improved, including a 
good house, which he built the same year. 
He engages in general farming. He is not 
married, but his widowed sister, Sarah E. 
Vane, is keeping house for him. Our sub- 
ject is a Good Templar, Oakland Lodge, No. 
61. In politics, he is a Republican. 

CHRISTIAN YOUNG, farmer, P. O. Han- 
cock, was born in Alsace, Germany, August 
26, 1839, son of Adam and Kathrina (Cron) 
Young, both natives of Alsace, Germany, he 
born September 10, 1810, and died in 1858, 
in Streator, 111. ; she born September 10, 
1809, and is still living, in James Township, 
this county. They were farmers, and had 
six children — two sons and four daughters — 
two of whom are now deceased. Our subject 
came to this country in 18-16, and went to 
Peru, 111. He received his education in Put- 
nam County, 111., and remained in the latter 
State until he came to this county. He lived 
for sixteen years in Livingston County, 111. 



He started in life as a farmer and thresher. 
He was married, in Granville, Putnam Co., 
111., in 1863, to Katharina Franz, born April 
12, 1846, in Germany, daughter of Johannes 
and Martha E. (Becker) Franz, both natives 
of Germany. Our subject came to James 
Township, this county, in March, 1881, and 
made several purchases of dififerent men, in 
all amounting to 320 acres, for which he 
paid $16 per acre. He now has a good farm, 
including good buildings and an orchard, 
and he engages in general farming. Mr. and 
Mrs. Yovmg have had nine children — five 
boys, one of whom is deceased, and foui- 
girls — Adam, Heim-ich, Louise, Wilhelm S., 
Caroline K., Johannes C, Mary E. and Em- 
ma M. Mr. Young has filled several town- 
ship offices. He is a member of the German 
Evangelical Association, and in politics is a 
Republican. 

J. N. YOUNG, farmer, P. O. Oakland, was 
born in Fleming County, Ky. , February 5, 
1844, son of James John and Mary J. (Ad- 
ams) Young, both now living, in Washington 
County, this State. His father is a farmer, 
born in 1811, and his mother was born in 
Illinois in 1818. They had nine children — 
four sons and five daughters — of whom the 
sons and two of the daughters are now living. 
Om- subject went to school in Washington 
County, this State. In July, 1862, he en- 
lisi.ed it the Nineteenth Iowa Infantry, Com- 
pany C, Capt. T. H. Stanton, who was suc- 
ceeded by Capt. John S, Gray. He was en 
gaged in the siege of Vicksburg, Spanish 
Fort, Fort Smith and Sterling Farm. He 
was taken prisoner of war, and held as such 
for nine months and twenty-three days. He 
was married, March 29, 1866, in Washington 
County, this State, to Sarah M. Farley, born 
in that county February 9, 1848, daughter of 
Sylvester and Candace (Barnett) Farley, he 
born in Ohio in 1811, and she in Indiana in 



126 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



1816. Mr. and Mrs. Young have three chil- 
dren — ^Jeanette, born October 6, 1868; Min- 
nie Alice, born November 15, 1878; and the 
baby, born August 5, 1882. Our subject 
went, to Missouri, where he remained seven 
and a half years, returning to Washington 
County, this State, where he lived for two 



years, when he came to James Township, 
and, in 1878, purchased eighty acres of prai- 
rie land at $15 per acre. He set out a good 
grove, seventy-five fruit trees, built a good 
house, and has made many substantial im- 
provements. He 
ing. 



engages in general farm- 



KEG CEEEK TOWNSHIP. 



HENEY C. BEBENSEE, farmer, P. O. 
Council Bluffs, was born in Schleswig, Ger- 
many, September 29, 1823, son of Henry F. 
and Maria Magdalena (Kohn) Bebensee, he 
a native of Holstein, and she a native of 
Schleswig, Germany. They were farmers, 
and were the parents of three children — two 
sons and one daughter. Our subject received 
his schooling in his native town, and began 
life as a tiller of the soil. He was married, 
in May, 1851, in his native town, to Marga- 
retta Koch, born in Germany in 1825, daugh- 
ter of Jurgen and Mrs. (Ramm) Koch, both 
natives of Germany. Our subject was in the 
Schleswig-Holstein war, from 1848 to 1850. 
He sustained two wounds, one in each leg. 
He came to the United States in 1872, com- 
ing to this coimty, and jnirchasing. in Keg 
Creek Township, 220 acres of land at $12 per 
acre. In 1881, he bought eighty acres more 
at $15.75 per acre. His farm now contains 
good buildings and other improvements. He 
carries on farming in all its branches. He 
has six children — Fred Rudolph, born April 
16, 1852; Dora, born March 12, 1859; Mary, 
born December 23, 1861; Ereka, born Jan- 
uary 8, 1S6-4; Henrjr, born January 13, 1866; 
and Johanna, born January 24, 1868. Mr. 
and Mrs. Bebensee are Lutherans. In poli- 
tics, he is a Democrat. 



JOHN L. BUSCH. farmer, P. O. Keg 
Creek, was born in Holstein, Germany. Au- 
giist 22, 1833, son of Joe and Margaretta 
(Buck) Buseh, both natives of Holstein, Ger- 
many, where they also died. They were the 
parents of foiu- children, of whom our sup- 
ject is the only son. He received his educa- 
tion in his native town, and started in life 
as a farmer. He came to the United States 
October 3, 1857. He lived in Scott County, 
this State, several years, and in Clinton 
County six years; was also in St. Louis and 
New Orleans. He came to Keg Creek Town- 
ship and purchased, in 1871, eighty acres of 
land at $10 per acre. He made subsequent 
purchases, and now has 320 acres of good, 
improved land. He engages in general farm- 
ing. He has been twice married — the first 
time in Scott County, this State, to Dorothea 
Quater. His second marriage was with So- 
phia Kluver, which oecvuTed in Keg Creek 
Township, June 14, 1877. She was born in 
Germany April 24, 1838, daughter of Ditleft 
and Sophia Kluver, both natives of Germany. 
Mr. and Mrs. Busch have one child, Chris. 
Our subject has filled township offices. In 
religion, he is a Lutheran, and in politics, a 
Democrat 

RASMUS CAMPBELL, farmer, P. O. Keg 
Creek, was born in Wayne County, Ind., in 



KEG CREEK TOWJfSHIP. 



127 



1840. He is the oldest settler in Keg Creek 
Township, coming here in 1852, and he has 
lived here ever since, within one mile of the 
place he first settled on. He received his 
education in the schools of this county. His 
father, William Campbell, was a native of 
New York, and lived in Harrison County, 
Iowa. He died in Monona County, Iowa, in 
1880. When our subject first settled in the 
county, there was only one settler between 
him and Council Bluffs. This was Mr. Thom- 
as Moffatt, who lived on the farm now owned 
by S. G. Underwood. It was five miles up 
Keg Creek to any settler, and to the south 
there was no settlement till Glenwood was 
reached. Mi'. Campbell was married, in this 
county, in 1864, to Miss Martha M. Mofifatt, 
a daughter of Thomas Moffatt, one of the 
earliest settlers in this township. They have 
had six children, three boys of whom are liv- 
ing. They lost two children by typhoid fe- 
ver in 1881. Mr. Campbell's farm consists 
of 127 acres. He is engaged in stock-raising 
and general farming. He has three broth- 
ers — one living in Hardin Township, one in 
Lewis Township, and one living in Monona 
County. In politics, Mr. Cam[.bell has al- 
ways been a Republican. 

JAilES FLOOD, farmer, P. O. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Ireland in 1830. He 
came to America in 1847, and settled near 
Jacksonville, Morgan Co., 111. Here he re- 
mained until 1856, when he came to Mills 
County, Iowa, settling in Glenwood. He 
lived here for eight years, but was away part 
of the time, being engaged in freighting with 
ox teams from the Missouri River to the 
mountains. It usually took from two to 
three months to make a round trip, the time, 
of course, depending upon the condition of 
the roads, Indians, etc. Mr. Flood was mar- 
ried, in Morgan County, 111., in 1856. to Lou- 
isa M. Ballatti. She was born in England, 



and came to America with her parents, who 
are still living, in Morgan County, 111. Mr. 
and Mrs. Flood have six childi'en — five sons 
and one daughter. Two of his sons have 
each a farm, one consisting of a quarter- sec- 
tion, and the other of eighty acres. Mr. 
Flood's farm consists of 400 acres, situated 
on Middle Silver Creek. He raises a good 
deal of stock, Ijesides doing a general farm- 
ing business. While in Mills County, he 
engaged largely in buying and selling cattle, 
and also in feeding. He has been on his 
present farm eight years. When he first 
came, there were but few settlers in this part 
of the township, but now the entire surround- 
ing country has been fenced in and improve- 
ments made. Mr. Flood has always taken an 
active interest in educational matters. In 
politics, he is a Democrat. 

ERNEST FRANKE, farmer, P. O. Coun- 
cil Bluffs, was born in Germany in 1845, and 
came to America in 1866, settling two miles 
north of Glenwood, in Mills County, Iowa, 
where he remained for six years. He then 
came to this county, and has since lived, with 
the exception of four years, on his present 
farm of 180 acres. MJr. Franke has good 
builaings on his farm, and he engages in all 
the branches of farming. In the spring of 
1872, he married Miss Paulina Bhoam, a na- 
tive of Germany. They have six childi-en — 
three sons and three daughters. Mr. Franke 
votes the Democratic ticket. 

p. S. FRANK, fai-mer, P. O. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Lake County, Ohio, Au- 
gust 23, 1850, within three-foiu-ths of a mile 
of the lamented Garfield's home. He is the 
son of Solomon S. and Phcebe (Davis) Frank, 
he a native of Pennsylvania, and she of New 
York. They are farmers, and are now living 
in Hardin Township, this county. They 
were the parents of eight children — four sons 
and four daughters. Our subject received 



128 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



hie education in Council Bluffs, and began 
life at farming. He was but eight years old 
when he came to Council Bluffs, where he 
lived for four years. He has been a resident 
of this county for the past twenty-four years. 
His present farm consists of 160 acres; is 
well improved land, containing good build- 
ings and a walnut grove of 500 trees. He 
carries on general farming. March20, 1878, 
he was married, in Keg Creek Township, to 
Marguerette Orr, born in Ohio November 25, 
1850, daughter of William and Marguerette 
Orr, natives of Ireland. Our subject has 
been School Director in the township), and in 
politics he is a Democrat. 

KOBERT INGRAM, farmer, P. O. Silver 
City, Mills County, was born in Scotland Au- 
gust 30, 1831, son of James and Jane (Ser- 
ling; Ingram, both natives of Ayrshire, Scot- 
land, he born in 1792, and is still living in 
the same place; she born in 1797, and died in 
her native town in 1846. They were farm- 
ers, and had five children, of whom our sub- 
ject is the only boy. He received his edu- 
cation in Ayrshire, Scotland, and began life 
at the plow. He came to America in 1851, 
and to Keg Ci'eek Township in 1871, where 
he purchased 220 acres of prairie land at ."510 
per acre. He has since added 160 acres, 
which cost on an average of §12.50 per acre. 
He has made many substantial improvements, 
including a good grove and orchard, and a 
new two-story frame house, which he erected 
in 1882, at a cost of §1,800. His present 
farm of 380 acres contains a constant supply 
of living water, which would make it an ex- 
cellent farm for stock-raising. He carries on 
general farming. He was married, in La 
Porte County, Ind., in May, 1851, to Eliza 
Cane, born in Ohio, and died in the place of 
her marriage in the following year. She was 
the daughter of John and Ruth (Hullinger) 
Cane, he born and died in Ohio, and she also 



a native of Ohio, born in 1808, and is now 
living in Lake County, Ind, Our subject was 
married a second time, to Miss Melissa Mc- 
Murphy, a half-sister of his former wife. She 
was born in Michigan February 7, 1814, the 
daughter of Moses McMurphy, a native of 
Vermont, born in 1806. By his first wife 
our subject had one child, James M. ; by his 
second wife, four children, three of whom are 
living — Andi-ew L. , Martha and Robert Ma- 
rion. Oar subject has filled several township 
offices. He belongs to the Baptist Church, 
! and is a Republican in politics. 

WILLIAM KIRBY, farmer, P. O. Silver 
City, Mills County, was born in Yorkshire. 
England, February 13, 1850, son of James 
and Jane (Croft) Kirby, natives of Y'ork- 
shire, England, he, born in 1808, was a large 
farmer, and died in Clyde, 111., July 22, 1866; 
she born October 15, 1819, and is now living 
in Keg Creek Township. They were the 
parents of four children — three boys and one 
girl. Our subject received his schooling in 
Logan County, 111., and started in life as a 
farmer. It was in 1854 that he came to the 
United States, and he lived in Illinois for 
eighteen years. March 4, 1875, he came to 
Keg Creek Township and bought 100 acres 
of prairie land, at $11, $12.50 and $16.75 
per acre. He has made many substantial im- 
provements, and carries on general farming. 
Since his residence in this county, he has 
dealt considerably in land, having been in 
the real estate business for some time. He 
votes the Republican ticket. 

HENRY B. KNOWLES, farmer, P. O. 
Council Bluffs, was born in St. Lawrence 
County, N. Y., August 7, 1849, son of Henry 
and Jane L. (Brush) Knowles ; he, born in St. 
Lawrence County, N. Y^. , June 23, 1815, is a 
lawyer in Potsdam, N. Y.; she, born in Ver- 
gennes, Vt. , June 21, 1817, and is still liv- 
ing. They are the parents of six children — 



KEG CREEK TOWNSHIP. 



129 



two sons and four daughters. Our subject 
received his education in Potsdam, N. Y., 
WiJliamstown, Mass., and Cornell University. 
He started in life as a farmer and stock man. 
He was married, in Keg Creek Township, 
February 10, 1881, to Elizabeth J. Orr, born 
near Cleveland, Ohio, June 15, 1855, daugh- 
ter of William and Marguerette Orr, both 
natives of Belfast, Ireland, he born March 
13, 1817, she March 23, 1817. Our subject 
came to Council Bluffs in the fall of 1872. 
His present farm consists of 400 acres, which 
was, at the time he purchased it, all prairie 
land, but now contains many substantial im- 
provements, including good buildings, his 
house being one of the largest and best in 
the county. He feeds cattle in the winters, 
and afterward ships them to Chicago. In 
politics, he is a Republican. 

EOBERT McELRATH, farmer, P. O. Sil- 
ver City, Mills County, was born in Erie 
County, Penn., March 11, 1836, sou of James 
and Elizabeth (Leland) McElrath, both na- 
tives of Northumberland County, Penn., he, 
born March 12, 1800, and died in St. -Joseph 
County, Mioh., in December, 1862; she, born 
in 1802, and still living, in St. Joseph Coun- 
ty, Mich. The parents were farmers, and 
raised eight children — four boys and four 
girls. Our subject received his schooling in 
St. Joseph County, Mich., to which place his 
parents had moved shortly after his birth, 
and commenced life as a tiller of the' soil. 
He afterward leai-nod the shoemaker's trade, 
but returned to farming. August 8, 1802, 
he enlisted in the Nineteenth Michigan In- 
fantry, Company K, Cajit. Duffy. He took 
part in the engagement of Spring Hill, Tenn., 
and was taken prisoner, and sent to Libby 
Prison, Virginia. He was married, February 
4, 1857, in St. Croix County, Wis., to Nancy 
M. Harris, born in New York September 24, 
1836. Om- subject lived in Michigan until 



1869, when he went to Shelby County, Mo,, 
where he lived until he came to Keg Creek 
Township in 1873, where he purchased eighty 
acres of land at S15 per acre. He has set out 
a grove and made other substantial improve- 
ments. He engages in general farming. He 
has two daughters — Susan Elmina, born 
March 5, 1861; and Alice Elcina, born July 
15, 1862. Ml-. McElrath is an Odd Fellow, 
Silver City Lodge. He votes the Republican 
ticket. 

COL. WILLIAM ORR, farmer and stock- 
raiser, P. O. Council Bluffs, was born near 
Belfast, Ireland, March 13, 1826. He is 
the son of John and Margaret ()rr. His fa- 
ther died in L'eland in 1841. Our subject 
received his education in L'eland. He first 
attended the subscription schools, and after- 
ward the public schools, when the national 
system of free instruction came into vogue. 
When but sixteen years of age, he came to 
Ohio, where he remained until the year 1856, 
with the exception of about four years, dui-- 
ing which he lived in Western Pennsylvania. 
In the fall of 1848, he returred to the old 
country, and was married, near Belfast, in 
1849, to Miss Margaret Orr. He immediately 
came back to Ohio and commenced farming 
and stock-raising, in which occupations he 
has ever since been engaged. The same year, 
his mother visited him, but returned to Ire- 
land shortly afterward, and died there in 
1853. In the spring of 1857, our subject 
moved to a place near Florence, Neb., re- 
maining there for fom- years, when he went 
to Harrison County, Iowa, where he lived till 
1872, finally coming to his present farm in 
Keg Creek Township. Mr. and Mrs. Orr 
have had twelve children, seven of whom are 
living — three sons and four daughters. La- 
mont, William, Mary and Emma are living 
at home. John A. is married, and lives in 
Harrison County, near the old homestead. 



130 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



^largaret A. and Elizabeth J. are married, 
and reside in this county. From about 1866 
to 1879, Col. Orr was engaged in breeding 
Short-Horn cattle, but he held a sale in 1879, 
from which he retained but a few head. He 
is at present engaged in breeding cattle of 
the Hereford blood. Besides this, he makes 
it a basiness of feeding cattle through the 
winter season, having at times several hun- 
dred head. The Colonel is also a breeder of 
thoroughbred horses, sheep and hogs, at pres- 
ent breeding the Chester White and Poland- 
China hogs. Col. Orr is one of the earliest 
who have made fine stock-raising a specialty, 
and he has probably been more extensively 
engaged in that business than any other man 
in the county. His farm consists of 640 
acres, and he has a quarter-section more, 
which he leases. His farm is complete in all 
tlie necessaiy equipments pertaining to the 
business. In his pastiu'e he has a self-regu- 
lating Halliday windmill. Col. Orr raises 
his own hay, in which he has been very suc- 
cessful, cutting as high as three tons to the 
acre. In polities, the Colonel is a Democrat, 
but has never taken a very active interest in 
political affairs. His party did, however, 
run him for the State Senatorship in the fall 
of 1880, but he was defeated by Hon. George 
F. Wright, the Eepublican candidate. 

A. B. PEKKINS, farmer, P. O. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Warren County, 111., in 
1846, and, with his parents, moved to War- 
ren County, Iowa, when he was nine years old. 
His father, D. R. Perkins, moved to Southern 
Kansas in the fall of 1870, and in the March 
following, our subject went to Nebraska, re- 
maining there two years, when he came to 
Keg Creek Township, in March, 1873. At 
that time, his present place was all open 
prairie, and there were but two or three 
other settlers near him. He had ample range 
for his cattle, but, inside of five years, some 



of the roughest of the neighboringr land had 

O DO 

been settled up. Mr. Perkins paid SIO per 
acre at the time he first purchased. His farm 
at present consists of 180 acres, all of which 
is under cultivation. He raises some stock, 
and engages in general farming. He was 
married, in Warren County, Iowa, in 1868, 
to Miss Malinda Whited, who was born in 
this State. They have eight children — five 
boys and three girls — Mr. Perkins is at pres- 
ent one of the Trustees of Keg Creek Town- 
ship. He is a member of the Christian 
Church, and also of Silver City Lodge, I. O. 
O. F. Politically, he is a Democrat. 

JULIUS J. SAAR, farmer, P. O. Council 
Blufis. was born in Jefferson City, Mo.. Jan- 
uaiy 1, 1845. He was but four years old 
when his parents moved to Mills County, 
Iowa. Here our subject lived until 1S70, 
when he came to this county. He received 
his ediacation in the schools of Mills County. 
He is the eldest son of Heniy Saar, who, with 
his wife (our subject's mother), is living in 
Mills County. His grandfather, John 
Plumer, is one of the oldest settlers in Mills 
County, and still lives on the place he first 
settled, and is over ninety years old. Our 
subject was married, in Mills County, in Jan- 
uary, 1869, to Miss Catharine Shoning, a 
native of Germany. They have seven chil- 
dren — five boys and two girls. Mrs. Saar's 
farm consists of 280 acres, 150 acres of which 
are under cultivation, and the remainder are in 
pastiu'e and grass. He has a pleasant farm 
home with good buildings, orchards, forest 
trees and other improvements, which give to 
the place an air of comfort and happine.ss. 
Out of a piece of the open prairie, Mr. 
Saar has, by his hard work and energy, 
made his farm what it is. He is engaged 
in general farming. He belongs to the 
Lutheran Church, and votes the Democratic 
ticket. 



KEG CKEEK TOWNSHIP. 



131 



H. F. SAAR, farmer, P. O.Keg Creek, was 
born iu Moniteau County, Mo., in 1848, and 
was the son of Henry Saar. His pai'ents 
moved by ox teams to this State when he 
was a small boy. They settled in- Mills 
County, where both parents are still living. 
Our subject was educated in the schools of 
Mills County. He was married, in June, 
1872, to Miss Caroline Riekman, who was 
born in Davenport, Iowa. They have five 
childi-en — three boys and two girls. IVIr. 
Saar settled on his present farm in the fall 
of 1876. He had lived in this county before 
that time, but had returned to Mills County, 
where he stayed for a year or so. His pres- 
ent farm consists of 520 acres, about 180 acre 
of which are tinder cultivation, the remainder 
being in meadow and pasture land. He is 
engaged in stock-raising and general farm- 
incf. The first 120 acres which he bought 
was improved to some extent, but the balance 
of his improvements he has made himself. 
His success has been attained by hard labor 
and close attention to business. His father's 
farm in Mills County lies on what was once 
an old stage route, which was one of the thor- 
oughfares for emigrants going to California. 
At one time, a train of 1,000 mules stopped 
to feed at his father's place, and they had 
to haul corn by the load and scatter it over 
the ground in order to feed them. When our 
subject first came to this county, twelve years 
ago, he broke prairie on his brother Julius' 
farm, at which time the country all around 
was all open prairie. He has seen the stage 
drive over his father's fence many a time in 
the winter. It was a rail fence which would 
be completely buried in snow, so severe would 
be the storms in that locality. 



ALBERT W. WYMAN, farmer, P. O. 
Council Bluffs, was born in Parma, Monroe 
Co., N. Y., Februaiy 20, 1834, son of Sam- 
uel and Betsey (Atchison) Wyman, he born in 
Sheffield, Mass., May 31, 1789, and died in 
Parma, N. Y., in January, 1876; she born in 
Parma, N. Y., January 21, 1799, and is still 
living in that place. The father was a black- 
smith. The parents had ten children — sis 
sons and four daughters — of whom three boys 
and one girl are now deceased. Our subject 
received his education in his native town, 
where he also learned the carpenter's trade, 
in which occupation he began life. He was 
married, November 10, 1858, in Half Moon, 
Saratoga Co. , N. Y., to Hai-riet M. Peek, born 
in Rensselaer County, N. Y., November 15, 
1837, daughter of A. and Betsey Ann (Wood) 
Peek, he born in Rensselaer County, N. Y., in 
1807; she in 1808, and still living in Sara- 
toga County, N. Y. Our subject lived in New 
York until 1871. He was a cai'penter on the 
Albany & Northern Railroad, but afterward 
rose to the position of foreman on the third 
division of that road. He was Lieutenant in 
the Home Guards, State militia, Capt. Diver. 
In 1871, he came to Keg Creek Township, 
where he shortly afterward purchased 160 
acres of land at §10 per acre. He set out 
7,000 forest and 140 fruit trees, which are in 
a thriving, and the fruit trees in a beai-ing, 
condition. He has good buihlings, living 
water on the place, and engages .in general 
f ai-miug, but mostly stock-raising and feeding 
in winter. Mr. and Mrs. Wyman have one 
boy, born October 6, 1859. Our subject is 
an A., F. & A. M., Clinton Lodge, No. 140, 
being a charter member of the same. In 
politics, he is a Democrat. 



132 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



KS^OX TOWI^SHIP. 



E. A. BABCOCK, lawyer, Avoca, born in 
Huntington, Hampshire Co., Mass., Sept. 10, 
1841. His parents moved to Clinton, Oneida 
Co., N. Y. , when he was a few months old; 
parents are both dead ; father buried in 
Hampshire County, aged fifty-seven; mother 
in Oneida County, N. Y., aged forty-two. 
Subject was Principal of the Schoharie Acad- 
emy for a short time; taught school near 
Buifalo, N. Y.; graduated at Hamilton Col- 
lege, Oneida County, in 1865, went to New 
Boston. 111., September 16, 1866, taught 
school until November 28, 1866, when he 
moved to Muscatine, this State, November 30, 
1866, went to Davenport, this State, in a few 
days; taught one term of school in Scott Coun- 
ty, when he started for Omaha, April 3, 1867, 
thence to this county; taught one term near 
Council Bluffs, and two tenns in Shelby Coun- 
ty. Subject is a Democrat; was elected Asses- 
sor October, 1869, and was married to Augusta 
Burmister December 25, 1879. They have 
had only one child, which died soon after its 
birth. Subject came to Avoca July 2, 1869, 
and now has a large practice. 

FREMONT BENJAMIN, attorney, Avoca, 
dates his residence in Avoca back to July, 
1875. He was born in Schuyler County, N. 
Y., and, prior to his coming West, he had 
spent aboutjeight years in the schools of El- 
mira, grdauating from the Elmira Academy 
while Prof. J. Dormau Steele was Principal 
of that institution. He came to Avoca and 
engaged in school -teaching, but, concluding 
to study law, he entered the office of John 
Ledwich. He subsequently took a course in 
the State University of Iowa, from which he 



graduated in 1881. In February, he was 
admitted to the bar in Johnson County. Iowa, 
and, in the following June, he was admitted 
to practice in the United States Courts. He 
began practice in Avoca in April of 1881, and 
has succeeded in establishing a good busi- 
ness. In political affairs, he has taken an 
active part with the Eepublican party. He 
is a member of the Mt. Nebo Lodge, No. 
297, A., F. & A. M., of which he is the pres- 
ent Secretary, 

J. B. BLAKE, Postmaster, Avoca, so well 
known through his official position in Avoca 
and vicinity, has been a resident of Potta- 
wattamie County the greater part of the time 
for the past twenty-two years. He was born 
in Worcester County, Mass., where he was 
educated, and where he remained a resident 
until his seventeenth year. He then went to 
Boston and entered a wholesale house, where 
he remained three years. His first year's sal- 
ary was S50; the second, S75; and the third 
year. SIOO. He then came West, and stopped 
for a few months in Omaha. He then went 
to Crescent City, where he designed engag- 
ing in business, but, finding the climate to 
him so unhealthy that he contracted ague, he 
was obliged to make a change, so went to 
Denver, Colo., where his brother, Charles 
Blake, resided, and who erected one of the 
first houses ever built in that famous city. 
Iklr. Blake spent about one year there, when. 
his health admitting, he returned to Potta- 
wattamie County. His life from this date 
until he settled in Avoca in 1874 was a series 
of changes, the time being spent mainly in 
Crescent Citv, Council Bluffs and Loveland. 



KXOX TOWNSHIP. 



133 



He removed from the latter place to Avoca 
and engaged in the retail boot and shoe 
business, which he continue until he was 
appointed Postmaster of the Avoca office, 
by President Hayes. He was re-ajapointed 
by President Arthur, and is at present en- 
gaged in the discharge of his duties, and is 
unquestionably a substantial, worthy citizen 
of the prosperous little city. 

T. P. BOGUE, farmer, P. O. Avoca, born 
in Vei-mont in 1832, son of T. F. Bogue, who 
died in 1865; his mother died in 1872. 
Subject lived in Vermont until 1859, when 
he went to California, living there until 
1869. The lirst four years were occupied in 
mining, the next three in freighting, and the 
balance he lived in the western part of Utah 
Territory. Returning to Vermont in 1809, 
he remained there one year, when he came to 
this county and bought his jiresent farm from 
Henry Davenport, paying about $13 'per acre 
for the same. It is located two miles from 
Avoca; consists of 120 acres, nearly all in 
cultivation; there were few improvements on 
the place when he bought it, only twenty acres 
broken and the land all fenced. He raises 
corn and hogs principally. Subject was edu- 
cated in the common schools of Vermont, 
Castleton and Brandon Seminaries, and mar- 
ried, in 1869, Miss Caroline B. Hall, of Ver- 
mont, daughter of David Hall; they have 
three children, all boys. Subject is a Repub- 
lican, a member of the Mt. Nebo Lodge, No. 
297, A. , F. & A. M., and was three years in 
the Crown Point Iron Mines in New York 
State. He was through two Indian outbreaks 
in 1866 and 1867, the worst being that of the 
Goshoot, the tribe being almost annihilated 
by Capt. Smith. One of Mr. Bogue's horses 
was shot bv an Indian while he was di-iving 
a stage. However, a soldier, who was sit- 
ing on the seat beside him, soon dispatched 
"Poor Lo." 



J. A. BUNNELL, farmer, P. O. Avoca, 
born in Portage County, Ohio, January, 1836, 
son of Charles and Margaret Bunnell; moved 
from Ohio to Illinois in 18-46, settling in 
Winnebago County, living there until 1852, 
when he went to Iowa. His father, however, 
had gone to Clinton County, Iowa, in the fall 
of the previous year, while he remained in 
Illinois, attending school. His home for 
some years after this was either in Shelby or 
Pottawattamie County until after the war, 
when he came to this township. He attended 
the Urst school that was ever taught in the 
township, which was a successful institution 
for those days. Subject was married in Au- 
gust, 1856, to Miss Sarah J. Headiee, 
daughter of Joshua Headiee, born in 
Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Bunnell have eight 
children — five boys and three girls — one 
daughter married and living in this town- 
ship. Subject enlisted, October 14. 1863, 
in Company M, Ninth Iowa Cavalry; served 
until the close of the war, under Col. Tnim- 
buU; was stationed along White and Arkan- 
sas Rivers, being in only one j)itched battle, 
with Shelby's men, near Duvall's Bluff Af- 
ter leaving the army, he sold his farm in 
Shelby County, and bought his present place, 
his farm now consisting of 600 acres, well 
improved. There is a grove of thirty acres, 
a large house, etc., on it, and the products 
are principally stock and corn. On his ai-- 
I'ival here, his entire capital was 75 cents, 
and he worked at anyihing he could find to 
do, coming with an uncle who had lost his 
eyesight by being blown up in a well while 
working for Buford, of Rock Island, 111. He 
helped this uncle' all he possibly could; got 
a yoke of oxen, went to Nebraska in 1854, 
and broke prairie, working through the sum- 
mer. He lost one of his cattle, which re- 
quired six months' work to pay for it. In 
1856, he went back to Nebraska, broke prai- 



134 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



rie, hauled wood to Omaiia in the winter, 
putting all his earnings into land at 81.25 
per acre, and he soon made a start in the 
world. He has hauled wheat to Council 
Bluffs and sold it for 30 cents per bushel; 
also sold and dressed hogs as low as $1.25 
per hundred. He is a Kepublican ; has held 
several offices, and may feel proud of his past 
record as a self-made man. 

JOHN COAKES, livery, Avoca, born in 
Canada in 1840, son of Samuel Coakes, a 
painter. Subject has two sisters in Avoca, 
and one brother in the Sandwich Islands. 
He left Coburg, Canada, with only S5, cross- 
ing Lake Ontario in the Maple Leaf; landed 
in New York in i860; enlisted in the Thirty- 
fourth New York Eegiment (Col. Suter), in 
the fall of 1861. His first battle was Fair 
Oaks; was in the seven days' retreat with 
McClellan; at the battle of Antietam; both 
fights at Fredericksburg, being with the Ai-my 
of the Potomac all the time, and mustered 
out July 3, 1863, at Albany. He worked in 
livery stable in Palmyra, N. Y., then went to 
Detroit, Mich., continuing in the same busi- 
ness for sis years, when he came to Avoca, in 
July, 1870, and opened business for himself, 
with two buggies and foiu" horses, Avoca at 
this time not having more than twenty build- 
ings. Now he has a stable 34x146 feet, con- 
taining nine rigs. He was married, in the 
fall of 1864, in Detroit, to Miss Rozina Kier- 
sey, who died in the fall of 1878, leaving two 
children — one boy and one girl. Subject's 
parents are both dead. 

ENOCH GUSHING, farmer, P. O. Avoca, 
born in Tamworth, N. H., about foiu-teen 
miles from the White Mountains, in 1829; 
lived there until twenty-one years old; edu- 
cated in the common schools; raised on a 
farm, and lived in difi"erent places in New 
Hampshire until 1862, when he moved to 
Massachusetts; he worked at farming, car- 



pentering — in fact, all kinds of work — and 
for fourteen years was employed in a shoe 
manufactory employing 6,000 hands. In 
Massachusetts, he raised vegetables for the 
Boston market; after five years at this busi- 
ness, went into the dairy business for one 
year, and, in December, 1868, he came to this 
county; settled at what is known as New 
Boston, living there for one year, owning a 
dozen horses and a saw-mill. Moving to 
Avoca, he was the first carpenter, and did the 
first work in this line which was done in the 
town; stayed there one year, sold out to Abel 
Harris and moved onto his present farm. 
When he came to this county, he had only 
S200: bought eighty acres of land from the 
Chicago, Rock Island &_ Pacific Railroad 
Company in 1869; made a small payment on 
it; built a house on it in 1870; moved onto 
it; had only one horse; no farming tools: 
only made a payment of $100, with a wife 
and six small childi'en depending on his 
efforts, but since that time has paid for the 
original eighty acres, bought and paid for 
160 acres more, so that the farm now consists 
of 240 acres of fine land, with a good barn 
and dwelling house erected thereon, the 
dwelling costing 81,600. The farm is well 
stocked and imjiroved. This has all been 
done by farming. He married, in 1849, Miss 
Charlotte Bugel, of Barrington, N. H. They 
have sis children — three sons and tlu-ee 
daughters, all living at home. Subject is 
politically a Greenbacker. 

E. W. DAVIS, banker, Avoca, bominDan- 
ielsonville Conn., in 1839; his mother still 
lives there; father died in 1861. They had 
a family of eight children — five girls and 
three boys — all living. Subject went to 
Michigan in 1863 ; remained there three 
years; traveled for one year; went to Harlan, 
this State, in 1867, remaining there four 
years, when he moved to Avoca, in April, 



KXOX TOWNSHIP. 



135 



1871, engaging in merchandise, under the 
firm name of E. W. Davis & Co. ; opened a 
bank in August, 1872, and built a new 
building in 1874, the firm name being J. W. 
& E. AV. Davis, organized with a capital of 
$25,000. but in 1876 the capital was raised 
to S50,000. Subject is a Freemason, and was 
married. May 20, 1871:, to Miss May Ben- 
ham, of Cascade, Dubuque County, this State. 
TUey have two children — -Vinnie D., aged 
seven; and Joseph V., aged two. 

GUSTAV DIEDERICH, merchant, Avoca, 
born in Minden, Germany (Minden Town- 
ship named after his birthplace), came to 
the country February 2, 1862, landing in 
New York; came to Avoca from Davenport, 
this State, in 1870, where he kept a gi'oeery 
and crockery store. He now keeps a general 
stock, and has a branch at Hancock. His 
wife died in April, 1882. They were married 
in 1868. He is the father of five children, viz., 
Gustav, fourteen ; Louise, twelve; Frank, 
ten; Josephine, seven; Karl, five. He takes 
an active interest in politics; was the first 
Recorder of the city; held oflSce four terms- 
has been Mayor since, except one year spent 
in Europe; belongs to the order of I. 0. O. 
F. ; business increasing, yeai'ly sales being 
$24,000; does a large business in fonvard- 
ing express to Europe; also does a general 
banking business for Eui'opean cities; is the 
agent for the principal Eui'opean steamship 
lines, and also of the Pacific Railroad Com- 
pany. 

H. S. GREEN, farmer, P. O. Avoca, bom 
near Brockport, Monroe Co., N. Y., in 1829; 
raised in Ashtabula County, Ohio; lived there 
until 1868, when he went to Illinois; stopped 
with friends near Ottawa, where he was 
teaching for two years. He is the son of 
Caleb Green, who died in 1840; his mother, 
at the age of eighty-eight, died in Septem- 
ber, 1881; he is one of twelve childi-en, one 



brother and one sister dead. He was educat- 
ed in Ashtabula County, Ohio, going to 
school with B. F. Wade, nephew of B. F. 
Wade, of the Nineteenth District, Ohio. He 
has been farming most of his life, and, while 
in Ohio, was in the dairy business; married, 
in Ashtabula County, Ohio, in 1853, Miss 
Sarah J. Wood, born in New York and raised 
in Ohio. They are the parents of four childi-en 
— one daughter dead and three sons living. 
Subject came to this township in the spring 
of 1870, buying raw prairie, paying S8 and 
SIO per acre for same. The land was owned 
by Mr. Hitchcock, of Boston, and sold by N. 
P. Dodge, of Council Bluffs. The farm is 
well improved now, consisting of 290 acres, 
mostly under cultivation, with large build- 
ings, groves, orchard, etc., thereon. He 
came here just as the Chicago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Railroad commenced carrj-'ing 
freight, and was in Shelby when the first 
freight was delivered there, it Iseing a keg of 
whisky. Mr. Green is a Democrat. 

R. S. HART, agricultural implements, 
Avoca, is one of the oldest as well as one of 
the leading business men of Avoca. He is a 
native of Juniata County, Penn., where he 
was educated and spent the early years of 
his manhood. In 1867, he came West and 
located at Council Bluffs. About one year 
after his arrival, he entered the employ of 
Messrs. Shugart & Lininger, and engaged in 
the sale of agricultural implements. He re- 
mained in their employ about two years, and 
then went to Avoca, where he engaged in the 
stock business for about two years. The rap- 
id development of the new country creating 
a demand for farm implements, he was 
shrewd enough to see the advantage of es- 
tablishing a good business house in this line 
at Avoca. The result has proved the correct- 
ness of his judgment. In 1875, he formed 
a partnership with Mr. Shugart, of Council 



1C6 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Bluffs, and at ouce began an extensive busi- 
ness in the implement line and in buying 
grain. Their success is perhaps due to the 
carefulness of their selection of any and all 
articles of goods in which they have dealt. 
The Fiu-st & Bradley and Weir plows and 
cultivators, Bain and Schuttler wagons, and 
Buckeye reapers, mowers and twine-binder, 
and Brown corn-planters, are samples of the 
character of their goods. They also have an 
extensive trade in carriages and buggies. 
They supply agents at Oakland and Harlan 
with some Hues of their goods, in addition to 
their retail trade. Mi-. Hart has the entire 
management of the business, Mr. Shugart be- 
ing so extensively engaged in the same line 
in Council Bluffs as to require his time and 
attention. An annual sale of goods amount- 
ing to $40,000 is the best evidence of Mr. 
Hart's ability as a financier. In addition to 
his mercantile business, Mi-. Hart has a tine 
farm of 240 acres, located near Avoca, where 
he takes a pride in keeping some good stock. 
Mr. Hart has been only interested in politics 
to the extent of helping fill the local offices 
with just and honorable men. His time and 
energy have been given to the building up 
of his business, and to such men as he and 
Mr. Shugart is Avoca largely indebted for her 
growth and prosperity. 

S. A. KING, farmer, P. O. Avoca, born in 
Orange County, Vt., April 13, 1825, son of 
John King, who died in Indiana in August, 
1852 ; his mother died in Dover, N. H. Sub- 
ject lived in Vermont until he was nine years 
old, when he was taken to Lowell, Mass., 
where he lived until he was thirteen years 
old, when he went to Hm-on, Ohio, remaining 
there until he was eighteen years old, when 
he rode on horseback to Galena, 111., to try 
his fortunes in the lead mines. Living there 
about nine months, he got discoui-aged, hav- 
ing caught the ague. He started back to 



Ohio, but, finding he could not stand the 
ride, he stopped at Rockford, moving from 
there to Ottawa about the time the canal was 
finished from Chicago to La Salle; lived in 
Ottawa three years, when he went to Lake 
County, Ind His father, having moved there 
some time before, was very sick, and died 
from this sickness. He settled up the busi- 
ness and took his step-mother to Ohio. While 
at Rockford, he freighted to Chicago; would 
haul wheat the eighty miles for 20 cents per 
bushel, and, on reaching the city, would fre- 
quently have to sell for 37^ cents per bushel, 
taking shelf goods in payment, not even get- 
ting groceries; he hauled pork for 30 cents 
per hundred, sold for $1.50 per hundred, 
and, on his return trip, would take emigrants 
who landed from the steamboat to any place 
they wished, taking him all over Northern 
Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. This was 
before there were any railroads in this part 
of the country. TSTiile in Ohio, after taking 
his step-mother there, he m-arried, in Ajjril, 
1853, Miss Hannah Studwell, born in New 
York State. The same spring, he started 
West again, stopping at La Porte, Ind., stay- 
ing nearly a year, when he started to Ii-oquois 
County, 111., February, 1854, staying there 
until August, 1855, moving to Tama Coun- 
ty, Iowa, where he bought eighty acres of 
land, paying $5 per acre, building a cabin 
on it. the next year he sold out for §10 per 
acre, moving onto better land; he lived in 
Tama County for nearly thirteen years, when 
he moved to this township, in June, 1869, 
driving his stock across country, moving his 
goods and family in wagons. When they 
came here, there were no neighbors for about 
five miles north and twelve miles east, but 
south of them, around Lewin's Grove, there 
was quite a settlement. He paid S900 for 
his fii-st eighty acres of land, and now has 
240 acres, his principal business now being 



KXOX TOWNSHIP. 



137 



stock-raising. Politically, he is a Green- 
backei', though, until lately, was a Republic- 
an. Has sis childi'en — three boys and three 
girls, one girl and one son married and away 
from home, the others still living at home. 
After his aiTival in Tama County, he had to 
go to Iowa City, sixty-two miles away, for 
everything they bought. 

K. S. KNOWLES, M. D., Avoca, born in 
New York State in 1827, came here from 
Findley's Lake, N. Y. , where he had been 
practicing medicine for five years ; graduat- 
ed, in 1857, at the Kalamazoo College, Mich- 
igan, and took his medical courses in the 
Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago, in the 
winter of 1874-75, and in the Chicago Ho- 
mceopathie College in the winter of 1877. 
The Doctor's first practice was in Wisconsin, 
where he practiced for six years. Going to 
New York, he practiced five years, when he 
moved here, where he has practiced for twelve 
years. Subject's office is at his house, where 
he keeps a large stock of homoeopathic med- 
icines. He and his wife are encraged with 
son- in-law, the firm being known as P. C. 
Backus & Co., in a 99-ceut store, containing 
an endless variety of fancy goods &nd furni- 
ture, and are doing an extensive business. 
Subject was married, December 25, to Miss 
M. L. Francisco. Her father, B. S. Francis- 
co, was born just after parents came from 
France, and her family are noted for their 
longevity. Her father, joining the army 
when he was over sixty year sold, is still liv- 
ing, at the age of eighty-two. One of her 
great-uncles lived to be one hundred and 
twenty-four years old. Her mother died in 
November, 1^81, at eighty-three years old. 
Dr. Knowles' ancestors are also long-lived. 
His mother died at the age of eighty-foui\ 
His grandparents (Knowles) lived to be be- 
tween ninety and one hundred years old. 
Dr. and Mi-s. Knowles had five children, but 



only three are living — one daughter, at home; 
one daughter, Mi's. Backus is in a large fancy 
store in Omaha; the other daugther, Mrs. J. 
J. Hipsley, is in a wholesale and retail book 
store in Fort Dodge, this State. The Doctor 
has quite an extensive business in Avoca 
and surrounding country. 

ERNEST P. MACOilBER, M. D.. physi- 
cian and surgeon. Avoca, born in Massachu- 
setts in 1854, son of Dr. A. P. Macomber, a 
physician of Atlantic, this State, who was 
his son's preceptor tlii-ough his medical course 
at college. Dr. A. P. Macomber is a grad- 
uate of New York University, and practiced 
the old-school system for fifteen years, but 
now and for twelve years he has practiced 
the new (homoeopathic). Subject has been in 
Avoca one year, succeeding Dr. F. K. Dabury, 
who was in practice here for foiir years, and 
came from the vicinity of Long Branch, N. 
J. , where he had been living four years. He 
is a graduate of the New York Homoeopathic 
College; also attended a course in the Medi- 
cal Department in Columbia, N. Y., and a 
session of lectui'es in the Long Island Hos- 
pital. He received his early education at 
Williston Seminaiy, East Hampton, Mass., 
and Goddard Seminary, Barre, Vt. He is a 
member of the New Jersey and Iowa State 
Homoeopathic Societies, and has been quite 
successful in his practice here, which is quite 
extended, taking in Oakland, Carson, Han- 
cock and Shelby. Dr. Macomber and Dr. 
Knowles are the only homoeopathic physi- 
cians in Avoca. 

D. S. McCONNAUGHEY, M. D., Avoca, 
born in Lawrence County, Penn., July 8, 1837, 
came to Avoca April 4, 1882, from Washing- 
ton County, this State, having arrived in Den- 
mark, Lee County, this State, in 1852, and 
living there two yeais before he went to 
Washington County. He attended the Den- 
mark Academy for two years, the Washington 



13« 



BIOGKAPPIICAL: 



College several years; enlisted, in 1861, in 
Company H, Eleventh Iowa Infantry; dis- 
charged in 1862, at Fulton, Mo.; returned 
home and commenced the study of medicine; 
re-enlisted, in the summer of 1862, in the 
Thirtieth lovra Infantry; remained with the 
regiment one year; discharged in 1863, at 
Vicksburg; returned to Washington, this 
State; resumed the study of medicine, at- 
tending a coui'se of lectures at Rush Medical 
College in the winter of 1865-66; graduated 
in 1866-67, at Keokuk, this State; began the 
practice of medicine near the present town of 
Kiverside, this State ; moved, in 1869, to 
Marshall, Henry County, this State; remained 
there seven years, retui-ning to Riverside, re- 
maining there live years, when he removed to 
Avoca, where he has a large and constantly 
growing practice. Subject was married, Oc- 
tober 31, 1867, to Miss Josie Terry, daugh- 
ter of J. L. L. Terry, of Washington, this 
State. They had two children — Zetta, born 
in 1869, lived nine yeai's and died at River- 
side; and Harry D. Subject is a Repub- 
lican and a Freemason. 

N. MEREDITH, farmer, P. O. Avoca, was 
born sixteen miles north of Peoria, in 1829, 
son of J. B. Meredith, who is still living; 
his mother is dead, and his only brother lives 
in this township. Subject received a com- 
mon-school education in Illinois, and mar- 
ried, in Illinois, in 1852, Miss Clarissa Reed, 
born in Illinois, daughter of Simon Reed, 
who was one of the first settlers in that part 
of the State: her pai'ents are both dead. Mr. 
and Mrs. Meredith have four children — three 
boys and one girl Subject came to this 
county from Peoria County, 111., in Septem- 
ber, 1859, and has lived here since, with the 
exception of two years. In the spring of 
1853, he went across the country to Califor- 
nia, having been gone four years. While 
there, he was mining, teaming and farming. 



Returning to Illinois, he lived there until he 
moved to Iowa. He bought his present farm 
in 1868, from John Ghilds, paying $6,25 per 
acre. The farm contains 120 acres, mostly 
in timber, in what is known as Lewin's Grove 
— in fact, occupying the same place which 
Mr. Lewin first settled. Subject takes no in- 
terest in politics, and has not voted since the 
war. When he came to his present place, 
there were hardly any improvements. Mov- 
ing into the old log cabin built by Lewin, 
and lived there until it was burned down, but 
now has good farm buildings. He raises 
corn principally, but also does some business 
in stock, 

T, O, MEREDITH, agricultural imple- 
ments, Avoca, was born in England in 1844, 
son of Thomas Meredith, who still lives near 
Lewis, and was married, January 1, 1872, to 
Miss M. J. Marsh, of Cass County, born in 
Indiana, and daughter of Enoch Marsh. Mr. 
and Mrs. Meredith have two children, both 
boys. Subject has two brothers and one half- 
brother, all living in Cass County. Subject 
came from Lewis, Cass Co., Iowa, in March, 
1872, and has followed his present business 
since coming here. He was raised on a farm 
adjoining Lewis, and came to this country 
with his^ parents when only eight years of 
age, and settled in Madison, Wis,, remaining 
there about two years, then moved to Cass 
County, Iowa, making that his home until he 
came here ^in 1872. He voted the Repub- 
lican ticket until the fall of 1881, when he 
joined the Greenback j)arty. He cast his first 
vote for Abraham Lincoln. 

O. B, NELSON, merchant, Avoca, came to 
Avoca in the spring of 1871 ; commenced 
business in 1873, and clerked for two years. 
He is a native of Denmark; his mother, com- 
ing hei'e last year, is still living. He mar- 
ried, in 1877, Angle Reynolds, of Avoca, who 
is a native of New York, Thev have two 



KNOX TOWNSHIP. 



139 



children, viz., Edna, five years old; and 
Meta, four. He carries a large stock, doing a 
business of 833,000, and employs four clerks; 
handles dry goods, boots and shoes, a full 
line of groceries, and also some of the lead- 
injr sewing machines. Is a member of the 
I. O. O. F. ; been Deputy for two tenns, Con- 
ductor and Past Grand. In 1873, his broth- 
er, M. B. , came and engaged in the hardware 
business, but died in 1879, leaving a wife 
and one child. 

WAIT H. SANDERS, f ai-mer, P. O. Avoca. 
born in New York State in 1810, living there 
until a young man, when he emigrated to 
Michicran: living there for twentv-six years, 
he moved to this State, settling in Davenport, 
in 1854, remaining there for sixteen years, 
when he removed tn Avoca. He was raised 
on a farm, but followed mechanical pursuits 
from 1836 until he came here, in August, 
1870. settling in Avoca, though buying a farm 
one and a half miles northeast of Avoca at the 
same time; lived in Avoca four years, but 
followed farming and the improvement of his 
land. He bui't the City HDtel of Davenport, 
the Post Office Block in the same'town, be- 
sides many other large buildings. Subject 
never served an apprenticeship or attended a 
mechanical school, but taught himself the 
mechanical arts. The first year he worked at 
the trade, his boss thought he was a regular 
mechanic, and put him in as foreman of a 
gang of hands, he had such a thorough 
knowledge of the business. Subject was 
married, at Ypsilantf, Mich., about 1844, to 
Miss Sarah J. Wakeman, of New York City. 
He has four sons and one daughter living. 
Three of the sons are at home, and his daugh- 
ter is now Mi's. Scott Williams, of Hancock, 
Iowa. There is only one son married. Mrs. 
Sanders died in June, 1879. When subject 
came to this township, hisfra-mwas all open, 
and no improvements thereon whatever, but 



now is finely improved, and contains 280 
acres, 200 of which are under cultivation. 
It is also well stocked with a fine lot of high- 
grade cattle, as well as horses, There are 
also ten acres of grove and orchard. He has 
been a member of the I. O. O. F. for fortv 
years, and one of the charter members of 
Lodge No. 10, Michigan. The first year of 
his residence in Avoca, he built the German 
store of G. Diederich, the original bank 
building, the residence of Frank Watterman, 
lumberman, also the present residence of 
M. SieiTert, of the firm of Siefiert & Weise, 
lubmer merchants. Besides these he built 
several other smaller houses. 

GEORGE E. SMITH, farmer, P. O. Avoca, 
was born in Andover, Merrimack Co., N. H. , 
April 26, 1837, son of John G. Smith, born 
in Rutland County, Vt., is about sixty-eight 
years old, and living in Portage County, Wis. ; 
his mother is also living. Subject was edu- 
cated in New Hampshire; went to Portage 
County, Wis. , with his parents, in 1852, liv 
ing there iintil he went West, in 1857, and 
has always followed farming; his father also 
has been a farmer since leaving New Hamp- 
shire; previous to that, he was a blacksmith. 
Subject man-ied, in 1859, Mrs. Clarissa 
Wheeling, born in Ohio, daughter of William 
Pierce. They have foiir children — two boys 
and two girls. j\Irs. Smith had one child by 
her first husband. Subject came to this 
county in the fall of 1857, settling on Silver 
Creek. He stayed a year, when he went to 
Denver, Colo. Returning to this State in 
1859 he spent the winter in Guthrie County 
moving into this township in August, 1860, 
settling on Section 22, his present place. 
He first bought eighty acyes of land, part 
from Dowler and part from Pierce, paying 
about §2.50 per acre. He now owns 200 
acres, on which he raises corn and stock, 
feeding from fiftv to 180 head of cattle a 



140 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



year. On August 13, 1862, he enlisted in 
Company E, Twenty - third Iowa Infantry 
Volunteers, Col. Kinsman, of Council Bluffs, 
in couunand; served three years; was mus- 
tered out August 13, 1S65, at Harrisburg, 
Texas; was taken prisoner at Fort Gibson, 
Miss., May 1, 1S63; was in Libby Prison 
eighteen days, when he was exchanged and 
taken to City Point, on James River; was 
wounded at Fort Blakely, Ala., April 7, 1865; 
from this point he went into Texas to take 
charge of some cotton on the Colorado Kiver. 
Ou May 8, 1882, his house biu'ued down, 
causing the loss of nearly all his household 
goods, but he has rebuilt; the house, which 
is a fine one, cost §1,012.50 above the foun- 
dation. There is a fine orchard on the farm, 
and a good barn. He also has considerable 
property in Dakota, two of his sons being lo- 



cated there. All that Mr. Smith has he has 
made in this county, by hard work and econ- 
omy, and belongs to the Greenback party. 

P. WIESE, druggist, Avoca, born in Prus- 
sia in 1851, emigrating to America in 1868 
and settling in Davenport, this State; had 
no settled business until he came to Avoca, 
when he started in the drug business, buying 
out the stock of J. J. Hipsley, one of the first 
druggists here; came here in 1870; farmed 
for some time near Avoca, and went into the 
drug business in the fall of 1880; carries a 
stock of about §5,000, including paints, oils, 
etc. Subject was married, in thi= county, 
in 1874, to Miss D. Peters, who came from 
the old country about the same time subject 
did. They have three children. He has al- 
ways voted the Republican ticket. 



LAYTOii TOWI^SHIP. 



B. F. BIXBY, ticket and express agent for 
the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, 
Walnut ; bom in Norridgewock, Me., June 17, 
1828, son of Rufus and Betsey (Weston) Bix- 
by, he a farmer, born at Norridgewock in 
1796, participated in the war of 1812. and is 
still living; she, bom in Madison, Me., in 1798, 
died April 17, 18S2. They had fourteen chil- 
dren, viz., Mary, Solomon E., Llewyu, Caroline 
X., William W., Ann L., Elizabeth, Lyman 
Munson, Munson, Lyman, A. B., Sarah A., Ann 
L. and B. F., our subject, who received an aca- 
demic education, attending the Bloomfield and 
Brunswick Academies of 3Iaine, graduating 
from the hitter in 1851. Commenced life as a 
school-teacher, following the profession from 
the time he graduated until 1852; when the 
gold fever broke out. he left home for Califor- 
nia, going by way of Chili, making a stop at 



Valparaiso, and while there he assisted in res- 
cuing the Captain of the ship Florida who was 
imprisoned by the cit3- authorities. After a 
period of six 3'ears in California, where he was 
engaged in mining, he returned in 1859. 
Moved to Madison County, this State, where 
he remained until 1864, when he enlisted in 
Company E, Fortj'-seventh Iowa Infantrj-. 
Served until the close of the war. Returned 
to Sladison County and engaged in specula- 
tion. Moved, in 1868, to Dallas County, 
where he was employed by the Chicago, Rock 
Island & Pacific Railrod, and now has full 
charge of the depot at Walnut. Subject was 
married, in Winterset, Madison County, this 
State, in September, 1859, to Mary A. Horn- 
back, born in Indiana in Maj-, 1842, daughter 
of Abraham and Martha Cornell, he born on 
Scioto River, Ohio, in 1802, she in 1804. Mr. 



LAYTON TOWNSHIP. 



141 



and Mrs. Bixbj- have five children, viz., Frank- 
lin, William R., Miatie M., Derrick Lloyd and 
Bessie. Subject is a member of the Presby- 
terian Church, a Republican, and his brother 
William W. is a civil engineer and surveyor ; 
survej-ed the route of the Northern Pacific 
Railroad from St. Paul to Puget Sound, W. T. 
His brother Solomon E. is a pastor of a Con- 
gregational Church in Holland, Mass. 

CHARLES A. BROWN, confectioner and 
news dealer. Walnut ; born in Lakeville. Conn., 
May 23, 1854. son of Albert H. and Caroline 
(Saunders) Brown, he a carpenter, born in 
Lakeville, Conn., June 10, 1832, she born in 
Lakeville, Conn., June 18, 1832; has three 
children, viz., Charles A., Jennie E., born May, 
1861, and Sadie, October, 1865. Subject at- 
tended the graded school at Sheffield, III. from 
1859 to 1872, at which time he, with his par- 
ents, moved to this county-, where he com- 
menced life on a farm, and married, at Walnut, 
December 25, 1877, Laura N. Work, born in 
Sheffield, Bureau Co., 111., August 18, 1858^ 
daughter of J. M. and Martha Work, both born 
at Williamstown, Vt., in 1832. Mr. and Mrs. 
Brown have one child — Grace E., born Novem- 
ber 19, 1880. Subject canvassed this State in 
1870 for McCabe's " History of the World," 
which took him a little over a year, when he 
engaged in the loan and insurance business in 
Walnut. He is a Republican, and cast his 
first vote for R. B. Hayes ; is an Odd Fellow, 
and a direct descendant of Lord Eli Brown, 
heir of Brown Castle, Wales. 

?I. B. DARNELL, P. 0. Walnut, was born 
May 10, 1827, in Champaign County, Ohio. 
Emigrated with his father's famil}-, in 1839, to 
Hancock County, El. Attended the district 
school until he was in his seventeenth \'ear, 
when he attended a seminary for about one 
year in Carthage. Jll. He had formerly at- 
tended a \ery good village school, taught bj- 
Miner R. Deming, in a small town called St. 
Marj-'s. Deming received a General's commis- 



sion, and commanded the anti-Mormon forces 
which succeeded in arresting Joseph and 
Hiram Smith. As a result of the intimacy 
which existed between Mr. Darnell and the 
General in consequence of having been his 
pupil, he procured for him without his knowl 
edge, a Lieutenant's commission from Gov. 
Thomas Ford, and was at once placed on his 
statf, and did dutj- as such officer throughout 
the entire campaign, and, a few hours after the 
troops were discharged, he was, by a mere co- 
incidence, present at the jail and witnessed the 
killing of Joe and Hiram Smith. Was also 
present when a deputation of Mormons came 
to the jail and removed the bodies to Nauvoo. 
He was also a participant in all the " wars" 
(as they were denominated) which were organ- 
ized for the purpose of ridding the country of 
the presence of the Mormons. The 27th of 
March, 1850, he was united in ma^-riage to 
Martha Craig, a lady of Southern birth, but 
residing then in Jacksonville, 111. Has had 
four children, the eldest of whom is a daugh- 
ter. One son, Murray A., who was a boj- of 
unusual promise, just after he had obtained his 
education, lost his life b}' an unfortunate acci- 
dent at Sioux Falls, Dak., at the age of twen- 
ty-four years, which has cast a permanent 
shadow over the remainder of subject's life. 
Having been elected to the office of Justice of 
the Peace when only a few daj-s over twenty- 
one years of age, he discharged the duties of 
the office for a time, and formed an idea that 
he would like the law ; consequentlj- removed 
to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and read law with Col. 
A. H. Bereman, now of Breckenridge, Colo. 
Was admitted to the bar in 1854, before R. P. 
Lowe, then Judge of the First District. He 
at once formed a partnership with Mr. Bere- 
man, and remained in the practice until the 
second year of the war, when he enlisted in 
the First Iowa Cavalry. Was with the regi- 
ment about four weeks at Benton Barracks, 
St, Louis, when Mr. Bereman. who had received 



14-J 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



a Captain's commission in the Eigliteentli 
United States Infantry, and was with the regi- 
ment at Camp Thomas at Columbus, Ohio, 
wrote subject that if he would get transferred 
into the Eighteenth United States Infantrj-, he 
had assurances from Col. Carrington that m 
the near future he would get subject a Lieuten- 
ant's commission, and consequently" was trans- 
ferred by an order of Gen. Curtis, and, upon ar- 
riving at Camp Thomas, Ohio, he found that the 
promise made to Mr. Bereman in his behalf was 
but a ruse to get his regiment supplied with 
competent men as First or Orderly Sergeants. 
He accepted that position, and served for 
about two 3-ears. He was under command of 
Gen. Biiell, and was discharged for disability 
at Louisville, Ky., directh- after Bragg's raid 
on that city. Returning to his home in Mt. 
Pleasant, he found his practice gone and the 
profession very full, consequently he moved to 
Cass County, Iowa, and made a farm, arriving 
there in Maj', 18G4. He removed from there 
to Pottawattamie Count}- in March, 1873, 
when he again engaged in farming, three and 
a half miles from W.alnut, dividing his time 
between the farm and a limited law practice in 
Walnut and before country Justices in Cass, 
Shelb}' and Pottawattamie Counties. On the 
■1th of last March, he rented his farm, bought 
property in Walnut, opened an office, and is 
now engaged exclusivelj- in the practice. Dur- 
ing his residence in the county, he delivered 
a number of agricultural addresses, having de- 
livered about half of them before the Cass 
County Society since its organization ; one at 
Avoca three years ago. He had also delivered 
orations on the Fourth of July at Atlantic, 
Avoca and Carson, and, during the campaign 
which h.as just closed, he made more speeches for 
the amendment than any other man in the east 
end of the county, clbsing the campaign before 
an immense audience at the Presbvteriau 
Church on Sunday night before the election. 
It is the proudest recollection of his life that 



he was early identified with the anti-slavery 
cause. The Republican party came into exist- 
ence in his boyhood. He at once espoused it, 
and was identified with the partj' from its 
birth, and contributed all he could in its be- 
half. He was editor and publisher of a paper 
called the Republican News from June, 1859, 
for the period of one and a half years, and 
sold out at a profit. He remained with the 
party until 1873,. when he went ofl' in the 
Greelej' movement, and is out of politics to- . 
daj'. He has one among the finest homes in 
this eit}-, and is taking it as comfortable as be 
can. Although not living continuoush- in the 
State, it is now nearly fort}- -three years since 
his boyish feet trod the soil of Iowa, having 
been in Keokuk in 1839. During his residence 
in Mt. Pleasant, he was twice its Mayor, while 
they were building the Burlington & Missouri 
Railroad and the insane asylum. Saw the first 
dirt thrown on the Burlington & Missouri 
Railroad at Burlington in 1854, and the first 
stone laid in the foundations of the asylum at 
about the same time. He has believed ever 
since the war, that there was silently develop- 
ing in the Government an antagonism between 
capital and labor, and that such tendency, con- 
nected with the well-known degeneracy and 
corruption of politics, is becoming a perma- 
nent menace to the institutions of our country. 
He believes that reform is wonderfully neces- 
sary in order to preserve the liberties and 
well-being of the people. 

E. R. HINCKLEY, capitalist. Walnut. It 
is difficult sometimes to estimate the worth to 
a community of a leading or master spirit. In 
the personal mention of some of the citizens of 
Layton Township, it is our object to give credit 
only to those to whom credit is due. It is al- 
most unanimously conceded by the citizens of 
the northeast corner of Pottawattamie County 
that Mr. E. R. Hinckley has been the agitator 
of almost evei-y movement which has resulted 
in the general welfare of the citizens of Lavton 



LAYT05T TOWNSHIP. 



143 



Township. Mr. Hinckle}- is a native of Barn- 
stable County, Mass. He was born on Septem- 
ber 10, 1823, and at the age of eleven years be- 
came a resident of the cit}' of Boston, by the re- 
moval of his parents. There he received a good 
literai-y education, and continued a resident of 
that citv until his twenty-sixth year, when he 
went to New York City, and for the following 
six jears he was a successfuV operator on Wall 
street. Kemoving to Chicago, he made his home 
in that city until 1869 ; the following year he 
spent in Atlantic, Iowa, and in 1870 he located 
at the point where the thriving little town of 
Walnut now stands, the founding and building- 
up of which has been mainly due to his energy 
and enterprise, and a historj- of which will be 
found in the history of Layton Township. When 
Mr. Hinckley located in Layton Township he 
was alone on a wild prairie, and so far as neigh- 
bors were concerned, they were almost as scarce 
as Enoch Ardeu's, and he could feel something 
of the spirit of that unfortunate character of 
Tennyson's when he counted himself monarch 
of all he survej'ed. Opening a land office for 
the sale of lands gi-anted to the C, R. I. & P. 
Railroad, Mr. Hinckley entered upon a very suc- 
cessful business career in the West. He soon 
became largel}' interested in real estate on his 
own account, and also in buj'ing and grazing 
stock, and there has not been a time since that 
he has not owned one or more herds of cattle, 
and both improved and wild lands. In 1875, 
in company with his son, he engaged in a 
general banking business in Walnut. This, 
however, was in addition to his other busi- 
ness. In 1880, they sold the bank to Mr. J. H. 
Henry, and since then have purchased large 
tracts of land in Northern Iowa, the most of 
which is located in Pocahontas County. Mr. 
E. R. Hinckle}- is spending most of his time in 
the development of these interests, and is at 
present opening five farms, and has a herd of 
500 cattle. Becoming interested in the busi- 
ness of loaning money for Eastern capitalists. 



Jlr. Hinckley has for several j-ears done an ex- 
tensive business in this line, and is still actively 
engaged in it. Having acquired a competency, 
he is now endeavoring to dispose of most of his 
real estate, and put his business in such shape 
as to require the least care. Almost every pub- 
lic institution in Walnut has received liberal 
donations from him, and, indeed, the town it- 
self owes its existence to his enterprise and 
good financiering. But few people are so fort- 
unate as Mr. Hinckley in tracing their ances- 
tral lineage back to English origin. If it is 
any honor to be able to trace one's ancestry 
back to the early part of the fourteenth century 
and find that one is a lineal descendant of a line 
of ancestry of which he may well be proud, then 
that pleasure or honor is his. The year 1327 is 
the earliest record of the family found in Eng- 
lish history. Gov. Hinckley, of the Plymouth 
Colony, was one of their family, and is in the 
line of ancestors of our subj,ect. The famil}- 
were among the early and prominent settlers of 
the New England States, and the name, so far 
as the reputation of E. R. Hinckley is concerned, 
has lost none of its luster, nor will it, as he is a 
man whose habits and principles are founded 
upon motives of right and justice. When the 
best citizens of a coramunit}- have onlj- praise 
to offer to the name and principles of a man, 
that man is usually deserving of all that may 
be said in his favor. This is the position held 
by Mr. Hincklej- among the citizens of Laj'ton 
and surrounding townships, and it is ouh' due 
to him to sa}' that he has earned the position bj- 
just and honorable measures. 

PETER KOLL, implements, Walnut, is num- 
bered among the early settlers of Walnut. He 
is a native of the northern part of Germany, and 
remained a resident of his native countr}' until 
he was seventeen years of age. His early life 
was spent on a farm, though he received a good 
education in his native country. He settled first 
in the eastern part of Iowa after arriving in the 
United States. Being wholly dependent upon 



144 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



his own resources, he began work at almost anj"- 
thing that promised a reasonable compensation. 
He was industrious and economical, and grad- 
ually improved his prospect of securing a com- 
fortable propert}'. In 1874, he became a resi- 
dent of Pottawattamie County. He settled in 
Walnut, and for about two years he did a bar 
business. He has proved himself to be a good 
business manager. He now owns a farm in 
Clinton County, Iowa, and has built two good 
buildings in Walnut, one of which is known as 
Koll's Hall, and the other is his residence. The 
two were built at a cost of 85,000. In 1866, he 
made a visit to his native country, and returned 
the same year. He is now largely' interested in 
the agricultural implement business, in which 
he is doing an extensive business. He is a 
member of the order of A. 0. U. W., Lodge No. 
194, of Walnut. He is also a member of the 
order of L. of H. Lodge, No. 122, of Walnut. 
Politically, he has' led a quiet life ; is by no 
means an office-seeker, preferring to attend to 
his busmess interests rather than to hold an 
office. Mr. Koll has been twice married. His 
first wife was Miss Christina Kaufmann, to whom 
he was married in 1S67, and who died in 1877. 
Three children are living of this ^marriage — 
Henry, Peter and Therese. In 1878, he mar- 
ried Miss Catharine Kaufmann, sister of his 
first wife, both ladies natives of Germany. 
There have been no children born of the last 
marriage. 

WILLIAM H. LINFOK, insurance agent. 
Walnut, born in England April 25, 1841, son 
of William and Diana (Kseby) Linfor; he, a 
retired farmer, born in England August 25, 
1801, emigrated to Ottawa, III, in 1849, bought 
a tract of 360 acres of land, lived upon it until 
1380; was one of the first settlers of the south- 
east part of La Salle County, 111., and, during 
the first five j'ears, he labored under great dis- 
advantages, being twenty-five miles from mar- 
ket; she, born in England on June 22, 1805, 
died March, 1880. They had four children, 



viz., John, William H., Sarah and Robert. 
Subject received a common school education in 
his native village until he was fourteen years 
old, afterward attending high school at Ottawa, 
111., until he was sixteen years old; commenced 
life farming on the homestead, and married in 
Illinois, February 22, 1865, Sarah J. Naugle, 
born in Cayuga County, N. Y., March 30, 1841, 
daughter of Garnet and Mary Jane Naugle. 
Mr. Linfor is the father of seven children, viz. 
Cora, William, Robert, Charles, Claud, Frede- 
rick and Clara. Subject is a member of the 
Episcopal Church, a Democrat, an Odd Fellow, 
a member of the A. 0. U. W., and moved to 
Wheeler's Grove, this county, in 1869, pur- 
chased 180 acres of land, continued farming it 
until 1874, when he sold out, moved to Walnut 
and engaged in the real estate and insurance 
business. In 1875, he was elected Justice of 
the Peace of Layton Township, which office he 
filled until 1831; in 1877, he was elected Super- 
visor of this county, and was the first Maj'or of 
Walnut, holding that office for three consecu- 
tive terms. Subject's wife died at Walnut 
January 11, 1875; in September, 1877, he mar- 
ried Ladema A. Tajior, daughter of William 
and Betsj- Taylor, of Tama County, Iowa. 

MARK PEATT, miller, Walnut, born in 
Dexter, Mich., April 20, 1832, son of Thomas 
and Loram (Brown) Peatt, he a farmer, carpen- 
ter and miller, born in West Chester County, 
N. Y., and she, also born in New York, died in 
1841. They had four children, viz., Sarah, 
Turzy, Eugenia and our subject, who received a 
common school education; commenced life as a 
miller, and continued as such with the excep- 
tion of three years, when he was in the mer- 
cantile business at Dexter, Mich.; married, in 
Manchester, Mich., December 29, 1853, Mary 
Ann Boyden, born in Pittsfield,Mass.. October, 
1832, daughter of Pomeroy and Abigail (Ayers) 
Boj-den, both born in Massachusetts. Mr. and 
Mrs. Peatt have three children, viz., Ada I., 
born September 7, 1855 ; Erastas B., born 



LEWIS TOWJ^'SHll'. 



145 



January 13, 1859, and Eva, November 30, 
1806. Mr. Peatt has been au active member 
of the Methodist Church since 1858, is a Re- 
publican, a Freemason, a member of the A. 0. 
U. W.. and a member of the Legion of Honor- 

JOHN SCHLOTFELDT, hardware mer- 
chant. Walnut, born in Clinton Count}', Iowa, 
March G, 18G0, son of Jacob C. and Catharine 
M. Schlotfeldt; he, a farmer, born in Germany 
October 9, 1829, and she, also born in Germany 
October 9, 1829, had four children— Henry F., 
born Januarj' 21, 18G6; Rudolph, born No- 
vember 7, 1867; Louis, bora March 7, 1868, 
and John. Subject attended a district school 
in Scott County, this State, for three winters, 
and this is all the education he ever received; 
commenced life by clerking in a dry goods store 
in Walnut; is a member of the Lutheran Church; 
a Republican and an Odd Fellow. Subject hired 
out to the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Rail- 
road Companj- as a trackman, receiving for his 
labor $1 a day; out of this small amount he sent 
his brothers to school. In 1880, he hired as 
clerk with Green Bros., hardware merchants in 
Walnut, and, in 1882, he started a hardware 
store of his own in Walnut. 

WILLIAM M. SMILEY, farmer, P. 0. Wal- 
nut, born in Clearfield County. Penn., Septem- 
ber, 1808, son of Samuel and Elizabeth Smiley; 
he, born in Ireland in 1764, died in 1824; she, 
born in Ireland in 17G8. died in 1833. Thej' 



had four children, viz., David, William M., Su- 
san and Elizabeth. Subject received a com- 
mon school education; commenced life as a 
farmer, and married, in Clearfield County, Penn., 
April 15, 1830, Jane Glas-sglow, born in Hun- 
tingdon Count}-, Penu., September 12, 1812, 
daughter of John and Jane Glassglow, both 
born in Blair Count\-, Penn. Mrs. Smiley had 
eight children, viz., Elizabeth J., born August 
4, 1834 ; Hannah, born May 28, 1838; David, 
born August 14, 1841; John, born Julv 6, 
1843; Denisha, born June IG, 1848; Emily, 
born September 12, 1851; Susannah, born Feb- 
ruary 12, 1853, and William M., born Decem- 
ber 12, 1839. Subject is an active member of 
the Presb3'terian Church, a Republican, and 
when twenty-two years old, he commenced 
farming on the old homestead, and all the 
property he possessed in his own right was one 
horse ; took care of his parents until their 
death, when the property was sold, except the 
homestead, and he received $200 as his share, 
continuing on the homestead until 1SG8. when 
he moved to Cedar County, this State, where 
he purchased IGO acres of land, living there 
until ilarch 4, 1873, when he moved to Wal- 
nut, this count}', and purchased 240 acres of 
land, where he now resides. On October 10, 
1872, his wife died, and, on October 7, 1873, he 
married Clara A. Guiar. born March 2, 1842. 



LEWIS TOWI^SHIP. 



CHRISTIAN HENRY BECK, farmer, P. 0. 
Council Bluffs, born in Holstein, Germany, 
August 22. 1827, son of A. H. and Elziaba 
(Keckbusch) Beck, both Iwrn in Holstein, Ger- 
many. They hail ten children, five girls and 
five boys. Suljject was educated in Germany ; 
commenced life as a farmer, and married in 
this countv in June. 1859, S. Young, born in 



Alsace, Germany, in 1845, daughter of Jacob 
and S. Young, both natives of Alsace. Ger- 
many, Mr. and Mrs. Beck are the parents of 
the following children, viz. : Ferdinand, Laura. 
Margaret, Rosa, Frederick, Gotlieb, Johanna, 
Christina, John and Adolph. Subject is a 
School Director, a member of the Lutheran 
Church, a Democrat ; and came to this county 



146 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



in 1856 ; comuiencecl farming and stock-rais- 
ing ; lives on Section 10, this township; owns 
340 acres of good farming land, and came here 
a poor man, but by close application to busi- 
ness he has made himself a "solid man," and 
is certainly one of the best farmers in Lewis 
Township. 

A. DIXON, farmer, P. 0. Council Bluffs, was 
born in C^hioin 18-tO, and emigrated to Iowa in 
1859, being employed about twelve years on 
Des Moines Vallej' Railroad. In 1871, he 
moved to this county, and went to forming. 
Bought his place in 1875, and the next year 
moved to it. He was married, July 20, 1863, 
in Keokuk, Iowa, to Miss Marilla Jane Wells, 
born in Missouri in 1843. They have had 
eight children, seven now living — four boys 
and three girls. Mr. Dixon began railroading, 
when about sixteen, in Ohio, and kept it up till 
he began farming in Pottawattamie County. 
His father, Jacob Dixon, was a miller by trade; 
he died in the army in 1862, having gone out 
with the cavalry from Missouri — Col. McKee. 
His mother is still living in Iowa. He has 
alwaj's been Democratic. Belongs to Bluff ^ 
City, No. 71, Masonic fraternity, becoming a 
Mason first at Keokuk, Iowa. When coming to 
his place, it was wild land with no improve- 
ments whatever. Mr. Dixon has given fruits of 
various kinds a trial, and has been rewarded 
with success — blackberries, grapes, plums, etc., 
of small fruits; and, besides these, he has 
peaches measuring two and a half inches in 
diameter and well flavored ; apples four inches 
in diameter. Such is the success in a country 
where the theory has been that fruit could not 
be raised. 

J. D. FROHARDT, farmer, P. 0. Council 
Bluffs, born in the State of Hanover, Crermany, 
October, 8, 1810, son of J. D. and Mary (Frye) 
Frohardt, both born in the State of Hanover, 
Germany ; he, in 1761, died in February, 1833 ; 
she, in 1771, died in December, 1832. They 
had nine children. Subject received his educa- 



tion, principa;llj', in the old country ; com- 
menced life as a grocer, but only staj-ed in the 
business for a short time when he commenced 
farming ; he married in Moniteau Co., Mo., April 
15, 1845, Miss W. C. Kuuning, born in the 
State of Hanover, Gerpany, October 30, 1827, 
daughter of J. H. and M. M. Kuuning, both 
born in Hanover, German}-, about 1794. Mr. 
and Mrs. Frohardt have seven children, viz. ; 
F. W., C. W., L. P., C. M., A. M., Ferdinand and 
Dora. Subject is a Methodist, a Republican, 
been School Director for several terms and 
holds the office now ; has followed agricultural 
pursuits nearly all his life ; was a member of 
Compan\' B, under Capt. Rice, of the Home 
Guards of Moniteau Count}-, Mo. ; located in 
this county in 1866, moving from Moniteau 
County, Mo. ; was a leading member and of- 
ficer of the M. E. Church in Moniteau Countv ; 
is also greatly interested in the church in this 
township ; has always been an earnest worker 
in the cause of Christ, and is a leading and 
respected citizen. L. P., his second son, is 
teaching school in St. Louis County, Mo. ; 
William, his oldest son, lives in Keg Creek 
Township, this county. 

J. P. HESS, farmer, P. 0. Council Blufls, 
was born ,\pril 30, 1851, and raised in Lancas- 
ter County, Penu., and remained there till April, 
1879; then came to Grundy County, Iowa, and 
first settled in Holland, but, not liking it there, he 
came on West, and after looking through Ne 
braska and the western part of Iowa, he bought 
his present place, and came to it in the fall of 
1879. When first buj-ing, he got only eighty 
acres, and paid .S22.50 per acre. He has since 
added another eighty to his farm. His farm- 
ing is quite general now, but Mr. Hess bought 
it more for fruit and vegetable farm, and lias 
alread}- man}- grapevines and difi'erent fruit 
trees, and he finds his farm well adapted to 
fruit, it being high and well protected by tim- 
ber on the north, so frost does not strike him so 
early or so late as most other places. Mr. Hess 



LEWIS TOWNSHIP. 



147 



was raised on a farm, and farming has been liis 
business most of his life. He is a son of Ilev. J. 
R. Hess, who is still farming in Lancaster, Penn. 
His mother is also living. Mr. Hess has five 
brothers ; all are farmers, and live in Lancas- 
ter Count}-. He was married, spring of 1872i 
to Miss Susan Konigmacher, who was also born 
in Pennsj'lvania. in Lancaster County, within 
two miles of Mi. Hess' birtliplace. Mr. Hess 
has a familj- record which dates back to 1712, 
when Samuel Hess came from Switzerland to 
America, and settled in Pennsylvania, and land 
that was deeded to some of the original mem- 
bers of the family still remains in the same 
name. Other members of the Hess family 
have deeds given by William Penn. Mr. Hess' 
wife's ancestry in America dates back to about 
the same time, and have figured largely in the 
history of Lancaster County, Penn. Mr. Hess 
has three boys — John Jacob (born December 
3, 1873), Eddie A. (born March 26, 1875), 
Adam K. (born February 12, 1881). He is a 
Republican in politics, and has alwas-s been. 
He received his education in the common 
schools of his native county. The Hess famil}- 
is of the religious denomination called Men- 
nonites. The}' were originally a branch of the 
Waklenses. of Switzerland, afterward Prose- 
l}tes of the church of Simon Meuuo, a reformer, 
who left the Catholic Church about the time of 
Luther. They left the old country on account 
of religious persecutions. When Mr. Hess 
came here, there was no school in the Carter- 
ville School District, but he and Mr. Kich went 
before the School Board of Garner Township, 
and through their aid tlie schoolhouse was 
put in repair and opened for that district, which 
includes part of Lewis and part of Garner. Mr. 
Hess' children are of the eighth generation in 
America. 

J. NORIN, farmer, P. 0. Council Bluffs, was 
born in Sweden in 1849. In 1869, he came to 
America; came to Iowa, and was in Burlington 
for six months, and then came to Council 



Bluffs, and ever since has made Pottawattamie 
County his home. After one year here, he went 
into the Deaf and Dumb Institute as chief en- 
gineer, having charge of their gas works as well 
as of the heating department. He remained in 
that for nine years, and then quit on account of 
health in the fall of 1880, and since that time 
has been on his farm. In 1875, he bought his 
farm, and has been having it improved since 
that time. His main business is hog-raising, 
and he has been very successful in his business. 
He also has his place well improved. Mr. 
Norin was married at the Deaf and Dumb In 
stitute to Miss Anna E.Johnson ; she was also 
born in Sweden. They were married in 1875. 
They have one child — a girl. His father died 
in the old countr}', but his mother came to 
America in 1879, and is now living with Mr. 
Norin. He is a Republican in politics, and his 
first vote was cast for President Hayes. Mr. 
N. was educated in Sweden in his native lan- 
guage. 

H. F. PLUMER, P. 0. Council Bluffs, born in 
Hanover, Germany, in 1829, son of J. H. and 
Mary Plumer, both born in Hanover, Ger- 
many ; he, a farmer, born in 1793, is still liv- 
ing ; she, born in 1798, died in her sixl3--first 
j'ear ; thej- had sis children. Subject received 
his education principally in the old country ; 
began life as a farmer and married in California 
Moniteau Co., Mo., August 20, 1849, Miss S 
Kinnj-, born in Ohio October 12, 1835, daughter 
of J. H. and Mary Kinn}', both born in Hanover. 
Germany, and both dead. Mr. and Mrs. Plumer 
have thirteen children, viz. : Mary, John, 
William, Emeline, Josephine, Ferdinand, Ed- 
ward, Corniel, Oscar, Augusta, Tomie. Laura 
and Henry. Subject is a member of the 
Lutheran Church, a Democrat, filled the offices 
of School Director, Road Supervisor ; was first 
Director of Subdistrict No. 7, at that time be- 
longed to Kane Township ; came to this coun- 
ty in spring of 1851 ; built the mill in Council 
Bluffs, known as the " Crystal Mills." in the 



148 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



spring of 1870 ; has a large stock farm in 
Woodburi' Count}-, this State ; also owns some 
800 acres of a stock farm in this count}- ; is 
one of the most prominent farmers in this sec- 
tion ; when he came to this county there were 
no Gentiles living in the county ; there was no 
settlement of any kind, except the Mormons, 
when he located in this township, in what is 
called the Plumer settlement ; the only stores 
that amounted to anything were two small 
buildings on or near where the Ogden House 
now stands ; came to America in IB-tO ; lived 
about ten years in Moniteau County, Mo., 
when he moved here and has resided ever since ; 
is one of the most enterprising farmers in the 
county, and has erected on his farm a fine barn 
60x30 feet ; he sold, in the spring of 1882, 
ninety head of fine fat steers, which he had fed 
on his own farm, the average^ weight being 
1,600 pounds. 

JESSE BI. SMITH, farmer, P. 0. Council 
Bluffs, was born in Pennsylvania in 1827, and 
remained there till he was sixteen years old, and 
then went to Indiana, in the vicinity of Indian- 
apolis, and remained there till 1863, when he 
moved to Iowa, settling in Harrison County, 
where he remained two years, and then came to 
Pottawattamie County, and has been here since 
in different places, and has been on his present 
farm for about eight years. When buying his 
home place, he had to pay §10 per acre, there 
being no improvements whatever. He has since 
been ditching— making over two miles of 
ditches on his place, and in that way has re- 
claimed all of his land. His other improve- 
ments are also good, having a fine residence 
and barns. Mr. Smith's farm how consists of 
400 acres, all under fence and part in cultiva- 
tion, the remcainder in pasture and meadow. 
His farming is corn and stock-raising. He was 
educated in Pennsylvania in the common 
schools. He was married in Indiana, about 
1854, to Miss Hannah Ballard. The second 
time he was married to Miss Nancy Wright, 



also in Indiana, in Indianapolis, in March, 
1862. He has one son by first wife. He is a 
Republican in politics. Belongs to the Church 
of God. 

WILLIAM WRAY. farmer, P. O. Council 
Blurt's, was born in England in 1833, in Lin- 
colnshire; came to America in 1851; lived in 
Indiana till 1858 ; he came to Iowa, and set- 
tled in Pottawattamie County, and has been 
here ever since, except three years he was in 
Montgomery County, Ind. In 1869, he moved 
to Lewis Township, and has been here ever 
since. Mr. Wray was educated in England. 
He has followed farming most all his life, but 
freighted across the plains for about three 
years— from the Missouri River to Denver and 
difierent mountain towns. (3n account of the 
Indians getting bad, he quit in 1864 or 1865. 
Mr. Wray's father, Benjamin Wray, died in 
England, but his mother came to America, and 
died in Union County, Iowa. He has six 
brothers and two sisters, all in Iowa. His first 
farm, in Lewis Township, was in Section 14, 
and had been improved some by the Mormons, 
but not enough to help it much. He now lives 
on Section 13, on the bank of Horseshoe Lake. 
Till the spring of 1881, the channel of the Mis- 
souri River was within eight or ten rods of the 
house, but it has changed till now it is about 
three miles distant. He was married, in 1865, 
in Union County, Iowa, to Miss Sarah Barton; 
she was born in England. They have two chil- 
dren dead, Ijut none living. He is a Democrat 
in politics. 

I. S. WRIGHT, farmer, P. 0. Council Blufifs, 
was born in North Carolina February 23. 1816; 
moved into Putnam County, Ind., when about 
ten years old; came to Iowa in the spring of 
1867; settled in Mills County, and remained 
till he came to Pottawattamie County February 
10, 1875, and came to his present place, which 
he had bought the year before. His farm con- 
sists of about three hundred and fifty acres on 
what is called the " Bench." and then he has 



LINCOLN TOWNSHIP. 



149 



about one hundred acres on the river. Of his 
home farm, about two hundred and sixt>- acres 
are in cultivation — the remainder in grass and 
pasture. The K. C, St. J. & C. B. K. R. runs 
through his farm, and has a station near his 
house called Wright, in honor of Mr. Wright. 
The road was located here about five jears ago, 
when the railroad had to change part of its 
track on account of the river washing out its 
former track. His farming is mostly corn- 
raising. Mr. Wright was married, January, 
1840, to Miss Doeia Mills; she was born in 
Kentuck}-, but moved to Indiana when young. 
They have two children living — one in Colora- 
do, now Mrs. Elizabeth Smith. Their son, T. 
A. Wright, lives on the farm ; is also mar- 
ried. He is Democratic in politics. He is a 
member of the I. 0. O. F. His business has 
been farming most all his life; however, while 
in Putnam County, Tnd., he was in the mer- 
chandise business for about five years, and was 
also County Treasurer in Putnam County a 
term or two, besides other offices. 

WILLI.JlM WEIDNER, farmer and stock- 
raiser, P. O. Council Bluffs, born in Butler 
County. Ohio, June 21. 1821, son of J. and 
Elizabeth (Snyder) Weidner, both born in Sun- 
bury, Penn. ; he, a farmer, in 1780, died in 
Butler County, Ohio, in 1847 ; she, in 1783, 



died in Butler County, Ohio, in 1831. They 
had six children, four boys and two girls. Sub- 
ject received his education, principall}-, on Elk 
Creek, Butler Count}-, Ohio; commenced life as 
a farmer and stock-raiser, and married his first 
wife, M. A. Brelsford, in Butler County, Ohio, 
in 1847, daughter of Benjamin and Jane Brels- 
ford ; married his second wife, Hannah K. 
Marsh, in Shelb}' County, Ind., in 1858. daugh- 
ter of John and Sarah Marsh. Mr. Weidner's 
first wife had four children, viz. : Benjamin, 
Elizabeth J., A. D. and Katie Ann, and his sec- 
ond wife's children are John W., died February 
5, 1882, just twenty-four 3'ears old ; Samuel, 
Ida May and Mineola. Subject is a member 
of the Methodist Church, a Democrat, a Free- 
mason, an Odd Fellow, served as Constable in 
Shelby County, lad. ; been Township Treas- 
urer ; moved from Butler County, Ohio, in 
1849, to Shelb3-ville, Ind., engaging in the 
stock business ; then moved to Clarinda, Page 
Co., this State, where, in 1867, he lost his sec- 
ond wife ; from there he moved to this town- 
ship, engaging in the stock business, which he 
still follows ; has been handling stock for J. 
T. Stewart for four years ; has been a Free- 
mason for forty years, and is one of the oldest 
Masons in the State. 



LINOOLK TOWlSrSHIP. 



JOHN M. CHIPMAN, farmer, P. 0. Wal- 
nut, born in Waukesha Countj^ Wis., Novem- 
ber 4. 1851, son of <Toim B. and Maria (Chil- 
son) Chipman, both ,born in Genesee Count}', 
N. Y.; he, in 1812, is still living ; she died 
starch 4, 1865, and was the mother of three 
children, viz., Lysander, Louisa and Carrie. 
Subject received a common school education, 
attending school from the age of si.x years 
until he was fifteen, when he commenced life 



as a farmer, and married in Tama County, 
this State, November 27, 1872, Sarah Craig, 
born in Westmoreland County, Penn.. April 
19, 1852, daughter of John and Elizabeth 
(Wilie) Craig, both born in Westmoreland 
Ciiunty, Penn., he in 1808, and she in 1815. 
Mr. and Mrs. Chipman have three children, viz., 
Vernon L., Emma L. and Cora M. Subject is 
a Republican; has filled the offices of School 
Director and Assessor, a,nd at the age of six- 



150 



13I0GKAPHICAL: 



teen lie started business on his own account, 
working for his father and other parties; when 
eighteen years of age, he moved to Tama Coun- 
ty, Iowa, farming for himself and others; in 
1875, he moved to this township, where he 
purchased eight}- acres of land, afterwards add- 
ing IGO acres to it, and now has one of the fin- 
est farms in the township. 

CHRISTIAN DERMYRE, farmer, P. 0. 
Lewis, l.iorn in Erie County, N. Y., September 
26, 1830, son of Frederick and Magdalene 
(Bower) Dermyre, both born in Germany, he, a 
ftirmer, died in Januar}-, 1S75; she, born in 
1802, died February, 1873. They were the 
parents of Philip, Frederick, Daniel, Christian, 
Petro. Samuel, Frank, Magdalene, Susan, 
Christina and Elizabeth. Subject received a 
common school education; commenced life as a 
farmer, and married in Erie County, N. Y., 
October, 1854, Christina Schwingde, born in 
Buffalo, N. Y., October 5, 1836, daughter of 
Frederick and Christina (Smith) Schwingde. 
The following children were born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Derrayer, Frederick, born July 12, 1859, 
died February 8, 1862; Sarah, born August 13, 
1861, died September 30, 18(32; George L., born 
July 1, 1865; Emma L., born October 10, 1868; 
Susan, born June 19, 1871; Caroline L., born 
September 12, 1873; Ezra F., born January 11, 
1876; Daniel D., born September 16, 1878, and 
Franklin, died September 25, 1881. Subject 
is a Republican, a member of the Evangelical 
Society; and when twenty-four years old he 
started life on his own account, purchasing 
sixty-four acres of land in his native town; he 
farmed it for about six years, when he rented 
his farm and went to Illinois, where he pur- 
chased eightj' acres of land in Lee County, en- 
larging this farm by bujMng 120 acres more, 
and living upon it until 1876, when he sold 
and moved into this township ; owns 400 acres 
of as fine land as there is in the township. 

JOHN A. FRANK, farmer, P. 0. Walnut, 
born in Switzerland December 18, 1845, son of 



Joseph and Ursula (Plaz) Frank, both born in 
Switzerland; he, a farmer, died October 6, 
1873; she is still living, and is the mother of 
five children, viz., Marin. Joseph, John A., 
Ursula and Margaret. Subject received a com- 
mon school education; commenced life as a 
■farmer, and was married in La Fayette County, 
Wis., in September, 1870, to Elizabeth Hart, 
born in AUeghenj' Count)', Penn., February 6, 
1842, daughter of Augustus and Kate Hart. 
Mr. and Mrs. Frank have two children, viz., 
Joseph, born April 20, 1872; Jessie, born Au- 
gust 1, 1876. Subject is a Catholic, a Repub 
lican; is School Director; has been Township 
Trustee and Road Supervisor, and emigrated 
from Switzerland in 1866, landing in Washing- 
ton, D. C, where he lived for two 3'ears, being 
engaged in the brewing and confectionery bus- 
iness; went to Wisconsin; worlced on the farm 
as a hired hand for two years, when he, with 
another party, leased 160 acres of land, and 
worked it for two years with joint tenant, when 
he leased 250 acres, and worked it alone for 
three years; then moved to this township, where 
he purchased 240 acres, and has since added 
230 acres. 

HENRY B. JACK, farmer, P. 0. Walnut, 
born in Licking County, Ohio, April 14, 1834, 
son of John and Delilah (Dean) Jack; he, a 
farmer, born in Pennsylvania November 7, 
1797, died April 28, 1880; she, born in Mary- 
land March 31, 1788, was the mother of ten 
children, viz., Perry, Mary A., Cj'nthia, Emily, 
James, Delilah, Charles H.. Hugh, John W., 
and Henry B., our subject, who received a com- 
mon school education in Licking Count}', Ohio; 
commencing at the age of seven, he continued 
to attend school more or less until he was twen- 
ty; commenced life as a farmer, and married, 
in Moundsville, Mo., June 7, 1870, Ella E. 
Kellogg, born in Litchfield, N. Y., December 
21, 1845, daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah S. 
Kellogg; he, born in Paris, N. Y., August 23, 
1797; she, born in We.stfield, Mass.. November 



LINCOLK TOWNSHIP. 



151 



22, 1804. Mr. and Mrs. Jacks have had seven 
children, viz., an infant son, born December 5, 
1871, died December 11, 1871; John N , born 
May 30, 1873, died April 3, 1878; Henry H., 
born May 26, 1875; Sadie D., born May 24, 
1877; Lillie E., born January 22, 1879; Charles 
B., born September 17, 1880; Viola E., born 
April 25, 1882. Subject is a Republican; a 
farmer all his life; holds the office of District 
Township Secretary; enlisted in Compan)- C, 
Twenty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantrj', on 
August 2, 1862, for three years. When he 
was thirty-three years old, he left home, pur- 
chased 180 acres of land in Jasper County, 
this State, but previous to this, and when he 
was eighteen j^ears old, he worked for his father 
for wages; worked his Jasper County farm un- 
til 1874, when he sold out and moved to this 
township, where he purchased eighty acres of 
wild prairie land, which he broke up and im- 
proved; sold out in 1866; purchased 160 acres 
in Section 16; sold out in 1877; has since lived 
on a leased farm, and is one of the first settlers 
in this township. 

ALLEN McDANNEL, farmer, P. 0. Walnut, 
born in Knox Count}', Tenn., February 16, 
1834, son of John and Nancy (Dail) McDannel; 
he. a farmer, born in Knox County, Tenn; she, 
born in Greene County, Tenn., died in Knox 
County, Tenn., in 1839. They had five chil- 
dren, viz., James, Allen, Polly Ann, Sarah E. 
and Nancy. Subject is a self-taught man, 
never having attended a school; commenced 
life as a farmer, and married in Jasper County, 
this State, December 14, 1854, Sarah Murphy, 
born in Knox County, Tenn., March 26, 1838, 
daughter of William and Sarah Murphy, both 
natives of Ireland. Subject enlisted, in 1863, 
in Company L, Ninth Iowa Cavalry, for three 
years, or during the war, and was a wagon- 
master. He is a Methodist, a Democrat; and 
when quite young his father, who was a planter, 
lost his property, and in 1852, subject was 
thrown upon his own resources; emigrated to 



Iowa, working on farms until^he saved enough 
money to buy fortj' acres of land in Jasper 
County, this State; improved it; sold out and 
purchased forty-five acres in same eountj'; sold 
out in 1871 ; moved to what was then known as 
Knox Township, but is now Lincoln, in this 
county, where he bought eighty acres of land, 
living upon it for a short time; he sold out and 
purchased 144 acres of land in northeast quar 
ter of Section 3, Range 38, Lincoln Township- 
where he now lives. Although not having an 
opportunity of attending school, he does every- 
thing in his power to promote education, and 
agitated the school quescion in the eastern di- 
vision of his township. Mr. and Mrs, McDan- 
nel have had fourteen childi-en, viz,, William F.. 
born January 21, 1856; G-eorge W,, born Jan- 
uary 12, 1857; Viola, born March 6, 1858; 
Montgomery, born in 1862; Robert A., born 
November, 1862, died November, 1864; Mor- 
rell C, born December 1, 1866; Jessie, born 
April 3, 1868; Dennis M., born November 24, 
1870; Evylin, born December 16, 1869, died 
January 16, 1870; Walter A,, born September 
21, 1872, died January 28, 1874; Jennie N., 
born January 28, 1874; one who was never 
named; Sarah, born January 1, 1877, and 
Grace M., born March 16, 1879. 

LEMUEL I. POPE, farmer and mechanic, 
P. O. Lewis, born in Shelby County, Ind., Sep- 
tember 18, 1825, son of Harvey and Mary 
(Drake) Pope; he, a farmer and mechanic, born 
in Connecticut, died in the fall of 1851 or 1852; 
she, born in Ohio, died in the winter of 1854 or 
1855. They had eight children, viz., Henry 
Jefferson, Lemuel I., Harvey D., Hannah K., 
Mary H., William W., Milton and Lottie. Sub- 
ject received a common school education, at- 
tending school when he was about ten years old; 
be afterward went to a commercial school in 
Cincinnati; commenced life as a farmer, and 
married, in Cincinnati, June, 1851, Elizabeth 
Stone, born in Michigan August 3. 1831, daugh- 
ter of Edward and Ann Stone, both born in 



15;:; 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



England. Mr. and Mrs. Pope have ten children,^ 
viz., Lollie, Emma, Jerome, Millard, Alonzo, 
Forest, Ella, Ul}-sses, James and Joseph. Sub- 
ject is a Hard-Shell Baptist, an Independent in 
politics; is a descendant of Lord Williams; 
started in life with nothing Iwit his strong arms 
and equally strong will ; left home when twenty- 
one years old; engaged in the mercantile busi- 
ness in his native State for two years, afterward 
going to Cincinnati, Ohio, as salesman for a 
wholesale grocery store there, remaining two 
3'ears in the position, when he returned to his 
father's farm, working there for one year, and 
on other farms for about three years, when he 
moved to Illinois, where he rented a farm for a 
year, when he moved to Missouri, taking a home- 
stead of eight}- acres, living there for six j-ears, 
when he sold out and moved to Marion County, 
this State, where he worked different farms; also 
engaged in coal mining, and at the expiration 
of eight years, he moved to Wright Township, 



this county, and the next spring, moved into 
this township, purchasing 400 acres of land. 

ELIAS YOUMAX, farmer, P. 0. Walnut, 
born in Albany County, N. Y., May 14, 1824, 
son of Bartholomew and Sally (Saulter) You- 
man; he, a farmer, born in Greene County. N. 
Y., died about the year 1862; she, born in New 
York State, died in 1874, and was the mother 
of nine children, viz., Samuel, Hannah, Betsj% 
John, Elias, Stephen, David, Jesse and Am- 
brose. Subject received a common school 
education; commenced life as a farmer, and 
married in Brunswick, Ohio, September 19, 
1848, Sarah A. Barber, born in New York State 
April 28. 1831, daughter of Henrv and llebecca 
Barber, both natives of New York. Mr. and 
3Irs. Youman are the parents of the following 
children, viz., Orrin, born May 1, 1851; Mary 
'E., born May 1, 1853; Adelina, December 12, 
1861; Clement, March 12, 1SG8. Subject is a 
Democrat, and was Township Clerk in 1880. 



MAOEDOITIA TOWNSHIP. 



A. J. ANDERSON, grain merchant .and 
farmer, Carson, was born in La Salle County, 
III.. April 12, 1842. His father, Jacob Ander- 
son, was born in Norway in June, 1807; 
emigrated to America when eighteen years old 
in 1819; settled first in New York, where he 
remained till going to Illinois in the year after 
the Black Hawk war. He settled in La Salle 
County, where he remained till the fall of 
1848, then removed to Iowa, settling in Grove 
Township, Pottawattamie County, on a farm 
of 680 aci'es, which he improved; he remained 
there till the spring of 1854, when he crossed 
the plains with ox teams to Napa County, Cal., 
where he lived on a farm till his death, May 4, 
1864. The famil}- remained in California till 
1868, when the mother of our subject, with two 
children, returned to Iowa, and settled on the 



old farm in Grove Township. Pottawattamie 
Count}'. Subject's mother was born in Norway 
January 1, 1814, and emigrated to America 
with her father's family (said to be the first 
Norwegian family to come to America) and 
who became permanent settlers. She is living 
with the subject of this sketch, her only sur- 
viving child. Jlr. Anderson began life on his 
own responsibility in California on a farm; 
there he remained but a j-ear or two, when he 
emigrated to Iowa, settling in Grove Township, 
Pottawattamie Count}% on a farm, where he was 
engaged exclusively in farming and stock deal- 
ing till he entered the grain business in Car- 
son, erecting an elevator, which he owns and 
operates in connection with his farm. He 
first bought a partial interest in the old home- 
stead of 680 acres in Grove Township, Potta- 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 



153 



wattamie County, then his mother's interest; 
since then he has added land until the farm 
now contains 1,000 acres. This farm consists 
of what is known as Wheeler's Grove, in Grove 
Township, and is verj' valuable. There being 
200 acres of good timber land. Mr. Anderson 
lives in Carson; he married Miss Melissa 
Broadhurst. of Napa County', Cal., June 24, 
1866. She was born in Berrien County, Mich., 
January 2, 1846; her father Joseph Broadhurst, 
born in C)hio in May, 1818, lives in California; 
her mother, Nancj' (Gorham) Broadhurst, born 
in Indiana June 10, 1826, died March 9, 1854. 
Mr. Anderson is a member of the church of 
Latfer Daj- Saints; he is no partisan in politics. 
J. C. BRADLEY, farmer and stock-raiser, 
P. 0. Macedonia, was bora in Adams County, 
III., July 15, 1844 ; his father, E. C. Bradley, 
was born in Livingston Count}-, N. Y., about 
1817 ; he emigrated to Iowa in 1834, settling 
in Davenport when there was but one frame 
house in that place ; from Davenport he came 
to Qninc}-, 111., and he now lives in that State ; 
he was married in 1842 to Mahala J. Foy, 
mother of our subject ; she was born in Chau- 
tauqua Count\-, N. Y., about 1827 ; she is the 
mother of six children, one of whom is dead. 
3Ir. Bradley worked on a farm a few months, 
and then, January ], 1862, enlisted in the 
Tenth Illinois Infiintry, in which he served two 
years and three months. After returning 
from the army, he farmed in Illinois one year, 
then came to Decatur County, Iowa, thence to 
Marion County, where he was engaged in farm- 
ing from 1865 to 1871, then he moved to Mills 
County and settled near Hastings ; came from 
there, February 22, 1876, and located on his 
present farm of 120 acres, situated three miles 
west of Macedonia. Mr. Bradley was married 
in Knoxvillu, Marion Co., Iowa, F.ebruary 
6, 1868, to Miss M. E. Carle, born January 25, 
1840, daughter of Eber and Mary N, (Pastory) 
Carle ; he. born in Pennsylvania, January 27. 
1818, now living in Marion County, Iowa ; his 



wife die:l about 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Bradlej' 
have had seven children, one of whom is dead, 
their names are Clarence W., Armina M., F. E., 
Nora G., Roxie and Louetta. Mrs. Bradley is 
a member of the Christian Church. Mr. 
Bradley is an Odd Fellow, and a Republican. 

L. D. BULLA, lumber merchant, Macedonia, 
was born in Tippecanoe County, Ind., January 
16j^ 1844 ; his father, James Bulla, born in 
Tennessee, December 7, 1815, but reared till 
ten or twelve years old in Georgia, whence 
he emigrated to Indiana. He, with five 
brothers, landed at Richmond, Ind., when it 
was a wilderness ; there four of the brothers 
lived and died strict members of the Quaker 
Church. Father of subject was a brick-layer 
and stone-mason by trade, and died in Dan- 
ville, 111., September 11. 1861. Subject's mother, 
Abigail (Osborn) Bulla, born in Ohio October 
28, 1824; she was the mother of four children, 
of whom subject is the oldest ; but two of the 
children are living. 3Ir. Bulla's father came 
to Iowa, and at Des Moines took up land near 
Fort Dodge in the fall of 1854, which land 
subsequenth' fell to the heirs. Mr. Bulla at- 
tended the common schools, and was bound 
out when :ibout eleven years old, continuing 
thus till the spring of 1861, when he enlisted in 
Company G, Twentieth Indiana Volunteers. 
He served as private for three years and forty- 
one days ; being in thirteen skirmishes and 
fourteen pitched battles ; was wounded four 
times and carries a- buckshot in his face. After 
returning from the army, he attended school 
two terms at the State Normal at Kokomo, 
Ind., then he taught school one winter, and in 
the spring of 1865 came to Iowa, settling near 
Fort Dodge on the farm that his father had 
entered in 1854. He remained in this county 
three years, sold out and moved to Linn Coun- 
ty, near Mr. Vernon, where he ran a saw-mill 
one year, then came to Council Bluffs in 
April, 1870. There he was engaged in the 
saw-mill business with Shugart & Lininger 



154 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



till the spring of 1876. Then he movecVto 
Emerson, Mills Co.. Iowa, and started in the im- 
plement business, in the spring of 1879, adding 
hardware to his other business, which he con- 
ducted successfully, till being burned out in 
September, 1879. Then he rebuilt, took a part- 
ner, and opened a hardware and grocery- store. 
He sold out in July, 1880, came to luacedonia, 
and entered the lumber business with Lewis 
Hammer, of Council Blutfs, where he still re- 
mains. Mr. Bulla married Miss Sarah J. Al- 
bee, at Fort Dodge, March 25, 1866. She was 
born in Ohio, October 11, 1845; her father, 
Heiman C. Albee. born at Rutland, Vt., in 1819; 
emigrated to Ohio when a young man; there he 
married, raised his family, and from there emi- 
grated to Fort Dodge, Iowa, with his brother, 
E. H. Albee, in 1854, and there they still live. 
Mrs. Bulla's mother, Mary Rowson, was born 
November 29, 1815, and is the mother of seven 
children, three of whom are living. Mr. and 
Mrs. Bulla have had three children ; they are, 
Oliver Morton, Mary 0., Josie Ellen, Lena Abi- 
gal (deceased). Mr. Bulla is a member of the 
Masonic fraternity, and also of the M. E. Church. 
He is an active Republican. 

A. M. CALE, fiirmer, P. 0. Macedonia, was 
born in Preble County, Ohio, January 9, 1840. 
His father, George F. Cale, born in Pennsylvania 
in 1812; he emigrated to Ohio when a boy, and 
there followed farming in Preble County till he 
died in 1845. Subject's mother, Henrietta 
McCabe, born in Delaware in 1812, was the 
mother of six children, and died in 1860. Mr. 
Cale attended the schools of Lee County, Iowa, 
then entered Denmark Academy of Lee Coun- 
ty, Iowa, where he attended four years, and 
would have graduated in 1862, but he left his 
class two months before graduation, and en- 
listed in Company G, Fourth Iowa Cavalry, 
continuing in the army till the close of the 
war. He was promoted after a service of nearly 
three years as a private, to the Captaincy of 
a company of scouts, which position he held 



till the close of the war. 



teen general engagements. 



Mr. Cale was in nine- 
After leaving the 
arm}-, Mr. Cale engaged in carpenter work, 
which trade he had learned before the war, and 
this work he followed in Kansas City, Mo., as 
a contractor for about sixteen months, then re- 
moved to Lee County, thence to Moulton, Iowa, 
where he followed contracting for four years, 
thence to ?Iissouri, and went into the hotel 
business for about five years, then came to 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and settled in 
Macedonia Township. He built the hotel 
known as the Macedonia House in Macedonia. 
He owns 345 acres of land, valued at $30 per 
acre in this township. Mr. Cale is a purely 
self made man. He was married, September 
4, 1864, in Fort Madison, Lee Co., Iowa, to 
Miss E. B. Babb, of Denmark, Iowa, who was 
born in Ashtabula County, Ohio, December 23, 
1845; her father, Clark Babb, born in Livings- 
ton County, N. Y., April 7, 1811, died Septem- 
ber 27, 1865, in Lee County, Iowa; her mother, 
Louisa A. Case, born in Ashtabula County, 
Ohio, July 21, 1820, died July 15, 1876; she 
was the mother of five ciiildren. Mr. Cale is a 
Republican, and, a member of the I. 0. 0. F., 
of Macedonia Lodge, No. 421. Mr. and Mrs. 
Cale have four children — Ada M., born Octo- 
ber 5, 1865; Lola B., February 11, 1868; Maud 
L., November 8, 1869, and Charlie F., July 18, 
1871. 

REV. J. W. CARTER, clergyman, Mace- 
donia, was born in Clermont County, Ohio, 
November 25, 1819; his father, John S. Carter, 
was born in Gloucester County, N. J., Decem- 
ber 30, 1787, was married in the same county, 
and emigrated to Ohio in 1810, where he fol- 
lowed farming, and carpentering till his death, 
which occurred October 15, 1856. Subject's 
mother, Ann (Ware) Carter, was born in Glou- 
cester County, N. J., May 6, 1791; she was the 
mother of eight children, of whom five are 
living; she died April 2, 1840. Mr. Carter was 
educated in the common schools of Ohio, 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 



155 



where he taught several j-ears, then entered the 
Bethel Academy, where he graduated in 1848, 
then he pursued the studj- of theologj- under 
the direction of the Presbjter3- of Sangamon, 
of the Oumberland Presbj'terian Church. He 
labored within the bounds of that Presb3-tery 
till coming to Iowa in 1871, when he settled in 
Macedonia Township, Pottawattamie County, 
where he organized a church in old Macedonia 
in April, 1871. Mr. Carter continues as pastor 
of this church, and he also organized a church 
in May, 1875, at Wheeler's Grove, in Grove 
Township. Pottawattamie Co., Iowa. Mr. 
Carter now lives in Macedonia; he has been a 
Republican from the first organization of the 
part}-. He is also a member of the Masonic 
fraternit}'. Mr. Carter married Miss JIalinda 
Sargent, in Ohio, August 30, 1842; she was 
born in Kentucky December 1, 1816; her fa- 
ther, John Sargent, died in 1852, at the age of 
about eight3"-five years; her mother, Mary 
(Lamb) Sargent, died in 1818, when Mrs. Carter 
was about two j'ears old. Mr. and Mrs, Carter 
have had eight children, of whom five are liv- 
ing — Mary E., Joseph E., John E., Soma and 
Eva, Mr, Carter's life has been an active one, 
and be is a ver}- worth}- gentleman. 

DR. JOHN CRAIG, farmer, P. 0. Macedo- 
nia, was born in Indiana, April 23, 1835 ; his 
father, William Craig, was born in Scotland in 
1800; came to America in 1820, landing first in 
Charleston, S. C; from there he moved from 
place to place, following his trade of weaving, or 
serving as overseer of power looms. He final!}- 
moved to a farm in Franklin County, Ind., .and 
followed his trade in connection with farming 
for some years; then sold his farm and moved to 
Decatur County; bought a farm, improved it, 
and followed his trade and farming again for 
several years ; then moved into the town of 
Greensburg, Ind. He lived there for several 
years, and then moved to the town of Milford, 
Ind,. where he died in 1879, Subject's mother, 
Jane Gilchrist, was born in Scotland in 1800 ; 



she and Mr. Craig were engaged in Scotland, 
and during the religious troubles there Mr. 
Craig had to fly for his life, being a strong ad- 
vocate of the Presbyterian Church ; his intended 
wife soon followed, and they were married in 
the city of Charleston, S, C; she died about 
1871, and was the mother of seven children, two 
of whom are dead. Dr. Craig received a com- 
mon school education in Indiana ; read medi- 
cine with Dr. George V. Armington, and fin- 
ished reading witli Dr. Mitchell ; tlien attended 
two courses of lectures at the Eclectic Medical 
Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he 
graduated in February. 1857. He l^egan prac- 
ticing in March, 1857, at Milford, Ind.; con- 
tinued there till 1865, excepting an absence of 
about two years, which time he spent in Greens- 
burg, Ind,; then, on account of poor health, he 
moved to Highland Township, Wapello Co,, 
Iowa, in 1865, and went on a farm. He man- 
aged his farm and practiced, remaining tiiere 
for several years, when he met with an acci- 
dent, and went to Cincinnati, where he was 
treated for fifteen months by his favorite sur- 
geon. Prof Z, Freeman, Recovering, he re- 
turned to his home in Wapello County, where 
he remained till 1873 ; then he traded for the 
farm of 160 acres on which he now resides, 
moving onto it m the spring of 1875, Since 
then the Doctor has not been in active practice, 
but devotes his attention to farming, stock rais- 
ing and feeding. This farm is three and one- 
half miles west of the town of Macedonia. Dr, 
Craig was married in Lebanon County, Ohio, in 
February, 1857, to Jliss Sarah J, Dyche, of Leb- 
anon ; she was born about 1832, at State Line, 
Ohio ; she died in February, 1 859, He married a 
second time, in 1860, Miss Lydia Richman, born 
in Ohio, about 1834, and who died in 1863. Dr. 
Craig married a third time, in September, 1864, 
to Anna J. Huffer, of Bartholomew County, 
Ohio ; she was born in same county in 1840 ; 
her father, David Huffer, was born in 1811, in 
Ohio ; is now living in Indiana ; lier mother. 



156 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Delila Briiner. died in 1846. Dr. Craig has one 
daughter by his first marriage — F. J. ; two boys 
b}' his second — -Isadore E. and Charles F.; three 
bj' his third wife — William D., Claud L. and J. 
Freddie (deceased). Dr. Craig and wife are mem- 
bers of the M. E. Church of Macedonia. The 
Doctor is Master of Kuby Lodge, No. 415, A., 
F. & A. M., of Macedonia. He is a firm Repub- 
lican. 

HON. B. F. CLAYTON, farmer, stock and 
real estate dealer, P. O. JIacedonia, is the pro- 
prietor of Sunnj'side Stock Farm, situated 
one and three quarters miles southwest 
of the town of Macedonia; he is interested 
in an agricultui'al implement house in Mace- 
donia, known by the firm name of Clayton 
& Clark, also in a similar house in Carson, 
known as the Carson Implement Companj-. 
Mr. Clayton is a stockholder and Director in 
the Macedonia Bank. He was elected by the 
Eighteenth General Assembly of the State of 
Iowa, served term of six years on the Board of 
Trustees of the Deaf and Dumb Ayslum. 
situated at Council Bluffs, of which boaid he 
is Chairman. Mr. Clayton was born in Nicholas 
County, Ky., January 10, 1839, and leaving the 
parental roof at the age of sixteen years, went 
direct!}- to Decatur County, Ind., and went to 
work by the month. He remained in Indiana 
from 1855 to 1873, during which time he served 
three years on the Board of County Commis- 
sioner of Decatur County; he followed farming 
as a business while there. In October, 1873, 
Mr. Claytou came to Pottawattamie Countj^, 
Iowa, and settled where he now lives, bu^'ing 
at that time 320 acres partiallj' improved, which 
he has since added to till now Sunnyside farm 
contains over 500 acres, and Mr. Clayton has 
over 1,600 acres in the county, most of which 
is improved. His father, William 31. Clayton, 
born in Virginia in 1788, came to Kentucky, 
(luriug boj-hood with his parents, was a soldier 
in the war of 1812, bring under Capt. Metcalf, 
who was afterward Governor of Kentuck}-; he 



was a mechanic during life, and died in 1852, 
in Robinson County, Kj-. Subject's mother, 
Mary (Adair) Cla\-ton, was born in Nicholas 
County, K}'. Subject has but one full sister, 
one half-brother and three half-sisters. Mr. 
Clayton has held some township office ever 
since he came to the State, and served iu the 
Seventeenth and Eighteenth General Assem- 
blies of the State of Iowa, being Chairman of 
the Agricultural Committee, in the Eighteenth 
General Assembly. Mr. Clayton is a Master 
Mason. He is an active member of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, and is a Trustee of 
Simpson Centenary College, situated at 
Indianola, Iowa. Mr. Olaj'ton was first 
manned to Jliss Priscilla Martin of Decatui- 
County, Ind., March 2, 1862; she died in 
Indiana iu 1868. He married again, Septem- 
ber 22, 1869, to Miss Nannie M. Hamilton; she 
was born in Decatur Count}-, Ind., May 22, 
1852; her father, D. N. Hamilton, born in Har- 
rison County, Kj-., November, 1817; he is a 
farmer, living in Indiana; her mother, Martha 
A. Taylor, born in Harrison County, Ky., in 
January, 1819, died December 24, 1864. Mr. 
and Mrs. Clayton have two children — William 
N. and Mona V. 

LUTHER DOTY, farmer, P. 0. Carson, was 
born in Richland County, Ohio, August 15, 1826; 
his father, James Doty, was born in Virginia in 
1802, and died in Richland County, Ohio, Jan- 
uarj' 4, 1879 ; he was a farmer b}- occupation ; 
in 1846, he was elected Sheriff of Ashland Coun- 
ty, Ohio, being the first Sheriff of that county. 
Subject's mother, Sarah Croniger, was born in 
Pennsj-lyania in 1806, and died in 1849 ; she 
was the mother often children, eight of whom 
are living, six of them in Iowa. Mr. Doty re- 
ceived but a limited education in the common 
schools, but he afterward attended the Ashland 
Academy in Ohio; hetaught in that State about 
seven j-ears. He began by farming ; then came 
to Iowa in the fall of 1853, and settled in John 
son County, where he farmed and taitght school 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 



157 



for awhile ; in that countj' he served as Jus- 
tice of the Peace for tweutj- j-eavs, and also 
served as County Supervisor one term. In 
March, 1876, he sold his propertj- in Johnson 
Countv. and came to Pottawattamie County, 
settling in Pleasant Township, five miles west 
of Avoca, till October 12, 1880, when he came 
to his present home of 200 acres, about two and 
one-half miles west of Carson ; the land is now 
valued at about S45 an acre. Mr. Doty was 
first married in Ohio, iVugust 23, 1849, to Eliz- 
abeth A. Kagy, who died August 25, 1850. Mr. 
Dot}- was married again, in the same State, De- 
cember 25, 1851, to Mary Hilborn, born in Ohio 
October 17, 1832, and died February 13, 1832. 
Mr. Doty has five children^Sarah M., James 
M., T. E., Mary C. and E. C. The fiimily are 
members of the M. E. Church of Carson. Mr. 
Doty is an A., F. & A. M.. and a Democrat in 
politics. 

SYLVESTER DYE, merchant, Macedonia, 
was born in Lee County, Iowa, in May, 1843. 
His father, Henry Dye, was born in Miami 
County, Ohio, in 1814. From there, he emi- 
grated to the State of Indiana; thence to Lee 
County, Iowa, in 1839, where he now lives. 
He is a member of the Pioneer Association of 
Lee Count}-, Iowa, being one of the oldest 
members of the association. He has been a 
farmer all his life ; has been Justice of the 
Peace. Subject's mother, Jane (Mlckelwait) 
Dye, was born in York, England, about 1823 ; 
she came to America with her parents in 1829. 
Her father was a farmer ; settled at Jackson- 
ville, III., remained there about nine years, and 
subsequentlj- moved to Lee Count}-, Iowa, 
where he died in 1856. Mr. Dye has four 
brothers and one sister. He was educated at 
Denmark Academy, in Lee County, Iowa. From 
attending this institution, Mr. Dye went to the 
army, enlisting in Company E, of the Nine- 
teenth Iowa Volunteers, serving in the capac- 
ity of a private for three years. After return- 
ing from the army, he came to Jlills County, 



Iowa, in the fall of 1865 ; there he rented a 
farm for about six years, then bought in Jlace- 
donia Township, Pottawattamie County, where 
he farmed until 1880, when he with his brother 
formed a partnership in a general store, the 
firm going by the name of W. Dye & Co. JMr. 
Dye still owns and conducts his farm of 210 
acres, situated three and a half miles south- 
west of Macedonia. The firm of W. Dye & Co. 
was burned out March 6, 1882, but they have 
their new brick building now almost com- 
pleted. Thus we have traced the movements 
of one of Iowa's most thrifty, self-made busi- 
ness men. During the time spent in the army, 
Mr. Dye was taken prisoner in the State of 
Louisiana in the fall of 1863. and confined at 
Tvler, Tex., for ten months ; he was at the 
siege of Vicksburg and various other engage- 
ments. He is a member of the Odd Fellows' 
Lodge of Macedonia. He married Miss Mary 
J. Linville, of Grlenwood, Mills County, Iowa, 
January 16, 1868 ; she was born in Nodaway 
County, Mo., in 1851. Her father, George Lin- 
ville, was born in Tennessee in 1815, and came 
to Iowa in 1856 ; he still lives in Mills County. 
Iowa. Her mother, Sarah Burris, was born in 
Tennessee, and is the mother of eight children. 
Mr. and Mrs. Dye have three children — Claud, 
Emma L. and Willoughby. Mr. Dye was a 
successful candidate for the office of County 
Supervisor in the fall of 1879. He served his 
constituency very satisfactorily during a term 
of three years, being elected by the Demo- 
cratic party, with W. Fay as opponent. 

JOHN DYE, farmer, P. 0. Macedonia, was 
born in Lee County, Iowa, August 29, 1847 ; 
his father, Henry Dye, was born about 1815, 
and is a farmer, living in Washington Town- 
ship, Lee County, Iowa. Subject's mother, 
Jane (Micklewait) Dye, was born in England in 
1822, and came to America when eight years 
of age; she died about 1858, having given 
birth to seven children. 5Ir. Dye worked on 
his father's farm until March, 1873, when he 



158 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



migrated to Pottawattamie County and bought 
160 acres where he now lives, three and a half 
miles southwest of Macedonia. To this land 
he has since added 50 acres, paying about $10 
an acre for the whole. It is now finel}' im- 
proved and valued at S-IO an acre. January 1, 
1873, Mr. Dye married Miss Mary G. Snapp, 
of Lee Count}', Iowa, born February 27, 1851 ; 
her father, Simpson Snapp, was born in Wash- 
ington County, Tenn., in 1816, and migrated to 
Lee County, Iowa, in 1837, where he died in 
1874 ; her mother was born about 1823, and 
died about 1868. Mr. and Mrs. D3-e have five 
children — H. W., born December 10, 1874; 
Daisy, March 9, 1876 ; George, April 23, 1877 ; 
H. S., October 10, 1879, and Effle M.. January 
5, 1881. Mr. Dye is an Odd Fellow and a. 
Democrat. 

G. D. EUSTIS, furniture dealer and under- 
taker, Carson, was born in St. Lawrence Coun- 
ty, N. Y., May 5. 1846, son of George and 
Jane (McCoy) Eustis, he born in England in 
September, 1809, was a farmer bj* occupation, 
and was killed September 5, 1854, by the acci- 
dental discharge of a blast while he was fore- 
man of a gang of miners at Brogville ; she 
born in Ireland in February, 1813, and has 
given birth to eleven children, two of whom 
are dead. Mr. Eustis began to work at farm- 
ing when twelve ^-ears of age, his father hav- 
ing died. After two years of farm life, he 
served an apprenticeship of two years at the 
carpenter's trade, and then, at the age of sis- 
teen, enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and 
Sixth New York Infantr}-. During the last 
3'ear of his service, he was color-bearer for his 
regiment. Tliis regiment was a part of the 
Army of the Potomac, and consequently Mr. 
Eustis was in man}- severe engagements. At 
the battle of Cold Harbor, June 1, 1864, Col. 
Townsend, of Mr. Eustis' regiment, was killed, 
and of the forty-eight men composing Com- 
pany C, twenty-five were killed, Mr. Eustis 
himself being wounded. He, with his regi- 



ment, were mustered out at Ogdensburg, X. 
Y., July 16, 1865. After returning from the 
army, Mr. Eustis spent about eight months in 
his native count}-, then came to Montgomerj- 
Count}-, 111., where he conducted a farm one 
year, and worked at the carpenter's trade one 
year. He removed to Galesburg, and worked 
at his trade from 1868 to 1878, then came to 
Stuart, Iowa, where he conducted a furniture 
business till June, 18S1, when he came to Car- 
sou and opened a furniture and undertaking 
establishment, where he now is. Mr. Enstis 
was married, in Galesburg, 111., March 16, 
1870, to Elizabeth Young, born in 1844' 
daughter of Robert and Rosanna (Wilson) 
Young, he born in New York in 1790, was a 
farmer by occupation, and died July 22, 1877 ; 
she born in Maryland, and is living with our 
subject. Mr. and Mrs. Eustis have four chil- 
dren — Albert, Eddie, Ida M. and Ralph. Mr. 
Eustis is a member of the I. 0. O. F., No. 444. 
and is a Republican in politics. 

JOHN F. FENDER, farmer, P. O. Carson- 
was born in North Carolina about 1832, son of 
Levi and Jane (Evans) Fender; the former 
born in North Carolina, where he died about 
1865; the parents had twelve children, seven 
of whom are living. Mr. Fender moved from 
his native State to Hardiu County, Iowa, about 
1868; thence to Pottawattamie County about 
1872, where he leased land about one and a 
half yeai's, then bought eighty acres at $11 an 
acre. He now has 160 acres valued at about 
835 an acre. He has a very good young or- 
chard, and quite a quantity of small fruits.. 
The cyclone of June 9, 1880. damaged Mr. 
Fender about $500, a fine colt being killed, and 
half of his stock being blown a quarter of a 
mile from the house. Mr. Fender was married, 
in North Caroline, in 1 866, to Millie Dillard. 
born in North Carolina about 1834, daughter 
of James and Polly (Spurling) Dillard, natives 
of North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Fender are 
the parents of two children — James, born in 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 



159 



North Carolina, and Willie, born in Iowa. Mr. 
Fender enlisted in Company F, Twenty-second 
North Carolina Regiment in 1861, and was dis- 
charged in 18l)5. He engaged in the battles of 
Seven Pines, Chancellorville, Gaine's Mill, Tnr- 
ke\- Ridge, and many other minor battles. Mr. 
Fender is a member of the Christian Church, 
and is a Republican. 

L. S. FIELD, lumber merchant, Carson, was 
born in Bakersfield, Franklin Co., Vt., May 22, 
1S46 ; his father, Alanson Field, born in 
Bakersfield, Vt., July 6, 1820; his forefathers 
were brought to America as members of Bur- 
goyne's army, during the Revolution, his father 
being in the battle of Plattsburg. Subject's 
mother, P. W. (Cutler) Field, was born in Bakers- 
field, Vt., Nov. 2, 1817, and is the mother of 
four children, of whom two are in the West. 
Mr. Field attended the common schools of his 
native State, and also the Academ3- of Bakers- 
field. He worked on a farm in his native State 
till coming West in 1866, when he landed at 
Council Bluffs, having come there by boat, 
there being no railroads at that time. He spent 
his first winter in a saw-mill, his second as a schooj 
teacher in Pottawattamie County. The follow- 
ing five years were spent as civil engineer on 
the railroad lines of the R. I. & Pacific, B. & M. 
and various other lines; leaving this he spent 
about one j-ear in Council Bluflfs. In 1874, he 
went into the lumber business at Avoca, Pot- 
tawattamie County, where he remained in the 
same business till locating in Carson, in 1880; 
thence he opened the first yard in the town. 
Mr. Field married Miss Ella T Adams, in Ot- 
turawa, Iowa, Januarj- 27, 1874. She was born 
in Ottumwa August 13, 1850. Her father, 
John J. Adams, was born in Abingdon, Va., 
April 8, 1807, came to Iowa in 1836, locating 
at Burlington, then not as large as Carson now 
is. Her mother, Evaline Trueman Adams, was 
born in Kentucky February 22, 1812; was the 
mother of two children. She died August 13, 
1850, at Ottumwa, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Field 



have four children — John A., Arthur L., Pearl 
I. and George A. Mr. Field is a Republican, 
and a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 
444, at Carson. He and wife are members of 
the Presbyterian Church. 

G. W. FURROW, merchant, Carson, was 
born in Shelby County, Ohio. March 28, 1832. 
His father, James Furrow, was born in Black- 
ford County, Va., about 1792; he removed with 
his famil}- to Ohio, where he owned and ope- 
rated a large farm, and at the same time was 
Canal Contractor in Miami Extension Canal, 
north of Dayton; he died about 1842. Sub- 
ject's mother, Mary (Peterman) Furrow, was 
born in Blackford Count3', Va-, and died with 
the cholera. She was the mother of ten chil- 
dren, all but one of whom married, and raised 
families of their own. At fifteen vears of age, 
Mr. Furrow learned the trades of mason, brick- 
layer and plasterer; these he followed till 1861. 
April 17 of that year, he first enlisted in the 
army; the following August he re-enlisted for 
three j-ears; he next enlisted in the Eighth In- 
diana Infantry', a regiment organized as vet- 
erans at Indianola, Texas, Januar}- 1, 1864 
May 21st of that year, Mr. Furrow was pro- 
moted from First Sergeant to Captain of Com- 
panj- F, Eighth Indiana Infantry Veteran Vol- 
unteers, in which capacity he served till the 
close of the war. Ma}- 22, 1863, at the siege of 
Vicksburg, Capt. Furrow received a wound 
which disabled him three months. From Vicks- 
burg his regiment went to New Orleans; thence 
north and joined Sheridan's command. After 
leaving the army at the close of the war, Capt. 
Furrow opened a meat market, then, after deal- 
ing in stock in general for two years, he bought 
a farm near Wabash, Ind.. where he remained 
till 1874, then sold out and came to Pottawat- 
tamie County, Iowa. He farmed first in Knox 
Township till March, 1882, when he came to 
Carson, where he owns and operates a grocery 
store. Capt. Furrow was married in Wabash 
Countv, Ind.. November 20, 1866, to Elvira 



160 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Lewis, bora in Grant County, Ind., December 
25, 1839, daughter of James and Rosauna 
(McClure) Lewis; lie, born in Virginia in 
1805, is now living in Siielbj- County, Iowa; 
slie, born iu Oliio, died in 1865 in Indiana. 
Ttie cliildren of Capt. and Mrs. Furrow are L. 
Editli, James F., Nellie M., Winnie G. and 
Charles E. (deceased). Capt. Furrow and wife 
are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. He is a Republican. 

W. J. IIAMILTOX, farmer, P. 0. Macedonia, 
was born in Indiana in 1842. His father, David 
N. Hamilton, was born in Kentuck}- in Decem- 
ber, 1818, and is a retired farmer living in 
Greensburg, Ind. Subject's mother. Martha 
A. (Taylor) Hamilton, was born about 1820, 
and died in 186-4. She was the mother of 
eleven children, three of whom are dead. Mr. 
Hamilton came from his native State to Mills 
County. Iowa, in 1869, settling near Hastings, 
where he owned and farmed eighty acres for 
five 3'ears; he tiien sold out and bought another 
farm near Macedonia, in the township of that 
name. Afte living on this farm about four 
years, he sold it to his brother. J. W. Hamil- 
ton, and then bought his present farm of 400 
acres. This farm is three and a half miles from 
Macedonia, and has a verj- sightly location; it 
is worth S35 an acre. March 12, 1863, Mr. 
Hamilton married Miss Hattie Phillips, who 
died in 1866. He was married a second time, 
in 1869, to Mrs. Hattie (Brown) Tindal, born iu 
Indiana in 1843, daughter of John C. and Marj- 
(Hattan) Brown; he, born in Peuns^'lvania in 
1799, died in Indiana in 1864; she, born in 
New Jersey about 1802, was the mother of five 
children, and died in 1876. Mr. and Mrs. Ham- 
ilton have had three children — Myrta C, born 
January 11, 1871: Pearl, born February 4, 
1876, died Januar3- 3, 1879; William J., born 
November 13, 1879. Mr. Hamilton and wife 
are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. He is an A., F. & A. M., and a Re- 
publican. 



J. D. HOOKER, farmer, P. O. Carson, was 
born in Chautauqua Count}-, N. Y., in July. 
1837. His father, M. H. Hooker, was born in 
Genesee County, N. Y., in 1810. He was a 
farmer and lumberman, and came to Iowa in 
the winter of 1854, settling iu Delaware County, 
where he died in March, 1874. Subject's 
mother, Nancy (Palmeter) Hooker, was born 
in New York State in 1816, and is the mother 
of ten children. Mr. H loker's first work was 
in a saw-mill in the pine woods of Pennsjdva- 
nia, where he continued till coming to Iowa in 
the spring of 1855. In March of that j'ear, he 
commenced work in a saw-mill, and continued 
in the employ of the same man five years; he 
then bought and improved a small farm, which 
he sold in 1869. He next spent two years at 
the coal miles of Fort Dodge, then started for 
Nebraska, changed his mind. and. in 1871. 
traded with John Hammer, now of Council 
Bluffs, for the farm of eight}- acres, where he 
now lives. He was married, in Delaware 
County, Iowa, in July, 1861, to Miss T. J. Wil- 

j son, born in England in October, 1843, daugii- 
ter of John and Jane (Crelling) Wilson ; he. 
born in Ireland October 5. 1313, died October. 

j 18, 1876; she, born in 1817, lives in Page Co., 
Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Hooker have eight chil- 
dren — John M., Charles M., Edward D., Joseph 
D., Jennie L., Lewis E., Shockey E. and Genie 
E. Mr. Hooker is a Democrat. 3Ir. Hooker's 
father was unfortunate in the lumber business, 
losing his property, with the exception of that 
in Delaware County, which he had purchased 
before engaging in the" lumber trade. While in 
the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, he received an in- 
jury by a fall, from which he never fully I'e- 
covered. 

A. R. HOOKER, farmer, P. 0. Carson, was 
born May 1, 1851, in Gerry, Chautauqua Co., 

, N. Y. ; his father, Myron Hooker, was born No- 
vember 4, 1809, in Allegany County, N. Y. ; 
was a farmer by occupation ; came to Dela- 

i ware County. Iowa, in 1856, where he died 



MACEDONIA TOWXSHIP. 



101 



March 4, 1873. Subject's mother, Nancy 
(Palineter) Hooker, was boru in Farmington, 
Ontario Co., N. Y., March 19, 1816 ; she lives 
with our subject, and is the mother of ten chil- 
dren, four of whom are dead. Mr. Hooker 
attended the common schools of Delaware 
Count}', Iowa, and after working on his father's 
place in Delaware County, two years, he came 
to this count}- and settled on his present farm 
of sixty acres, situated two miles northeast of 
Macedonia. Mr. Hooker was married Novem- 
ber 23, 1878, at Watson, Mo., to Lizzie M. 
Folts, born in Oneida County, N. Y., April 26, 
1856. daughter of William A. and Amanda 
(Denslow) Folts ; he, born in Oneida County, 
N. Y.. July 9, 1828, died September 25, 1867 ; 
she. born in Oneida County, N. Y., August 1. 
1833, is living in Center Township, this county. 
Mr. and Mrs. Hooker have two children, viz. : 
Emma L., born August 11, 1879, and Crete, 
born July 2, 1881. Mr. Hooker is serving his 
third 3-ear as Road Supervisor ; he is a Demo- 
crat in politics. 

DR. S. 51. JOHNSON, physician and drug- 
gist. Carson, was born in Ohio, Greene County, 
April 27,18-10. His father, Christopher G. John- 
son, was born in Virginia March 15, 1800, and 
with his parents located in Ohio, Highland 
County, and a few j-ears after moved to Greene 
■County, Ohio, thence, in 1856, came with his 
family to Iowa, settling on a farm in Wapello 
Count}", where he died in November, 1857. He 
was a farmer by occupation. Subject's mother, 
Lydia E. John.son, was born in Virginia in 
December, 1806, and is now living in Osage 
County, Kan. ; she is the mother of ten chil- 
dren, two of wliom are dead. Dr. Johnson at- 
tended the common schools, and at twenty-one 
entered Pennsylvania College at Oskaloosa, 
Iowa, where he remained three months, then 
enlisted in the army as a private in Company 
H, Thirty-sixth Iowa Infantry. He served in 
this company about one year, then received a 
commission in a colored regiment as Second 



Lieutenant, where he served till September, 
1866, when he was mustered out at Little 
Rock, Ark. He was at the battle of Helena, 
Ark., July 4, 1863, and also served on the 
frontier. After coming out of the army he en- 
gaged in the drug business and read medii;ine 
under Dr. J. C. Johnson, of Agency City, 
Wapello Co., Iowa, from 1867 to 1870, and in 
1871 attended a course of lectures at Keokuk, 
Iowa ; then went to Kansas for two years ; 
returned to Keoltuk, and graduated in the 
Keokuk College of Physicians and Surgeons 
in 1873. After graduating he went to Kansas, 
where he practiced medicine and conducted 
drug business for one year ; he then nsturned 
to Agency City, Wapello County, Iowa, where 
he followed his profession for a short time, 
then became Medical Examiner of the Cen- 
tennial Mutual Life Association of Burlington. 
Iowa, which position he held for three or four 
years. In 1878, he located in Mills County, 
Iowa; practiced medicine and conducted a drug 
store in Hillsdale, where he remained till 1880, 
then came to Carson, where he now follows his 
profession, and is senior partner of the drug 
firm of S. M. Johnson & Co. Dr. Johnson 
was the first man to come from a distance and 
erect a house in the town of Carson; this he 
did in April, 1880. He was one of the first 
School Board of Carson, and a member of the 
Building Committee that erected the school- 
house ; he is now on the Board of Health of 
Carson. Dr. Johnson married Miss Ellen 
Stephens, of Agency City, Wapello County, 
Iowa, September 10, 1S68 ; she was born March 
31, 1852, in Agency City ; her father, James 
Stephens, a pioneer of Wapello County, Iowa 
was born in Kentucky May 1, 1822. and was 
reared in Indiana ; he came to Iowa when a 
young man and located at Agency City, where 
he remained till his death, July 3, 1868. He was 
a blacksmith by trade, and erected a largo plow 
manufacturing establishment, but died before 
his business had fully developed. Mrs. John- 



162 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



son's mother, Mary A. (Horrow) Stephens, was 
born in Kentucky, February 27, 1824 ; she is 
the mother of five children, three girls and two 
boys, and lives in Agency City. Wapello County, 
Iowa. Dr. and Mrs. Johnson have had three 
children — Hamilton C. (deceased), C. Cl5'de 
and an infant, deceased. Dr. Johnson is a 
member of the Masonic fraternity of Olive 
Branch Lodge. No. 21 ; he has alwaj-s been a 
firm Republican ; he was reared by Quaker 
parents and ratiier adheres to that lielief Mrs. 
Johnson is a member of the M. E. Church. 

R. S. JEFPRYES, farmer, P. 0. Carson, was 
born in Mercer County, III, August 30, 1857 ; 
his father, T. W. Jetfryes, was born in 1818, in 
London, England, and came to America about 
1841, living in different parts of Illinois till 
1868, when he came to Pottawattamie County, 
where he still lives. Subject's mother, E. J. 
(Hamilton) Jeffr}-es, was born in Indiana, 
December 27, 1830, and is living and is the 
mother of five children — William T., Robert 
E., R. S., F. I. and F. H. Mr. Jeffryes at- 
tended the common schools and then, for three 
terms, attended the Malvern Normal School, 
where he intends to graduate. He began life 
as a farmer in Pottawattamie County, 
and he now owns 320 acres in Woodbury 
County, which he is rapidly improving. Mr. 
Jeflfryes' parents settled on the farm of 160 
acres on which they now live in 1868 ; it was 
at that time entirely- unimproved, but is now 
in a good state of improvement. Mr. Jeffrj'es 
is a Democrat. 

R. F. JONES, farming, P. 0. Carson, was 
horn in Ross County, Ohio, July 12, 1846; his 
father, Joseph Jones, was horn in Campbell 
Count}-, Va., in June, 1804; came West to Ohio 
aliout 1839; thence, in 1849, to Davis County, 
Iowa, where he lived on a farm near Union Vil- 
lage, till moving to Appanoose County, where 
he still lives. Subject's mother, Mary E. (Dickie) 
Jones, was born in Virginia in May. 1804, and 
is livincr, and is the mother of nine children. 



Mr. Jones began working by the month at farm - 
ing, in Macedonia Township, this county, in 1866: 
he worked for A. F.Ra\"burn for four years; then 
married, and rented a farm in Davis Count}*, 
Iowa, where he remained about six months; 
thence to Page Count}' for eighteen months, when 
he returned to Macedonia Township, this coun- 
ty, and rented land for one year of »A. F. Ray- 
burn; then engaged with him in the stock busi- 
ness one year. He next bought land east of 
the town of Carson; this he sold in 1873. and 
bought the farm of 220 acres where he now 
lives. This farm cost Mi\ Jones about §10.50 
an acre, and is now valued at about $45 an acre; 
it is situated in Section 3, one and one-half miles 
west of Carson; it was raw prairie when Mr. 
Jones first took possession of it, and it is now 
one of the finest farms in the township. Our 
subject was married in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 
September, 1870, to Miss C. F. Crane, born in 
May, 1853, in Lancaster, Ohio, daughter of John 
and Tabitha (Thompson) Crane; he, born in 
Pennsylvania, and she in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. 
Jones have five children — Ora E., James A., 
Robert F., Albert L. and Loula M. Mr. Jones 
belongs to the I. O. O. F. of Carson and the 
Iowa Legion of Honor. He is a Republican. 

J. M. KELLE Y, banker, Macedonia, was born 
in Johnson County, 111., March 18, 1852 ; his 
father, Richard Y. Kelley, was born in Tennes-. 
see February 14, 1813 ; emigrated from Ten- 
nessee to Illinois about 1835, where he raised his 
family. He was a farmer, and died June 10, 
1860. Subject's mother, Sarah E. F. (Ballowe) 
Kelley, was born in Virginia July 3, 1814; was 
the mother of eight children, of whom our sub- 
ject is the youngest ; she died in Mills County, 
Iowa, November 14, 1873, where she and her 
husband had emigrated in 1854. Mr. Kelley is 
a graduate of the State University of Iowa, of 
the class of 1876. He is now Cashier of the 
Macedonia Bank, where he has been for two 
years. Mr. Kelley has been a law student, but 
never sought admission to the bar ; he has been 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 



IBS 



engaged iu the mercantile business, and served 
as Deputj- Treasurer of Mills County, Iowa. 
He is connected with the Masonic Lodge of the 
place, and is a j'ouug man of verj- high stand- 
ing and influence iu the communitj-. 

S. P. LEWIS, farmer, P. 0. Macedonia, was 
born in New Jersej* in December, 1837 ; his 
father, Samuel Lewis, was born iu New Jersey 
in 1808, and migrated to Ohio in 1838, settling 
first in Warren County, then in Shelby Countj', 
where he raised his family', and where he now 
lives, employed as a shoemaker and a farmer. 
Subject's mother, Catharine (Lake) Lewis, was 
born in New Jersey in 1807, and died in 1862 ; 
she was the mother of six children, two of whom 
are living. Mr. Lewis enlisted in the army in 
September, 1861, and served till July 20, 1865; 
he was at the battles of Shiloh, Yicksburg, Fort 
Donelson, Atlanta, Ga., and with Sherman in 
his march to the sea. After returning from the 
war, Mr. Lewis remained iu his native couutj* iu 
Ohio till March, 1866, when he came to Mace- 
donia Township, first settling west of Old Mace- 
donia, where he lived till 1872, wheuhe bought 
his present farm of 1 60 acres, at that time un- 
improved. Mr. Lewis was married in this town- 
ship in August, 1866, to Catharine Roush, born 
in Highland Count\-, Ohio, in November, 1842, 
daughter of John and Rebecca (Rhodes) Roush, 
he born in 1800, and she in 1806, both living 
in Marion County, this State. This union has 
resulted in five children — George A., Mina L., 
Frederick W., William B. and Bennett. Mr. 
Lewis is a Republican. 

WILLIAM LEWIS, farming and stock-rais- 
ing, P. 0. Macedonia, was born in La Salle 
County. 111., in 1848 ; son of Charles and Eliz- 
abeth (Hougs) Lewis ; he, born in Norway in 
1826, came to America when fourteen years 
old. settling in La Salle Countj-, where he was 
engaged in farming, till his death in 1861 ; she, 
born in Rochester, N. Y., in March, 1827, is 
now living on the homestead in La Salle Coun- 
ty, 111. ; she is the mother of seven children, 



five of whom are dead. Mr. Lewis was engaged 
m farming in his native State till coming to 
Iowa in 1870, when he bougiit 160 acres, a part 
of the farm where he now lives ; this land was 
in an uncultivated condition, and cost Mr. Lewis 
$8.50 an acre; he has improved his original 
farm and added to it, until now he has 760 
acres, worth about §30 an acre. Mr. Lewis was 
married iu Mills County, Iowa, May 30, 1873, to 
Mrs. Elizabeth Richards, born in Parke Coun- 
ty, Ind., February 10, 1844, daughter of James 
and Alzina (Fisher) Shank ; he, born in Warren 
County, Ohio, about 1817, is a blacksmith in 
Mills County, Iowa ; she, born in Brown Coun- 
ty, Ohio, in 1819. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have 
four children — Anna W., Arthur C, Laura I. 
and Charles M. Since coming to Iowa, Mr. 
Lewis has given his attention largely to stock- 
raising; he now has 150 head of cattle, besides 
hogs. Mr. Lewis is no partisan in politics. 

F. LOWE, fixrmer, and merchant of agricult- 
ural implements, Carson, was born in Bourbon 
County, Ky., October 6, 1816, son of Seth and 
Rebecca (Ryan) Lowe; he, born iu North Caro- 
lina about 1786, and died Ma}- 4, 1871; she, 
born in Virginia about 1791, died about 1867; 
was the mother of six children, four of whom 
are dead. When our subject's father was about 
twelve j-ears old, he, with his father's family, 
moved into Kentucky, passing through the In- 
dian nation. On this journey the family were 
nearly driven to starvation, being without food 
seven days; their first food Was a " hoe-cake," 
baked in the ashes by a squaw. Subject's 
father moved from Kentucky to Indiana in 
1820; thence, in 1869, to Glenwood, Mills Co., 
Iowa, where the family remained till our sub- 
ject could finish his house, which he was then 
building on his farm of 320 acres, two miles 
southwest of Carson ; to this place thej^ moved 
Maj- 17, 1871. Mr. Lowe's schooling was ob- 
tained in the da3-s when schoolhouses wore com- 
posed of puncheon floors, benches made of split 
logs, and the windows of paper, the school year 



164 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



being about three months. Mr. Lowe first 
worked on the home farm, assisting his parents; 
then he bought a portion of the place, and took 
charge of the whole farm till it was sold to 
Charles Elmore, the former owner of Mr. Lowe's 
present farm. This was unimproved when Mr. 
Lowe first took it, but is now in a state of cul- 
tivation, and worth $35 an acre. January- 30, 
1854, in Kingston, Ind., Mr. Lowe married Miss 
Julia A. Sperling, born in Middlesex County, 
N. J., in 1826; her father was a native of New 
Jersey, and a farmer and gardener by occupa- 
tion; her mother, Hannah (Morse) Sperling, was 
also a native of New Jersey, and the mother of 
ten children. Mr. and Mrs. Lowe have had six 
children^Horace G., Oriella, Eddie and Emma 
(twins, who died in October. 1878), William H. 
and Alice D. In connection with his farming, 
Mr. Lowe is a partner in the Carson Implement 
Company, which began business July 1, 1882. 
Mr. Lowe is a strong temperance man, and a 
firm Republican. 

0. P. MACE, farming and mining, P. 0. Car- 
son, was born in Western Virginia October 17, 
1835. His father, Henry Mace, was born in 
Ohio in 1811, was a farmer, and has lived most 
of his life in Missouri, having gone there from 
West Virginia in 1844, when he settled in Linn 
County. He then moved to Sullivan County-; 
thence to Livingston County, where he still re- 
sides. Subject's mother, Harriet B. (Gibson) 
Mace, was born in Ohio in 1811, and is the 
mother of eight children, of whom one is de- 
ceased. Mr. Mace began life as a farmer in 
Missouri, where he continued for three years, 
then went to Kansas, Bourbon County, where 
he farmed one year; thence to Allen Countj-, 
where he worked at the carpenter's trade one 
year; thence to Mills County, Iowa, in 1861, 
and the same j'ear came to Pottawattamie 
Count\- and settled at Wheeler's Grove on a 
farm, where he continued till going to Council 
Bluffs in the fall of 1863, when he worked in 
the City Mills, then operated by J. C. Hofmyre. 



At Council Bluffs, Mr. Mace lost his first wife, 
Barbara Allen, who died Februarj' 6, 1864. 
Mr. Mace returned the same spring to Wheeler's 
Grove, and again engaged in farming. There 
he married his second wife, Mrs. Martha E. 
Elswick, in March, 1865. She was born in 
Kentuckj- March 4, 1833. Mr. Mace remained 
on this farm till 1874, then moved to where he 
now lives, two miles northeast of Carson, on a 
farm of 196 acres, bought in 1873, costing about 
$1,800, now valued at $40 per acre. The aver- 
age of crops raised bj- Mr. Mace, for the past 
twenty years in Pottawattamie County, has 
been: Corn, 51:^ bushels per acre; wheat, 12 
bushels; oats, 30, and potatoes, about 75. Mr. 
Mace, accompanied by Elswick and Bates, of 
this count}', started for Colorado April 13, 
1879, and arrived in Gunnison City May 21. 
From July 2 to July 6, they located eight 
mines, among which are the famous '• Ruby 
King " and " Little Crown " of Ruby Mining 
District. They operated the King mine and su- 
perintended the operation of the others, till in 
September, when they leased the King for ten 
mouths to Henry Lee, of Denver, and Bacy, of 
Colorado Springs, for S500 cash and one-half of 
all the ore taken during the lease. They re- 
turned home, and, in February, 1880, sold the 
King and Republican lode to Col. W. T. Holt, 
of Portland, Me., for $25,000. In the spring 
of 1S80, Messrs. Mace & Elswick returned to 
Colorado, and located five mines in Red Well 
Basin, Elk Mountain District, which they still 
own and operate. Thej- also own the Little 
Crown in the Ruby Alining District. These 
mines are all in a prosperous condition, and 
valued at $200,000. Mr. and Mrs. Mace have 
eight children — James F., Harriet J., Emily C, 
Ulysses, Edith B., Ernest A., Trannie Y. and 
Altie M. Mr. Mace is an Odd Fellow, of Lodge 
No. 444; in politics, a Democrat. 

E. W. MYERS, farmer. P. 0. Macedonia, 
was born in Faj-ette County, Penu., June 25, 
1836 ; his father, Joseph Myers, was born in 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 



165 



1806 in Greene Count}-, Penn., where he re- 
sided until 18-iO ; then he emigrated to High- 
land Count}-, Ohio, where he remained till 
emigrating to Des Moines County. Iowa, in 
1854. There he resided till a short time be- 
fore his death, when he moved to -Henderson 
Count}-, 111., and died Januarj- 8, 1879, being 
buried in Oquawka. He followed various 
occupations ; was a shoemaker bj- trade. Sub- 
ject's mother, Sarah (West) Myers, was born in 
Pennsylvania about 1812 ; was the mother of 
nine children, of whom five are living. She 
died in November, 1852. in Putnam Count}', 
111. Mr. Myers learned engineering, and, after 
marriage, learned and worked at the carpen- 
ter's trade, which he followed till 1875, at 
which time he came to Pottawattamie County, 
having emigrated from Ohio to ^Marion County, 
Iowa, in 1865, where he followed the carpen- 
ter's trade till coming to this county and 
buying the farm of 120 acres where he now 
lives. He has constructed a rotary or endless 
engine, on which he secured a patent January 
3, 1882. Mr. Myers married Miss Rebecca J. 
Fernow in Ross County, Ohio, March 27, 
1857 ; she was born in the same county May 
2, 1835. Her father, David Fernow, born in 
Morgan County, Va., February 2, 1798, was a 
farmer, and died December 8, 1865, in Ross 
County, Ohio. Her mother, Rebecca Pan-ott, 
was born in Virginia March 4, 1802, died 
December 2, 1879, and was the mother of thir- 
teen children, of whom seven are living. Mr. 
and Mrs. Myers have five children ; two girls 
are married — Frances E. McConnaughey, 
Matilda A. Bates. R. Dudley, Willard D. and 
Joseph H. Subject is a member of the Odd 
Fellows Lodge, No. 421. Mr. Myers has been 
an active member of the Christian Church for 
over twenty years. He is a strong Democrat. 
J. H. PERRY, farmer and stock-dealer, P, 
0. Carson, was born in Belmont County, Ohioi 
June 2, 1836. His father, Jesse Perry, was 
born in Pennsylvania about 1816 ; settled in 



Bureau County, 111., in 1852, where he was 
employed in farming till his death in July, 
1873. Subject's mother, Malinda (Pool) Perry, 
was born in Loudoun County, Va., in 1818, and 
died about 1857, and was the mother of eight 
children, of whom seven are still living, all in 
Illinois and Iowa except one in California. 
Mr. Perry attended the common schools, and 
began farming in his native county on his own 
farm, where he continued till moving to the 
town of Maiden in March, 1875. He then 
came to this county and bought his present 
farm of 520 acres, paying $4,160 for the same. 
It is now valued at $35 or $40 an acre, and is 
situated on Gray Bill or Second Creek, one 
and one-fourth miles southeast of Carson. 
After making improvements on his farm, Mr. 
Perry brought his family to it in April, 1880, 
from the town of Maiden, 111. Mr. Perry was 
married, in Bureau County, 111., January 9, 
1861, to Arminda E. Hogue, born in Belmont 
County, Ohio, May 17, 1838, daughter of Nim- 
rod and Sarah A. (Palmer) Hogue, natives of 
Belmont County, Ohio ; he, born in 1816. is a 
farmer, now living in Pottawattamie County, 
where he moved in 1880, she, born in 1818, 
died in 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Perry have had four 
children, two of whom, twins, Elbert and Del- 
bert, are dead ; those living are Nora and 
Sarah M. When quite young, Mr. and Mrs. 
Perry both became members of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church in Ohio. Mr. Perry has 
been Township Trustee of Macedonia for the 
past two years ; he is a Republican. 

C. M. PRUDEN, miller, Macedonia, was 
born in Rock Island County, 111., at Rapid City, 
October 19, 1855. His father, L. S. Pruden, 
was born in Athens, Athens County, Ohio, May 
29, 1831 ; he remained in Ohio till twenty 
years old, then emigrated to Rock Island Coun- 
ty, 111., in 1850. He, with his father, owned 
and operated a grist-mill in connection with an 
oil mill and salt works near Athens ; there 
subject's father and grandfather, while boring 



166 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



for salt, struck one of the first oil wells dis- 
covered in Ohio, although the substance which 
proved to be oil, afterward, was not detected 
as such at that time. This property- was sold, 
when the family emigrated to Kock Island 
County, 111. There subject's father bought the 
place known as " Sulphur Spring Farm," situ- 
ated about ten miles south of the eitj^ of Rock 
Island, and near the town of Andalusia. After 
two 3"ears, he sold his farm and removed to 
Rock Island County, 111., where he. with James 
Barber laid out the town of Rapid City in 
1853. There he built the Rapid City Mill and 
operated it till April 14, 186(3 ; sold his prop- 
ertj', aud, with his familj', moved to Potosi, 
Washington County. Mo., where he engaged in 
lead raining for two 3ears. He then returned 
to Rock Island County, 111., where he worked 
one year in the same mill he had sold; then, in 
1870, he emigrated to G-leuwood, Mills County, 
Iowa, where he operated a mill known as the 
Gordon Mills, for three j'sars; thence he moved 
to Falls City, Richardson County, Neb. ; oper- 
ated a mill one year; thence to Fremont Coun- 
ty, Iowa, and operated a mill. Then he bought 
a property, and built what is known as the 
" Sunny Side Mill," situated one and a half 
miles southwest of Macedonia, Pottawattamie 
County, Iowa. Here the father's health failed 
aud he went West, leaving his son, our subject, 
in charge of the mill. His father recovered 
partially and returned to Iowa, but on account 
of a relapse, returned to the West, and died at 
Boulder City, Boulder Count*-, Col., April 26, 
1881. Subject's mother, Amelia M. Ruby, was 
born in Cattaraugus County, N. Y., October 14, 
1838. She is the mother of three girls and 
one bo3'. Subject learned the milling trade 
with his father and was in business with him 
till his death. Subject is still operating the 
Sunny Side Mill on Nishnabotna River. Mr. 
Pruden married Miss J. M. Hogan, of Avoca, 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa, January 27, 1881. 
She was born August 3, 1858, near Avoca, 



Pottawattamie County. Iowa. Her father, 
James S. Hogau, was born in Indiana, Decem- 
ber 25, 1825, and died February 15, 1862 ; her 
mother, A.'Y. (Wilson) Hogan, was born in Ful- 
ton County, III,, October 14, 1837, and has had 
three children. Subject and wife have one 
child — Odessa Maud, born November 20, 
1882. In politics, Mr. Pruden is a Greenbacker ; 
he is an Odd Fellow. 

WILLIAM H. RINBHART, farmer, P. 0. 
Macedonia, was born in New York City Octo- 
ber 7, 1826, son of John and Susan M. (Livers) 
Rinehart ; he, born Februar}' 18, 1800. in 
York Count\', Peun., is a carpenter by trade, 
living in Illinois. Subject's mother was l)orn 
in Baltimore, Md., March 5, 1805, and died 
December 29, 1881 ; she was the mother of 
seven boj's and three girls. Mr. Rinehart 
learned the painter's trade in Warrensville, 
III., which trade he followed in that town and 
vicinity till about 1852, when he came to Iowa 
and settled in Manteno, Shelby County. In 
the latter place he followed his trade for about 
two years, then rented a farm in Mills County 
for two years, theuce to Pottawattamie County, 
where, after renting land for three years, he 
bought 120 acres where he now lives, on the 
west bank of Nishnabotna River. This farm 
which was purchased Maj' 29, 1872, is one and 
a half miles southwest of Macedonia. Mr. 
Rinehart enlisted in the Twentj'-ninth Iowa 
Infantrj-, and served two years and eleven 
months, the last j-ear of his service he was 
driver for Gen. Steele. Mr. Rinehart was mar 
ried in Illinois, Juh- 4, 1850, to Elizabeth 
Pelham, born in England November 21, 1829, 
daughter of George and Louisa Pelham ; he, 
born in England, March 19, 1809, is living in 
Illinois ; she, born in England, December 28, 
1809, lives in Illinois and is the mother of 
six children. Mr. and 5Irs. Rinehart have 
eight children — George J., born March 8. 1851 ; 
Henry T., April 14. 1853 ; L3dia Jane, Febru- 
ary 6, 1856; Almeda L., January 1, 1858; 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 



16T 



Adelah E., July 20, 1860 ; Minnie May, Sep- 
tember 14, 1866 ; Warren L. G., January 13, 
1869, ancLRose Altha, born July 6, 1S70. Mr. 
Rinehart is a Mason and a firm Republican. 

J. A. ROADES, merchant, Carson, was born 
in Champaign County, Ohio, June 18, 1857, 
son of John and Eliza I. (Burnham) Roades ; 
he. born in Ohio about 1835. is a farmer and 
stock-dealer, living in Logan County, 111. ; she, 
born in Ohio about 1830, is the mother of six 
children, one of whom is dead. Mr. Roades 
received a common-.school education, and began 
the business of life as a farmer in Logan Coun- 
ty, 111. ; there he remained one year and then 
came to Iowa in 1877, locating at Wheeler's 
Grove, Grove Township, Pottawattamie County, 
where he rented a farm for one year of L. D. 
Woodmansee ; after renting another farm for a 
y^ar he bought forty acres for S12.50 an acre, 
in Belknap Township, this he improved and 
sold for $26 an acre. In March, 1882, after 
selling his farm, Mr. Roades bought a half 
interest in I. Culbertson's store, known as the 
Farmer's Store of Carson. The firm is now 
Culbertson & Roades, and deals in groceries, 
queeusware and notions. In July, 1881, he 
bought another lot and erected a house upon 
it in Carson, and in July, 1882, he bought an- 
other lot and erected a house upon it ; 
he now rents them for $6 and $7 per 
month, respectively. In 1879, '^Ir. Roades 
assisted in the harvesting of oats, where the 
town of Carson now stands. Mr. Roades is a 
member of the I. 0. 0. F., No. 444, also of the 
M. E. Church ; he is a Republican. 

J. H. SMITH, farmer, P. 0. Macedonia, was 
born in Canada December 4, 1826; son of 
Robert and Mary (Thompson) Smith; he bora 
in Ireland about 1788, came to America in 
1826, settling in Peel County, Canada, where 
he followed farming till his death, which oc- 
curred about 1848; she born in Ireland al)out 
1792, came to America with her husband and 
three children; after coming to this country 



she gave birth to five more children, of whom 
our subject was the first born; five of the chil- 
dren are living, all in Canada except our sub- 
ject. Mr. Smith commenced his education in 
the common schools of Canada, and afterward 
graduated at Toronto Normal School in the 
class of 1850. After graduating, Mr. Smith 
taught in Canada till March, 1867, when he 
emigrated to Cass County, Iowa, and rented a 
farm for two years near Atlantic, during which 
time he taught school one terra. He next 
spent one year on a farm near Lewis, Cass 
County, then one year on a farm near Mace- 
donia, Pottawattamie County, thence to Farm 
Creek bottom for three years, at the end of 
which time Mr. Smith purchased the farm of 
160 acres where he now resides. He has taught 
school the successive winters of these years. 
In 1848, Mr. Smith married Miss Margaret 
McElroy of Brampton, Canada West; she died 
about 1864, and was the mother of seven chil- 
dren — Mary J. (married to Lorenzo Lewis), 
Thompson, Alice E.(now in Colorado), Margaret 
A., Martin, Robert J. and Eliza L. Mr. Smith's 
next marriage was in March, 1867, to Miss 
Agues Blain, of Streetsville, Canada West, born 
about 1826, daughter of William and Jane 
(Hill) Blain, natives of Ireland; he born about 
1787, died in 1871; she born about 1790, died 
in 1831. Mr. Smith lived directly in the path 
of the cyclone that passed through this region, 
June 9, 1880; it scattered his house and its 
contents in all directions. Mr. Smith, with his 
wife, one daughter and a hired man, fled to the 
stable and were miraculously saved, the corner 
of the building in which they had taken shel- 
ter, remaining, while the rest of the building 
was swept away. Mr. Smith, wife and one 
daughter, are active members of the Presby- 
terian Church of Macedonia. 

W. L. SNAPP, farmer, P. 0. Carson, was 
born in Lee County, Iowa, February 28, 1850; 
son of Simpson and Luciuda (Tade) Suapp; he 
born in Tennessee, September 6, 1816, was a 



16S 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



farmer by occupation, settled in Lee Countj', 
Iowa, in an early day, and lived in that county 
till his death, May 28, 1874. Subject's mother 
was born December 3, 1S22, and died in March, 
1869; she was the mother of eight children, all 
livinEj in this county, except one deceased. Mr. 
Snapp attended the common schools of his 
native county, and then attended Denmark 
Academy, in Denmark, Iowa; also went to Fort 
Madison Academy, and took a full course in 
book-keeping. He first farmed in his native 
county one year, then in 1876, came to this 
county and settled on a farm now owned by 
Adam Ring; there he remained till 1880. when 
he bought 160 acres where he now lives, one 
mile west of Carson. Mr. Snapp paid $25 an 
acre for his farm, which is now valued at S40 
an acre; he deals extensively, and successfully, 
in cattle and hogs. He was married in Pot- 
tawattamie County, June 26, 1879, to Floda I. 
•Jeffryes, born in Illinois March 15, 1861; 
daughter of T. W. and Eliza J. (Hamilton) 
Jeffryes ; he born in England in 1818, and 
came to America about 18-17; she born in Indi- 
ana about 1830. Mr. and Mrs. Snapp have 
one child — Arthur R., born September 4, 1880. 
W. A. SPENCER, editor, Macedonia, was 
born in Perry Countj', Ohio, October 9, 1846 ; 
his father, Edward Spencer, born in 1818 in 
Pennsylvania, was a miller by trade, went to 
the army in September, 1862, and died in a 
rebel prison near Richmond in June, 1863, 
having been captured b}' " Stonewall" Jackson. 
Subject's mother, Polly (Fowler) Spencer, was 
born in Ohio, and died in 1854 ; she was the 
mother of five children, one of whom died in 
1856. Mr. Spencer began on a farm as a hired 
laborer, and continued as such until going into 
the army in 1862, when he enlisted in the 
Seventy-sixth Ohio Volunteers, Col. Woods, 
serving a portion of his time in the Army of 
the Potomac and the balance in the Arm}- of 
the Cumberland. He was at the siege of 
Vicksburg and the battle of Arkansas Post, i 



also in other engagements, serving a period of 
two years. After leaving the army, Mr. Spen- 
cer returned to Ohio ; from there, went to Illi- 
nois with a j'ounger brother and a sister, 
making his home at Bushnell. In the spring 
of 1865, he, with his brother, B. F. Spencer, 
went to the gold mines of Gilpin County, 
Colo., where they remained till June, 1867, 
when the Indians drove them out. .Mr. Spen- 
cer then determined to leave those parts, so he 
with three other men started in a small l)oat 
down the Missouri River, and continued the 
journey to Leavenworth, Kan., making a trip 
of about twelve hundred miles, occupying 
about twenty da3-s. After landing at Leaven- 
worth, Mr. Spencer took a trip through Kan- 
sas, then returning to Illinois. In March. 1872, 
he bought a half-interest in the Bushnell Rec- 
ord, of Bushnell, 111., with S. A. Epperson, with 
whom he continued till 1874. He next en- 
gaged in real estate and insurance business. 
In March, 1878, he established the McDoiwugh 
Monthly at Bushnell, 111., but, on account of 
the vast number of papers published in the 
county, this enterprise proved impracticable, 
and was discontinued. In June, 1880. Mr. 
Spencer came to Macedonia and started the 
JIacedonia Tribune, issuing the first paper 
August 13, 1880. He also established a real 
estate, insurance and loan agencj-, and he is 
now doing a thriving business. Mr. Spencer 
has had to make his own way in the world 
since eight years of age, and is therefore a 
purely self-made man. He married Miss Seril- 
da Steel, of Bushnell, 111., February 8, 1874 ; 
she was born February 2, 1855 ; her father, 
GraflT Steel, was born in Ohio, and is a grain- 
dealer, living in Illinois ; her mother's maiden 
name was Poutious ; she died in 1872. Mr. 
Spencer is purel}' a Republican and edits a 
Republican paper. He was a correspondent of 
the Chicago Inter Ocean during his last five 
years at Bushnell, 111. Mr. Spencer's trip on 
the river gave rise to the story, written by 



MACEDONIA TO W^' SHIP. 



169 



himself, of "A Thousand Miles in a Canoe." 
He is a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge of 
Macedonia. Mr. and 5Irs. Spencer have four 
children — Walter Clyde, Lena Mj-rtle, Ethel 
and Helen. 

J. G. STADTER, blacksmith and wagon- 
maker, Carson, was born in Prussia February 
8. 1852 ; his father, F. W. Stadter, was born in 
Prussia about 1818, came to America about 
1857, and settled in Davis Count}-, Iowa, on a 
farm ; there he raised his famil}-, and, in 1878, 
moved into the town of Ottumwa, where he 
still lives. Subject's mother, Marj- (Plush- 
antz) Stadter, was born in Prussia about 1822, 
and came to this country with her husband ; 
she has had ten children, six of whom are 
dead. Mr. Stadter attended the common 
schools of Davis County, Iowa, and in 1872 
began serving an apprenticeship at blacksraith- 
ing and carriage-making at Ottumwa, Iowa, 
with W. C. Grimes. In 1875, having learned 
his trade, he opened a shop in Slagle, Keokuk 
Co.. Iowa, where he remained till 1880, when 
he came to Carson and opened the first wagon 
and carriage shop of the place. Mr. Stadter 
owns three lots in the town of Carson and a 
farm of 160 acres in Woodliury County, Iowa. 
He is a member of the Winebrennarian 
Church, is an Odd Fellow, and a member of 
the Encampment, also of the Iowa Legion of 
Honor ; he is a stanch Republican. 

DR. F. S. THOMAS, physician, Carson, was 
born in Chatham Village, Columbia Count}-, N. 
Y., September 23, 1845. His father, Caleb J. 
Thomas, was born in Champlain, Clinton 
Co., X, Y., March 10, 1807. He was en- 
gaged in the cotton and woolen factories of the 
East, in^ which he was very successful until 
1837, when the financial crisis swept away so 
many hard-earned fortunes. He was among 
the unfortunate, but paid every dollar of debt, 
thus being left without anything to begin life 
anew. This he did by going onto the railroad 
as a brakeman, where he continued till pro- 



moted to conductorship; then he left the rail- 
road and came to Illinois in 1847, and located 
at Warsaw, Hancock County. There he fol- 
lowed painting for two years, then bought a 
farm of eighty acres three miles south of War- 
saw. Here his children grew up. He moved 
from the farm back into Warsaw to afford his 
children better opportunities of education. 
From this town he moved to Atlantic, Iowa, in 
1874, where he, with his wife, made their home 
with their daughter, the late wife pi Hon. J. 
K.. Powers, until 1878, when they made their 
home with the subject, then at Walnut, Potta- 
wattamie County, where his father died July 
21, 1880. Subject's mother, Catharine (Smith) 
Thomas, was born in Livingston, Columbia Co., 
N. Y., September 16, 1806. She died August 
25, 1881. She was the mother of six children, 
all of whom are dead but the subject. Three 
died in New York — Edward, Charles and Will- 
iam ; one is buried in Illinois — Mrs. M. F. 
Clark, and one is buried at Atlantic, Iowa — 
Mrs. Anna L. Powers, late wife of Hon. J. K. 
Powers, of Atlantic, Iowa. Dr. Thomas began 
his educational work in the common schools of 
Illinois ; thence he entered the Warsaw High 
School, where he graduated in 1864. He then 
went into the army as a private in the One 
Hundred and Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry, 
where he continued sis months. The war was 
then over, and Dr. Thomas clerked about one 
year in the Keokuk Post Office, Iowa; thence 
he spent one season on the Keokuk Mail 
Packet Line as mail agent. Then he entered 
the drug store of Dr. C. G. Strong, at Warsaw, 
111., and began reading medicine ; attended 
two courses of medical lectures at Keokuk 
Medical College (now College of Physicians 
and Surgeons), graduating February 21, 1870. 
He then took a special course in surgery under 
the late Prof Hughes, of Keokuk. He began 
practice at Bentonsport, Van Buren Co., Iowa, 
in April, 1870. He removed to Atlantic in 
the spring of 1871, entered the drug business 



170 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



under the firm name of Tobie & Thomas, con- 
tinuing there till 1872 and then moving to 
Macedonia, Pottawattamie Count)', where he 
practiced medicine, doing remarkably well, 
but, owing to the ill health of his wife, he 
moved to Walnut in 1877. There he contin- 
ued practice until August, 1880, when he 
moved back to Carson, where he is now locat- 
ed, and has a very fine practice. The Doctor 
is the oldest graduate of medicine in this por- 
tion of Pottawattamie Count}'. He has a fine 
residence and other property in Carson. He 
is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows 
fraternities, and in politics he is a (Blaine) 
Repulilican. Dr. Thomas married Miss Mary 
Ella Ferrier at Atlantic. Iowa, October 15, 
1873. She was born in Platte City, Platte Co., 
Mo., September 4, 1850. Her father, John 
Ferrier, born in Virginia April 29, 1819, is liv- 
ing near Atlantic, Iowa. Her mother, Jane E. 
(Walker) Ferrier, was born in Virginia Febru- 
ary 29, 1821, died February 3, 1867, in Des 
Moines, Iowa. Dr. Thomas and wife have two 
children — Ethel, born Februar}- 21, 1878, and 
Edith, November 25, 1880. Dr. Thomas was 
Coroner of Pottawattamie County from 1873 
to 1875. He was prominently mentioned for 
Representative in 1875. He is a member of 
the Town Council of Carson, also a member of 
the School Board of that place. 

E. A. VAN VRANKEN, station agent and 
telegraph operator, Macedonia, was Ijorn in 
Schenectady, N. Y., March 11, 1848; his father, 
Abram S. Van Vranken, was born in Niskaj'u- 
na Township, near Schenectad}', N. Y., June 27, 
1817; his father, Simon Van Vranken, was born 
in 1775, and died in 1849; his father, Nicholas 
Van Vranken, was born in 1745; his father, Abra- 
ham Van Vranken, was born about 1715. These 
men were all farmers, and were doubtless born, 
raised, lived and died in this portion of the coun- 
trj'. Being originally from Holland, they con- 
tinued the use of the language of their mother 
country up to the present generation. All lived 



and died as strict adherents to the Protestant 
faith. ]\Ir. Van Vranken's father lives in the 
place of his birth in New York. He was a 
farmer in the early part of his life, but later 
3ears has followed carpentering and various 
other occupations. He is a verj' prominent and 
zealous lay-worker of the Church. The mother 
of our sul^jcct, Lydia (Bradt) Vranken, was 
born in 1823 in the citj- of Albauj', N. Y. She 
was the daughter of Francis I. Bradt, a promi- 
nent citizen of Albany, N. Y., and was the 
mother of six children, of whom four are still 
living. She and Abram Van Vranken were mar- 
ried in Albanj', N. Y., in 1839; she died Au- 
gust 19, 1851. Subject's father next married 
Silah W. Day, of Connecticut. Subject was ed- 
ucated in the Union School of Schenectady, and 
began for himself bj' coming West in the fall of 
18(37 and stopping at Chicago, where he was 
engaged in various employments, until the win- 
ter of 18G8, when he learned telegraphy, and 
was subsequentl}' emploj'cd as telegraph opera- 
tor and station agent by the T. P. & W. 11. R. 
Co. at Watseka and Forest, 111.; he continued 
in their emploj' about two years; then was em- 
ployed by the C, B. & Q. R. R. Co. at Middle- 
town, Mount Pleasant, New London, Hamburg, 
and finally Macedonia, where he is now located. 
Mr. Van Vranken married Miss Hannah E. 
©ladden, of Middletowu, Iowa, August 12, 1872. 
Her father, Madison Gladden, born about 1807, 
is a farmer, living near Middletown, Iowa, 
where he located about 1862, emigrating there 
from Jefferson County, Ohio. Her mother, 
Martha (McElroj-) Gladden, born about 1814, 
died in 1866. Subject and wife have five chil- 
dren — Eula M., Frank A., Ernestina A.,Iola B. 
and Sila D. Mr. Van Vranken is a Republican, 
and a member of the Presbyterian Church. 

R. H. WOODMANSEE, merchant, farmer 
and stock-raiser, P. 0. Macedonia, was born in 
New Jersey in 1839; his father, John Wood- 
mausee, was born in New Jersej' in 1804; he 
was a sailor for the first fortj' years of his 



MACEDONIA TOWNSHIP. 



171 



life, and a Captain a good portion of this time; 
he met with huav}- losses, being shipwrecked oflF 
the American coast. The loss being total, he 
emigi'ated to Shelbj' County, Ohio, in 1844, 
where he located on a farm near Sidney; there 
he has since followed agricultural pursuits, and 
has been ver}' successful, being among the lead- 
ing men of the county. Subject's mother, Har- 
riet (Piatt) Woodmansee, was born in New Jer- 
sey in 1808, and is the mother of seven chil- 
dren, one of whom is dead. Mr. Woodmansee 
was educated in the common schools of Ohio, 
and enlisted in the three months' service ; then 
re-enlisted in the Twentieth Ohio Regiment, 
where he served as a private until after the battle 
of Shiloh, when he was promoted to Second Lieu- 
tenant; he was made First Lieutenant in 1S63; 
was severel}' wounded at Atlanta, Ga., July 22, 
18G4. in consequence of which he was disabled 
two full years, being discharged in 18t)4. Upon 
being discharged, he was tendered a Captain's 
commission as soon as he should be able to take 
command; but he was not able to do so till the 
war closed. After coming from the armj-, he 
emigrated to Pottawattamie County, Macedonia 
Township, and settled at the old town of Mace- 
donia for one .year, during which time he bought 
the farm on which he now lives, moving to it 
the next year, or in the fall of 1866. This farm 
consistsof 250 acres, and bounds the town of New 
Macedonia on the west; it was wild land when 
Mr. Woodmansee settled on it, but now is a 
beautiful home. Mr. Woodmansee served on 
the Board of County Commissioners in 1868, 



filling a vacancy, and has served his township 
in nearly all of its offices. He is a member of the 
firm of Woodmansee, Knox & Co., of Macedo- 
nia, and also turns his attention largely to the 
raising of stock. He is a firm Eepubliean. He 
married Mi.ss Jennie Robinson, of vShelby Coun- 
ty, Ohio, in September, 1866; she was born in 
Shelby County, Ohio, June 30. 1843; her father, 
Henry Robinson, was born in Shelby Count}', 
Ohio, February- 17, 1814 ; still lives in the same 
count}- on a farm near Sidney-; her mother was 
born in Champaign County, Ohio, Novemljer 
29, 1817, and is the mother of eleven children, 
eight of whom are living. ' Mr. and Mrs. Wood- 
mansee have five children — Frank E., born De- 
cember 27, 1868; Minuie E., February 28, 1872; 
Harry L., August 16, 1874; John H., Decem- 
ber 24, 1876, and Stella Ma}-, born December 5, 
1878. Mr. Woodmansee carries a scar on his 
forehead that will go with him to the grave. 
During the Kansas troubles he, with some other 
j'oung men, went into that State, and while at 
Fort Scott they followed a party of Indians that 
had captured two girls a short distance north of 
the fort. These Indians were followed b\- a 
large part}-, all of whom gave up the chase, ex- 
cept Mr. Woodmansee and his four companions, 
who continued, and overtaking the redskins, 
who numbered sixteen, whipped them, recapt- 
ured the girls, and brought them safely back 
to Fort Scott, which at that time contained but 
one small store. During this skirmish, Mr- 
Woodmansee received a wound, which occa- 
sioned the scar before mentioned. 



172 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



MJl^DEN TOWiq"SHIP, 



ROBERT ALBERCHT, farmer, P. O. 
Mind en, was born in Kolleda, Germany, 
May 22, 1839. He is the son of Christian and 
Elizabeth (Hartroth) Albercht, both natives 
of Germany. His father was born in 1802, 
and was Mayor of Kolleda, Germany. He 
died in 1863, in Sauk County, Wis. The 
mother was born in 1805, and died in the 
same place as her husband, in 1865. They 
had six childien — two boys and four girls. 
Our subject received his education in his na- 
tive town and Wisconsin, to which latter State 
ho went in 1849. In the fall of 1864, he en- 
listed in the Forty-fifth Wisconsin Volun- 
teer Infantry, Company K, Capt. Lashe. He 
fought at Nashville, and was afterward as- 
signed to railroad duties between Lookout 
Mountain and Louisville, Ky. He was pro- 
moted March 1, 1865, after which he did ofiS- 
cer's duty till the close of the war. He came 
to this county in 1876, and bought eighty 
acres of land, paying $10 and $11 per acre. 
In 1879, he purchased forty acres more, at 
$11 per acre. The land was all wild, biit is 
now in a good state of cultivation. He en- 
gages in general farming. He was married, 
in Sauk County, Wis., September 3, 1866, to 
Caroline Meyer, born in Clearfield County, 
Penn. , December 10, 1846. She • is the 
daughter of George Hemy and Christina 
(Ehrhart) Meyer, both natives of Germany. 
Her father was born in 1820, and her mother 
in 1826. They are both now living in Thayer 
County, Neb. Mr. and Mrs. Albercht have 
five children — Clara, Daisy, William, Hem-y 
and Fred. In politics, oiu- subject is Inde- 
pendent. 



A. S. AVERY, farmer, P. O. Neola, was 
born in Orange County, Vt.. in August, 1841. 
His father, Christopher Avery, was a farmer, 
born in Vermont in April, 1805, and has 
lived in his native State all of his life. The 
mother of our subject was born in Vermont 
in June, 1805. They have lived together for 
fifty-five years, and are the parents of nine 
children, four- of whom are living. The old 
folks are still living in their native State. 
Our subject is the only one of the children 
living in this State. After receiving a com- 
mon-school education, he was admitted to the 
New Hampton College, in New Hampshire, 
which he attended for two years and a half. 
In the fall of 1867, he started West, stop- 
ping in Wheatland, Clinton County, this 
State. He was book-keeper in the dry goods 
house of M. S. Rogers & Co. until the fol- 
lowing spring, when he went to Missoui'i 
Valley Junction, Harrison County. He was 
then appointed agent for the American Mer- 
cantile Union Express Company, which posi- 
tion he held for five years. He next engaged 
in the general merchandise business, which 
he follftwed until 1878, when he closed busi- 
ness and went to Colorado on account of ill 
health. He came to this county in the sjaring 
of 1880, and purchased 200 acres of Irind 
east of and adjoining the :own of Neola. 
The land was new, but is now in a good state 
of cultivation, well fenced, with a fine house, 
which our subject erected. He is at present 
giving his attention to stock-raising. Dur- 
ing our late civil war, oui' subject was Sec- 
ond Lieutenant of the Fifteenth Vermont 
Volunteer Infantry, but, owing to ill health, 



MINDEN TOWNSHIP. 



173 



he was compelled to retui'n after serving nine 
months. He was married, in Missouri Val- 
ley, Harrison County, this State, in 1S72, to 
Mary Mann, born in New York in Septem- 
ber, 1852. She is the daughter of Calvin 
and Sylvia (Newell) Mann. Her father is a 
mechanic, born in New York in 1815; moved 
to Michigan, and then to Wisconsin, and 
finally to Missouri Valley, where he settled 
in 1867, and followed his trade till about 
1872, when he went to Nebraska, where he 
now lives. Her mother was born in Vermont 
about 1820. She was mamed in 1843, and 
has raised live children, three of whom are 
living. Mr. and Mrs. Avery have one child, 
Hazen L., born in June, 1876. Our subject 
was Recorder and a member of the Council 
of Missouri Valley Junction. He is a mem- 
ber of the Masonic fraternity, and is at pres- 
ent Worshipful Master of the lodge at Neola. 
He is a non-professor in religion, and in 
politics is a Republican. 

G. BENNETT, farmer, P. O. Minden, was 
born in Buffalo, N. Y., July 11, 184-4. He 
is the son of Bartlett and Mary Louisa Ben- 
nett. His father was a shoemaker; moved to 
Sauk County, Wis., in 1846, and died there 
the following year. The mother of our sub- 
ject married Mr. A.lbertus, of Wisconsin, after 
the death of her first husband. She had 
three children by her first and fom- by her 
second husband. She died in Honey Creek, 
Walworth Co., Wis., in 1862. Our subject 
went to school in Sauk City and Honey Creek, 
Wis., till he was fifteen years old. He left 
home at the age of nineteen, and has since 
been a farmer. He came to Minden Town- 
ship June 16, 1874, and piu-chased eighty 
acres of wild land at $9.50 per acre. He 
commenced improvements at once — built a 
house and other buildings, set out a number 
of trees, and, in 1878, bought forty acres more, 
at $13 per acre. This was also wild land, 



but is now in a good state of cultivation. 
He engages in general farming. Oiu- sub- 
ject had a brother in the late civil war, who 
died at Memphis, Tenn. He (subject) was 
married, in Mintien Township, this county, 
March 28, 1870, to Susannah Nippert, born 
October 15, 1854. She is the daughtef of 
George and Sarah (Hershinger) Nippert, both 
natives of Alsace, France, he born in 1818. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have one child, Charles 
Ray, born February 4, 1881. In politics, 
our subject is an . Independent. 

M. BITTNER, farmer, P. O. Neola, was 
born in Bohemia, Austria, September 29, 
1843. He is the son of Mike and Anna 
(Nagelsehmidt) Bittner, both natives of Bo- 
hemia, Austria. His father was a farmer, 
born in 1816, and died in the old country in 
1879. The mother of oui- subject was born 
in 1822, and died in the j^lace of her birth 
in 1863. They had thi-ee children — two boys 
and one girl — of whom our subject is the 
only one living. He began life as a farmer. 
In February, 1867, he was married to There- 
sa Baumgarten, born in Bohemia, Austria, in 
1843. She is the daughter of Casper and 
Catherina (Bochmj Baumgarten. Mi-, and 
!Mrs. Bittner have nine children — Francis, 
Anna, Elizabeth, Theresa, Wenzel, Mary, Jo- 
seph, Franzeska and Johan. Our subject 
came to Minden Township in 1875, and, in 
August of that year, pui'chased eighty acres 
of land at $11 per acre, afterward disposing 
of forty acres at the same price. He made 
a subsequent piu'chase of forty acres at S12 
per acre, and, a little later another fort}' 
acres at $10 per acre. He now has 100 
acres in good cultivation, and he engages 
in general farming. He is a member of the 
Catholic Church, and, in politics, is an Inde- 
pendent. 

S. BLUMER, farmer, P. O. Minden, was 
born in Canton Glarus, Switzerland, March 



174 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



12, 1827. He is the son of Johannes and 
Susanna Blumer (see sketch of F. Blumer, 
of Minden Township). Oiu- subject received 
his education in his native country. He 
came to the United States in 1852, coming 
to Davenport, this State, where he lived'Nin- 
til 1882. He was engaged in the saw-mill 
and shingle manufacturing business. Dur- 
ing the late civil war, he enlisted in the Ja- 
ger (Hunters) Regiment, Infantry, Battalion 
Thirty. He was married, in his native town, 
Sejitember 12, 1849, to Elizabeth Tis, born 
in the same place in 1828. She is the 
daughter of Jacob and Susanna Tis, both na- 
tives of Canton Glarus, Switzerland. Mi', and 
Mrs. Blumer have ten children — John Fritz, 
Jacob, Kasper, Samuel, Heinrich, Frank, 
Sabina, Anna and Siisana. When our sub- 
ject came to this county, he purchased 385 
acres of land, 210 acres of which are in a state 
of cultivation. He has made many improve- 
ments on his place and engages in general 
farming. 

FREDERICK BLUMER, farmer, P. O. 
Minden, was born in Canton Glarus, Switzer- 
land, April 15, 1833. He is the son of Jo- 
hannes and Susanna Blumer, both natives 
of Canton Glarus, Switzerland. His father 
was a miner, born in 1802, and died in Daven- 
port, this State, in 1853. His mother died 
in the same place in 1860. They had three 
children, all boys. Our subject received his 
education in his native land, and afterward 
worked in a slate mine in the same country. 
He came to Davenport, Scott Couhty, this 
State, in 1850, and was engaged in shaving 
shingles by hand in a factory in that city. 
He was married, in the same city, November 
17, 1857, to Mary C. Frost, born in Germany 
in February, 1842. She is the daughter of 
Peter Frost, who was born in Germany in 
ISUO. In 1864, our subject enlisted in the 
Fourteenth Iowa Infantry, Comjiany C, Army 



of the Cumberland. He came to Minden 
Township, this county, in 1880, and pur- 
chased 200 acres of wild land at $12 per acre, 
all of which are now under cultivation. He 
afterward bought 120 acres at S>13 per acre, 
fifty acres of which are now improved. His 
place contains a fine lot of buildings, and he 
engages in general farming. He has five 
children — Lena, Friedrich, Johannes, Peter 
and Heinrich— all of whom were born in 
this State. Our subject is a member of the 
United Workmen, and of the Evangelical 
Lutheran Church. In polities, he is an In- 
dependent. 

J. M. BUTLER, farmer, P. O. Xeola, was 
born in Montgomery County, N. Y., Septem- 
ber 8, 1847. He is the son of J. M. and 
Ruth (Gates) Butler. His father was a 
farmer and stock-dealer, born in New York 
December 17, 1808, and died in Harrison 
County, October 5, 1866. The mother of our 
subject was born in Ohio June 19, 1812, and 
died in Council Bluffs April 16, 1869. She 
was a relative of Gen. Gates, of Revolution- 
ary fame. The parents had five children — 
two boys and three girls. Om- subject re- 
ceived his education mostly in J. B. Rue's 
select school in Council Bluffs. He came to 
this coimty in 1857. In 1862, he went to 
Idaho, where he was engaged in herding, 
freighting and butchering up to August, 
1864, when he returned and settled in Harri- 
son Coiinty. He was one of the " Pony Ex- 
press " in Idaho, which freighted across the 
mountains. He was also engaged in mining, 
railroading and farming. Upon his return, 
he pmxhased twenty acres of wild land at $5 
per acre. He built on it and otherwise im- 
proved it. In 1871, he bought forty acres 
more, and has made subsequent additions of 
twenty, fifteen and forty acres, all of which 
was raw land, but is now in a good state of 
cultivation. He engages in general farming- 



MINDEN^ TOWXSHIP. 



175 



He has been Jvistice of the Peace for ten 
years, Township Clerk for six years, and 
Township Treasurer. He was married, in 
Harrison County, this State. November 22, 
1860, to Mary E. Wood, born in this county 
July 11, 1848. She is the daughter of 
Samuel and Mary (Mei-rill) "Wood, both na 
tives of Ohio, he born in May, 1817, and she 
April 16, 1815. Mr. and Mrs. Butler have 
had two children — Jeremiah Mayhew, de- 
ceased; and William H. Our subject is a 
member of the Masonic fraternity, and in 
politics he is an Independent. 

R. W. CAESON, farmer, P. O. Minden, 
was born in County Monaghan, Ireland, in 
1827. He is the son of James and Mai-tha 
(Williamson) Carson, both natives of Ire- 
land. His father died in Canada in 1864, 
and his mother in the same country in 1836. 
They had eight children — three sons and five 
daughters. Our subject began life as a 
farmer. He came to Canada in 1841, and 
clerked in Kingston, Canada, for six years. 
In January, 1877, he weut to city of Paris, 
Lamar Co., Texas, where he lived until Jan- 
uary, 1879, when he came to this county and 
bought 120 acres of improved land. He was 
married, in Canada, .^pril 2, 1852, to Har- 
riett Kussell, born in Canada August 23, 1832. 
She is the daughter of Timothy and Eliza 
(Tate) Russell. Her father was born in Uti- 
ca, N. Y., in 1805. He is a farmer, and is 
still living, in De Kalb County, 111. Her 
mother was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, 
in 1803, and lives in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. 
Carson have had eight children — Sarah Lou- 
isa, Ann Eliza, Robert Williamson, George 
Russell, James David, Mary Han-iett, Ernest 
Edwin and Charles Russell. Ann Eliza, their 
second child, died in Texas in September, 
1877. Our subject was a magistrate in Can- 
ada, and is a member of the Royal Orange 
Institution of British North America. He 



belongs to the Presbyterian Church, and in 
politics is an Independent. He is engaged 
in general farming. 

JAMES CROW, real estate, Minden, was 
born in Licking County. Ohio. March 14, 
1819. He is the son of James and Anna 
(Atkinson) Crow, both natives of Virginia. 
His father was a farmer, and died in 1839. 
His mother died in 1869. They had ten chil- 
dren — live sons and five daughters. Our 
subject received his education in Granville, 
Ohio. He began life for himself as a sur- 
veyor in Mercer County, Ohio. He came to 
this State in the spring of 1852, and followed 
surveying. He commenced studying law. and 
was admitted to the bar in June, 1857, and 
practiced in Cerro Gordo, Hancock and Win- 
nebago Counties. He has many times filled 
the offices of Justice of the Peace and County 
Surveyor, both in Ohio and this State. He 
was married, August 19. 1847, to Margaret 
Bonifield, born in Mercer County, Ohio, April 
6, 1831. She is the daughter of William 
and Hannah Bonifield, both natives of Ohio. 
Our subject came to this county in 1872, 
locating in Neola. He came to Minden in 
1875, and has since been connected with this 
town, and helped build it up. He also as- 
sisted in starting the Sunday rchool. He 
has seven children — Hannah A., John W.. 
Francis M., L. G. Benton, James R., Maggie 
and Ida May. Our subject has been a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He 
belongs to the Good Templars, and in politics 
is a firm Democrat. 

P. J. DOTY, farmer, P. O. Minden, was 
born in Ashland County, Ohio, November 
12, 1841. He is the son of James and Sarah 
(Croninger) Doty. His father was a fanner, 
born in Brooke County, Va., in 1805, and 
died in Richland County, Ohio, in Febru- 
ary, 1878. His mother died in Ashland 
County of the same State. They had nine 



176 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



children — six sons and three daughters. Our 
subject received his education in the schools 
of Ashland and Kichland Counties. Ohio, 
and began life as a farmer. He came to this 
county in June, 1878, and purchased 160 
acres of wild land at ^9 per acre. He im- 
proved and fenced ninety acres, and built a 
house, afterward selling at $33 per acre. He 
came to Minden Township in 1880, and 
boiight eighty acres at §19 per acre, all of 
which are under cultivation. He is engaged 
in general farming. He was married, in 
1870, in Mansfield, Ohio, to Arvilla Parsen, 
bom in Richland County of the same State 
in 1850. They have four children — Calvin, 
William, Rolden and Harry. Om- subject is 
a member of the I. O. O. F., Plymouth 
Lodge, Richland County, Ohio. In politics, 
he is a Democrat. 

E. D. DORN, farmer, P. O. Neola, was born 
in Oneida County, N. Y., May 19, 1847. 
He is the son of Andrew and Mary Ann 
(Kilts) Dorn. His father was a farmer, born 
October 19, 1819, and died in Boonville, 
Oneida Co., N. Y., in 1857. The mother of 
our subject was born in Baden, Germany, 
July 24, 1823, and died in the same place as 
her husband December 26, 1873. They had 
six children — three sons and three daughters. 
Our subject attended school in his native 
town, and afterward the Utica Academy, and 
the Commercial College at Rome, N, Y. He 
first started in business for himself at manu- 
facturing cheese in Muscatine County, Iowa, 
where he ran a factory for some time. He j 
came to this county in April, 1875, and inir- | 
chased 120 acres of raw land. He afterward 
added 235 acres more. All of his farm is 
now under cultivation, which, with good 
buildings, which he put up himself, gives 
him a pleasant and comfortable home. He 
engages in general farming, and also dally- 
ing. He was married, in Boonville, Oneida I 



Co., N. Y., December 25, 1871, to Elvira A. 
Jones, born in Boonville September 11, 1853. 
She is the daughter of David W. and Frau- 
cil L. (Nelson) Jones, he bsrn in Wales, Eng- 
land, in 1829, and she in Boonville, N. Y., 
in 1831. jVIr. and Mrs. Dorn have one child, 
Arthur E. They are members of the Evan- 
gelical Association. He has been Inspector 
of Elections and Road Supervisor. In poli- 
tics, he is Republican. 

PETER EHLERS, gi-ain- dealer, Minden, 
was born in Oldenburg. Holstein. Germany, 
April 4, 1838. He is the son of Jorgen and 
Dores (Landt) Ehlers, both natives of Olden- 
burg, Germany. His father is a farmer, and 
is still living. His mother died in June. 
1879. They had five children — three boys 
and two girls. Our subject received a good 
education in his native country, and started 
for America in 1852. He came at once to 
Davenport, this State. In 1858, he went to 
St. Louis, Mo. , and from there to Mississippi 
and Louisiana, returning to Davenport in 
1860. -He came to Minden Township in the 
spring of 1874, and built a house, into which 
he, with his family, moved the following 
year. Oui- subject began life as a farmer; 
was in the stock business for a number of 
years, and has been a grain-dealer for ahput 
twenty years. He has been Township Treas- 
urer and Township Trustee, which latter 
office he holds still. His efforts in the inter- 
ests of the town of Minden have been no 
small factors in the growth and prosperity of 
that thriving little place. He was married, 
in Davenport, this State, in 1867, to Mary 
Louis, boi'U in Germany, near Hambiu-g. 
Her parents were born in the same place. 
Mr. and Mrs. Ehlers have had nine childien 
--six sons and thi'ee daughters — of whom 
three of the boys are dead. The names of 
the remaining children ai'e August. Adolph. 
Louis, Soj)hia, Minnie and Emma. Our 



MIKDEN TOWNSHIP. 



177 



subject belongs to the Knights of Pythias, 
and in politics he is a Republican. 

L. J. ELLITHORPE, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was bom in Canada February 13, 1842. He 
is the son of O. H. and Adeline E. Ellithorpe. 
His parents had foui' children — two sous and 
two daughters. Our siibject received his 
education in Elgin, Kane Co., 111. He be- 
gan life as a carpenter, at which occupation 
he worked till 1860, after which he was en- 
gaged in farming. He was a Government 
Recruiting Officer during the late civil war. 
He came to Iowa in 1875, and, after looking 
at lands in the northern part of this State, 
settled in this county. He purchased eighty 
acres of railroad land at $10 per acre, and 
sold out in 1880 at twice that figure. He 
also bought 120 acres of wild land at $12.50 
per acre, which is now all under cultivation. 
He has secxu'ed all that he has by his hard 
labor for many years. He is at present en- 
gaged in general farming. He was Road 
Supervisor and School Director in Illinois 
for several years. He was married, in Frank- 
lin Grove, Lee Co., 111., on May 11, 1871, to 
Carrie Gallaher, born in Pennsylvania. She 
is the daughter of Benjamin and Jane (Ful- 
lerton) Gallaher, both natives of. the- latter 
State, he born in 1809, and she in 1808. 
Both 'are living in Minden Township. They 
had eleven children — seven sons and foiu- 
daiighters. JVIrs. Ellithorpe is a sister to D. 
W. Gallaher of Minden Township. Our 
subject has four children — Oliver Wilmot, 
Newton G.,- Myrtle and Alonzo Garfield. In 
politics, Mr. Ellithorpe is a Republican. 

JACOB ENGLER, farmer, P. O. Min- 
den, was born in Switzerland, June 15, 
1834. He is the son of TJlreeht and Els- 
betha (Rutz) Engler, both natives of Swit- 
zerland. His father was a carpenter, born in 
July, 1790, and died in Davenport, this State, 
in July, 1856. The mother of our subject 



was born February 11, 1802, a".d died in the 
same place as her husband, in November, 
1881. They had seven childi-en — five boys 
and two girls. Our subject began life as a 
farmer, after receiving his schooling in his 
native country. He was a soldier in Swit- 
zerland for two years. He came to Iowa in 
1856, and farmed with his brother eighty 
acres of land, which they had pm'chased to- 
gether. He afterward sold his interest to 
his rother, and, in 1862, bought eighty acres 
for himself. He sold this in the fall of 1878, 
and came to Minden Township, where he 
purchased 240 acres of land, moving his fam- 
ily in the spring of the following year. He 
now has a good farm, with good buildings, 
and engages in general farming. He was 
married, October 29, 1859, in Long Grove, 
Scott County, this State, to Margaretta 
Marte, born in Switzerland March 17, 1843. 
She is the daughter of Bartholomaus and 
Anna B. (Schlager) Marte, both natives of 
Switzerland. Her father was born in 1819, 
and her mother March 13, 1823. Mi-, and 
Mrs. Engler have had six children, two of 
whom are now living — Bartholomaus and 
Anna Barbara. Our subject is a member of 
the Evangelical Lutheran Church. In poli- 
tics, he is an Indejoendent. 

GEORGE L. FULLERTON, farmer P. 
O. Minden, was born in Pike Township, 
Clearfield Co. , Penn. . April 6, 1829. He is 
the son of John and Elizabeth (Caldwell) 
Fullerton. His father was a farmer, born in 
Cumberland County, Penn., December 15, 
1778, and died in Clearfield County, Penn. , 
April 13, 1851. The mother of our subject 
was born in Lancaster County, Penn., Feb- 
ruary 14, 1785, and died in Clearfield Coun- 
ty August 28, 1848. The parents had eleven 
children — five boys and six girls. Our sub- 
ject received a good education in the schools 
of his native State. He left Pennsylvania in 



178 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



1868, and came to Illinois, where he rented 
and farmed for seven years. He came to 
Minden Township in 1875, and piu-chased 
120 acres of laud. In the following spring, 
the family came also. The land was raw and 
uncultivated, but now is all improved, with 
good buildings, etc. He afterward bought 
forty acres, which he now uses for a pasture. 
He is engaged in general farming. He was 
married, in Clearfield County, Penn., Febru- 
ary 21, 1850, to Hannah L. Moore, born in 
Center County, Penn., June 26, 1827. She 
is the daughter of Robert and Diana (Smith) 
Moore, both natives of Pennsylvania, he born 
November 12, 1785, she born November 12, 
1795. Ml-, and Mrs. Fullerton have ten chil- 
dren — Diana E., Hattie E., Margaret E., 
John C, Hardman P., Benjamin F., Sarah 
J., George A., Robert L. and Richard I. 
The family are members of the Methodist 
Episcopal Chtu-ch. In politics. Mi-. Fuller- 
ton is a Republican. 

D. W. GALLAHER, farmer. P. O. Neola, 
was born in Ogle County, 111., August 16, 
1851. He is the son of Benjamin and Jane 
(Fullerton) Gallaher, both natives of Penn- 
sylvania. His father was born in 1809, and 
his mother in 1808, and are both living in 
Minden Township. They had eleven chil- 
dren — seven sons and foiu- daughters. Our 
subject received his education in Ogle Coun- 
ty, 111., and began life as a farmer. He 
came to this county in 1875, and, in 1879, 
purchased fifty-nine acres of improved land. 
In 1881, he bought forty acres more, and, 
in 1882, added eighty acres of wild land. 
He engaged in general farming. He was 
married, in Pierceville, De Kalb Co., 111., 
November 12. 1873, to Frances E. Wilcox, 
born in Courtland, 111., in 1857. She is 
the daughter of James O. and Welthy (Mat- 
teson) Wilcox, both natives of New York 
State. Mr. and Mrs. Gallaher have had three 



children — Benjamin Franklin (now dead), 
James Oscar and Nellie Amelia. In politics, 
Mr. Gallaher is a Republican. He was at 
one time School Director. 

CLAUS MARTENS, farmer. P. O. Min- 
den, was born in Holstein, Germany, Octo- 
ber 17, 1844. He is the son of Hans and 
Dorothea (Sebelin) ^Martens, both natives of 
Holstein, Germany. His father was a ma- 
son, born in 1782 and died in 1860, in his 
native land. The mother of our subject was 
born in 1802, and also died in her native 
country, in 1876. They had seven children, 
five of whom are now living — three sons and 
two daughters. Our subject began life as a 
farmer. He came to this country in 1866, 
coming to Rock Island, 111., where he worked 
in a saw-mill. He moved to Davenport, this 
State, in the same year, and engaged in 
farming. He came to this county March 20, 
1875, and purchased eighty a-jres of wild 
land in Section 9, Minden Township, at $9 
per acre. He bought forty acres of wild land 
in each of the years 1877, 1880 and 1882, 
making in all 200 acres, which is now in 
good cultivation. In 1881, he built a bouse 
and several other good buildings, and set out 
100 Cottonwood trees and thirty fruit trees 
during the same year. He now engages in 
general farming. In religion, he is Luther- 
an, and in politics a Republican. 

AV. M. PURCELL, farmer, P. O. Minden. 
was born in Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio, 
October 10, 1835. His father was born in 
Pittsburgh, Penn., in 1791, and died in 
Iowa City, this State, in 1868. He was a 
farmer. The mother of om- subject was Ra- 
chel McDonald, born near Columbus, Ohio, 
in 1806, and is still living, in Iowa City. 
The jaarents had nine children. Om- subject 
received his education in the schools of Co- 
lumbus, Ohio, and Iowa City, this State. In 
1859, he went across the plains to California, 



MINDEN TOWNSHIP. 



n9 



driving an ox team. He returned in 1863. 
In the spring of 1873, he went to California, 
second time, this time by rail, and returned 
in the fall of the same year. For a time he 
was engaged in mining in the northern part 
of that State. Ho came to Minden Town- 
ship in the spring of 1876, and purchased 
KiO acres of raw land, all of which is now 
under cultivation. He engages in general 
farming. He has tilled the offices of Town- 
ship Trustee and Supervisor. July 16, 1874, 
he was married, in Iowa City, this State, to 
Mary Colwell, born in Jefiferson County, Ind., 
November 29, 1852. She is the daughter 
of David B. and Mary Ann (Hicks) Colwell, 
he born in Edinburgh, Scotland, she born in 
Monmouthshire, England, in 1823. Mr. and 
Mrs. Purcell have five children — Minnie, Ed- 
win, Georgie W., Norman and Rachel. In 
politics, Mr. Purcell is a Republican. 

CLAUS REIMERS, farmer, P. O. Min- 
den, was born in Feddering, Holstein, Ger- 
many, December 30, 1835. He is the son of 
Hans and Cathrina (Voss) Reimers. (See 
sketch of Hans Reimers, of Minden Town- 
ship. ) Our subject received his education in 
his native land. He came to America in 
1865, and came at once to Davenport, this 
State; from there he went to Grinnell, Iowa, 
where he farmed a short time, and then came 
to Council Bluffs in 1871, living at the latter 
place for eight years. He worked for the 
Union Pacific Railroad Company as transfer- 
man and watchman. In 1879, he came to 
Minden Township and purchased eighty acres 
of land of Barton Brown, for which he paid 
§15 per acre. He is at present engaged in 
general farming. He was married, in Grin- 
nell, Iowa, April 1, 1868, to Mary Brocken- 
tin, bom in Lehe, Holstein, Germany, Feb- 
ruary 9, 1840. She is the daughter of 
John and Maiy (Ludde) Brockentin, both 
natives of Germany, he born in November, 



1795, and she born April 18, 1800. Mr. and 
Mrs. Reimers have three children — Kathar- 
ine M., Mary M. and Fried chen C. The 
parents are members of the Lutheran Church. 
In politics, Mr. Reimers is a Republican. 

H. H SOPPE, farmer, P. O. Neola. was 
born in the kingdom of Hanover, Germany, 
August 14, 1833. He is the son of Hermann 
and Catharine (Calker) Sopise, both natives 
of Hanover, Germany. His father was born 
in 1803; came to America in 1861, and was 
engaged in farming till his death, which oc- 
curred in May, 1869. The mother of our 
subject died iu her native country in 1858. 
They have had sis children. Our subject at- 
tended school both in Germany and this 
country. He worked as a day laborer for five 
years, when he went to California, and worked 
in the mines of that State, Nevada and Cen- 
tral America for seven years. Ho came to 
Lee County, this State, in 1869, and was 
married, on November 23 of that yeai'. to 
Miss Catharine Oststdick, born in Lee Coun- 
ty in 1849. She is the daughter of Ferdi- 
nand and Catharine (Schneker) Oststdick, 
both natives of Germany Her father was 
born in 1815, and came to America in 1846, 
and died in October, 1873. Her mother was 
born in 1819, and came to America with her 
husband. After his marriage, our subject 
purchased forty acres of land, upon which he 
built a brick house, costing $700. He fanned 
here for five years, when he sold the place 
for $2,000. He then bought eighty acres for 
$3,500, which he sold and came to this county. 
He purchased eighty acres where he now 
lives, and has since added eighty acres more. 
He has four children living — Ferdinand, 
Katie, George and John. In religion oiu" 
subject is a Catholic, and in politics a Demo- 
crat. 

WILLIAM SPEARS, farmer, P. O. Min- 
den, was born in Mercer County, Penn., Sep- 



180 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



tember 3, 1836. He is the son of George and 
Sarah Ann (Churchfield) Spears. His father 
was a blacksmith, born in Edinburgh, Scot- 
land, in 1801, and died in Florence, Neb., in 
1846. The mother of our subject was born 
in Westmoreland County, Penn., in 1812, and 
died in this county. The parents had eight 
children — four sons and four daughters. Our 
subject received his education in Illinois, 
Nebraska and this county. He left his na- 
tive State and went to Illinois in 1839, with 
his parents. He lived in that State till 1846, 
when he went to Nebraska, where he lived till 
he came to this county, in 1848. In 1865, 
he purchased land in Harrison County, this 
State, and sold the same in 1871. He now 
has 320 acres, part of which is under cultiva- 
tion. He has one of the finest homes in the 
county, and engaged in general farming. He 
has been Justice of the Peace, Township 
Clerk and Township Trustee. He was mar- 
ried, in Garner Township, this county, May 
27, 1863, to Luvinia Stoker, born in this 
county November 20, 1846. She is the 
daughter of EUer and Margaret (Judd) 
Stoker. Mr. and Mrs. Spears have had the 
following children, of whom there are five 
living — Andrew, Agnes J., Lucretia, Mary 
Jane, Daisy Ann, Frank, Lizzie, Myrtle, Lou- 
isa and William H. Our subject is a Gi-an- 
ger, and in politics a Greenbacker. 

J. F. STRAHL, farmer, P. O. Neola, was 
born in Cedar County, Iowa, February 14, 
1848. He is the son of Eli and Sarah A. 
(Edwai'da) Strahl, both natives of Ohio, he 
born in 1815 and she in 1822. Both the 
parents are at present living near Iowa City, 
Johnson County, this State. They had seven 
children — three boys and four girls. The fa- 
ther was a farmer. Oui- subject began life 
at farming. When only sixteen years old, 
he went into the army, and remained till the 
close of the war. He afterward contracted 



for the carrying of the United States mail, 
from Albany, Mo., to Leon, Decatur County, 
ihis State. He has also been in the livery 
business in Iowa City, and the grocery busi- 
ness in Walnut, this county. He was mar- 
ried, in Cedar County, this State, March 6, 
1870, to Eliza Crook, born in Indiana Octo- 
ber 18, 1852. She is the daughter of Michael 
and Mary (Hollingsworth) Crook, he born 
in Virginia in 1823, and she in Ohio in 1820. 
Mr. and Mrs. Strahl have had foiu' children 
— Florence (deceased), Walter, Nellie (de- 
ceased) and Bertie. Our subject came to 
this county in 1871, and settled near Wal- 
nut. He bought eighty acres of wild land 
at S7.25 per acre. He improved this, and 
afterward sold it for $20 per acre. He then 
pui'chased eighty acres of improved land, 
paying $18 per acre, in the same township 
(Layton). He sold this at the same price 
that he paid for it. He then bought land in 
Harrison County, this State, and at one time 
owned three farms in that county. He also 
owned a place in Kansas, and one in Linn 
County, this State. He came to Minden 
Township in 1882, and purchased 120 acres 
at $21 per acre, and has since made many 
improvements. He is engaged in general 
farming. He belongs to the Good Templai's, 
and also to the Grand Ai'my of the Republic. 
In politics, he is a Republican. 

JOCHIM STUHR, farmer, P. O. Minden, 
was born in Holstein, Germany, July 23, 
1831. He is the son of Jochim and G. 
(Plagmann) Stuhr, both natives of Holstein, 
Germany. His father was a farmer, born 
March 24, 1791, and died in his native tovra 
in November, 1866. The mother of our sub- 
ject was born January 27, 1793, and died in 
her birth-place in February, 1876. They 
had five childi-en — two boys and three girls 
— of whom our subject is the only one liv- 
ing. He received his education in Germany, 



MINDEJ^ TOWNSHIP. 



181 



and has been a tiller of the soil since 1852. 
He was raan-ied, in Holstein, Germany, Oc- 
tober 13, 1852, to Miss A. Arp, born in that 
place. She is the daughter of Hans and 
Becke (Ladehofif) Arp, both natives of Hol- 
stein, Germany, he born January 8, 1804, 
and she in 1800. In 1850, oui' subject en- 
listed in the Schleswig-Holstein army, artil- 
lery, and was at the battle of Idstadt. He 
came to Minden To\\Tiship July 24, 1881, 
and, in the fall of the same year, purchated 
280 acres of land at $2i per acre. It is in 
a good state of cultivation. He engages in 
general farming. His children are twelve in 
number — Edward, Emma, Agnes, Johannes, 
Anansy, Hugo, Gustav, Anna, William, 
Charles, Gretchen and Minnie. Mi\ Stuhr 
is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church, and in politics is a Democrat. Mr. 
Stuhr has held the offices of Justice of the 
Peace, County Commissioner, Assessor of In- 
surance, besides several minor offices. 

JOHN P. STUHE, merchant, Minden, was 
born in Schleswig, Germany, January 12, 
1844. He is the son of John and Anna (Car- 
stensen) Stuhr, both natives of Schleswig, 
Germany. His father was born in 1813, and 
is a farmer. His mother was born in 1815. 
Both the parents are at present living in Har- 
rison County, this State. They had eight 
children — four sons and four daughters. 
Our subject received a good education in his 
native country, and also attended school in 
Blue Grass, Scott County, this State. He 
began life as a farmer, and was engaged a 
short time in that occupation near Daven- 
port, this State, to which place he came Sep- 
tember 12, 1863 He went to St. Louis in 
the following year, but returned shortly after- 
ward. September 6, 1804, he enlisted in the 
Eighth Iowa Infantry. Company B, under 
Gens. J. A. Smith and Canb}^ He fought 
in the battles of Spanish Fort, Mobile, and 



was wounded in the knee by a bayonet in an 
engagement in Arkansas, near Island No. 13. 
He came to Minden in 1875, and, August 1, 
1881, he bought the store of Bartell & Co., 
and started in the general merchandise busi- 
ness, in which he has since been engaged. 
He has been a Township Assessor in this 
county, and a Road Supervisor in Scott Coun- 
ty, this State. He was married, in Daven- 
port, May 26, 1806, to Amelia Cornelius, 
born in Germany October 28, 1846. She 
is the daughter of Marcus and Anna (Mul- 
ler) Cornelius, both natives of Germany. 
Mr. and Mrs. Stuhr have six children — four 
boys and two girls — Alvina A., Julius, John 
M. R., Adelia H., William and Walter. Our 
siibject is a member of the Lutheran Church, 
and also belongs to the Knights of Pythias. 
In politics, he is a Republican. 

JAMES TATE, farming, P. O. Minden, 
was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on the 
13th of July, 1814; his father, John Tate, 
born in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, in 
1758, and removing to Ireland in 1770, was 
married to Ann Erwin in 1794. In 1817, 
our subject, then a boy of three summers, 
came to Canada with his parents, who settled 
in Newcastle District, Clark Township. His 
early education was much neglected. The 
school was very poor, " the master having 
more whip than brains." But the active 
mind of the youth drew a wonderful culture 
from nature itself, and a seemingly immacu- 
late inspiration was drawn even from that old 
spelling book in the log-cabin schoolhouse. 
Mr. Tate remained with his parents till his 
father's death, in 1834, and spending two 
more years on the farm, then entered the 
army, under Capt. Wilmot, to put down 
Papineau and Mackenzie's rebellion. He 
remained there but three months, when he 
took his leave, and moving to Haldimand 
Count}', was engaged in the lumber business 



183 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



for the next four years. On the 18th of 
March, 1840, James Tate was married to Ann 
Evans. She was the daughter of Edward 
and R. J. Evans, and niece to the founder of 
Evansville, Ind. , on the Ohio, and was born 
in County Wicklow, Ireland. May 17, 1815. 
Mr. Tate jsrosecuted his industries as lum- 
berman and farmer in Canada until 1856, 
when he removed with his wife and six chil- 
dren to the United States and settled in 
Winneshiek County. Iowa, where he again 
resumed his occupation as a farmer. There 
he labored on judiciously in his little home 
as fortune looked with favor upon them. 
Two more childi-en were added to the num- 
ber as time went on, and the little home im- 
proved. The clay fields gave forth their re- 
ward for his diligent labor. He met with no 
reverse of fortune until about 1869, when his 
barn was burned. On the 23d of March, 
1871, his wife died, after a long sickness, 
and broke the union of a happy home. But 
heavy as was the blow, it did not break that 
spirit which had a hope in heaven. The ties 
of friendship and love which had been woven 
in the home held together. At Postville, De- 
cember 15, 1872, Mr. Tate was married to 
his second wife — Miss B. Cooper. She is 
the daughter of John and Mai'y Cooper, and 
was born in Canada on the 23d of December, 
1847. The following winter, IVIr. Tate met 
with a heavy loss by the burning of his house 
and some considerable household goods. 
This was repaired as best it could be. He 
remained there till the spring of 1874, when 
he removed with his wife and family to his 
present home, in Pottawattamie County, hav- 
ing obtained a location the previous year. 
His buildings were the first erected in the 
fertile valley of the Middle Silver, which 
winds its way through hajipy fields toward 
the southwest. 



W. S. WHITE, farmer, P. O. Neola, was 
born in Kentucky in 1829; he came to this 
State in 1871, settling where he now lives; 
he cultivates about seventy-five acres of land, 
whi^h was, at the time of his pxu'chasing it, 
unimproved, and cost about 110.7:; per acre. 
He is the son of Joseph and Mary (Jones) 
White; his father was a farmer, born in 
Delaware in 1803, moved to Missouri in 1849 
and died in 1854. The mother of our sub- 
ject was born in Kentucky in 1802, and was 
the mother of eight children — five sons and 
three daughters. She died in Missouri in 
1854, within twenty-five days of her hus- 
band's death. Our subject received his edu- 
cation in the common schools of Indiana. 
He went to Missoiu'i and began life for him- 
self by taking up a claim and farming it. 
He afterward sold it, and went to Nebraska, 
where he lived for six years. He returned to 
Missouri and from there to this State. He 
man-ied his first wife — Alice Linville — in 
Missouri in 1853. His second marriage oc- 
curred in the same State in 1862, when he 
was v/edded to Satah J. McDowell, born in 
Missouri in March, 1843. She is the 
daughter of Matthew and Jane (Hughes) 
McDowell. Our subject has six children — 
Maggie, Joseph, John, Dolly. Nora and Iva 
Myrtle. He votes the Democratic ticket. 

J. H. YODEK, Postmaster and merchant, 
Minden, was born in Somerset County, 
Penn., September 6, 1853; he is the son of 
Benedict and Sarah (Millei-) Yoder, both na- 
tives of Somerset County, Penn., he born 
August 20, 1817, she born November 20, 
1825. Both of the parents are now living in 
their native county. They had twelve chil- 
dren — six boys and six girls. Our subject 
received a good education in the common 
schools, and afterward attended the Commer- 
cial College at Pittsbui-gh, Penn. , after which 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP. 



183 



be taught school in several places in Penn- 
sylvania and this State. From 1875 to 1880, 
he. with his brother, kept a store in Amish, 
Johnson Co., Iowa. In the latter year, he 
came to Minden and opened a general store, 
which he has kept ever since. He is now 
Postmaster at Minden, which office he has 
tilled since February 2, 1882. He was for- 
merly Assistant Postmaster at Amish. He 



was married, in Council Bluffs, June 9, 1881, 
to Septima I. Shaff, born in Pleasant Hill, 
Johnson Co., Iowa, April 10, 1854; she is 
the daughter of H. N. and Anna Shaff, he a 
native of Canada and she of Ohio. Mr. and 
Mrs. Yoder ai'e members of the Evangelical 
Lutheran Church. In politics, he is a Re- 
publican. 



l^EOLA TOWNSHIP, 



MES. BETTY BAKDSLEY, Neola, was 
born in Cheshire, England, March 26, 1820, 
daughter of Charles and Ellen (Hibert) Brad- 
ley, natives of England; he, born in Febru- 
ary, 1794, was a miner and farmer in Eng- 
land, and died December 23, 1878; she, 
born about 1800, was the mother of ten chil- 
dren, of whom three came to America. Mrs. 
Bardsley was first married, in England, Au- 
gust 29, 1841, to John Handbm-y, born in 
England February 8, 1814. They came to 
America in 1850, and to Council Bluffs April 
15 of that year. Mr. Handbury was engaged 
in farming near Macedonia for eighteen 
months, when he died, leaving his wife and 
foiu- children — Elizabeth, David, Ann and 
Joseph E. Mrs. Handbiu-y kept herself and 
childi'en until her second marriage, which 
occurred July 17, 1852. Mr. Bardsley, her 
second husband, was born in England July 
21, 1800, and came to America in 1850, set- 
tling at Highland Grove, where he lived at 
the time of his marriage to Mi's. Handbury. 
One year after their marriage, they moved 
onto the farm where Mrs. Bardsley now lives. 
There, from 1854 till his death, Mr. Bardsley 
followed farming. He was Justice of the 
Peace several years. He died December 20, 
1800, from injuries received by the kick of a 



cow. Mis. Bardsley has by her second hus- 
band four childi-en — John J., Charles B., 
Ellen and Thomas R. ; the latter is at home; 
Chai'les B. owns a farm of eighty acres ad- 
joining the home farm. The latter place con- 
sists of 240 acres in one body, situated on 
Bardsley's Creek, five miles west of Neola. 
Mrs. Bardsley has one son in the mercantile 
business in Neola, and one keeping a res- 
taui-ant. Charles B. was married, April 1, 
1880, to Miss M. J. Spencer. James Ward, 
the husband of Mi-s. Bardsley's eldest daugh- 
ter, died in the service of his country in 1864. 
AUGUST BOCK, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Prussia September 4, 1844, son 
of Fred and Christina (Stephen) Bock; he, 
born in Germany about 1820, was a day la- 
borer, and died there when oui- subject was 
about nine years old; she, born in Germany 
about 1823, came to America in 1860, now 
lives in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Mr. Bock is 
one of five childi-en and was educated in Ger- 
many. He has supported himself since nine 
years of age. While in his native country, 
he worked at farming. After coming to this 
country, he worked in a brewery in Council 
Blufl's for several years, then engaged in ao-- 
ricultm-al pui-suits. In 1878, he pui-chased 
140 acres of raw prairie, which is now in 



184 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



good cultivation. Mr. Bock was mamed, in 
Mills County, Iowa, in September, 1869, to 
Annie Frank, born in Germany in 1852, 
daughter of William and Anna (Apple) Frank, 
natives of Germany, both Hying with subject, 
and both hale and hearty, notwithstanding 
that he is seventy-two and she sixty-nine 
years of age. Mr. and Mi's. Bock have foiu- 
childi-en — William, August, Alvena and Mary. 
They are members of the Lutheran Church. 
C. D. DILLIN, lumber, grain and coal 
merchant, Neola, was born in Knox County, 
Ohio, in 1S42. His father, Israel Dillin, 
was born in Pennsylvania about 1791, and 
moved to Ohio at an early date. He was en- 
gaged in farming and merchandising, and 
also bought horses and drove them across the 
Alleghany Mountains to New York City. He 
emigrated from Ohio to Iowa in 1850, and 
settled at Marengo, Iowa Co., Iowa, where 
he engaged in farming until he went to Cal- 
ifornia, where he died in 1856. Subject's 
mother. Mary (Hall) Dillin, was born in 
Pennsylvania in 1795. She moved from 
Pennsylvania to Ohio with her husband, and 
from there to Iowa, where she died in 1851. 
Subject was educated in the common schools 
of Iowa. At the age of fifteen years, he 
went to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and was clerk 
in a drug store from 1857 to 1858; was also 
clerk in a drug store at Crescent City, for 
Johnson & Blake. In the spring of 1859, he 
went to Marengo; attended school and clerked 
till the opening of the war, then he enlisted 
in the Seventh Iowa Infantry; was first pri- 
vate, then Corporal, then First Lieutenant, 
then Captain. He served four years, nine- 
teen months of which were spent as fol- 
lows: Nine months in Libby Prison, four 
at Macon, two in Charleston and four- in Co- 
lumbia. On retiuTiing from the army in the 
fall of 1865, Mr. Dillin married Miss Lucy 
Crenshaw. After this, he served two years 



as Deputy Treasurer in Iowa County, Iowa, 
and then one year was spent in looking after 
milling interests; then for about five years 
he was Deputy Clerk of Iowa County, Iowa. 
He moved to Pottawattamie County in 1873, 
located where he now is, and started the 
leading grain, lumber and coal business of 
Neola. Mrs. Dillin was born in April, 1845, 
in Jackson County, State of Indiana. Her 
father, Josephus Crenshaw, was born in ISll, 
in Indiana, and now lives at Marengo, Iowa. 
Her mother, Nancy L. (Reddick) Crenshaw, 
died when Mi-s; Dillin was but two years old. 
Mr. and Mrs. Dillin have five children — Jo- 
seph I., John W., Cora B., Nellie R. and 
Hugo. Mr. Dillin owns a farm of 135 acres, 
bordering on the south edge of the tovm of 
Neola, and an elevator with a capacity of 10,- 
000 bushels. Mr. Dillm is a Republican. 

DRUSILLA DOWNS, P. 0. Neola, was 
born in Kentucky Febru ry 3, 1827, daughter 
of William and Rebecca Ann (McGuire) John- 
ston. Her father was born in Virginia; emi- 
grated to Kentucky, where he was married; 
from Kentucky he went to Ohio, thence to 
Illinois, where he died. Mrs. Downs' mother 
was bom in Kentucky, and died while the 
former was quite j'ouug. JIi-. Asa Downs 
was born March 3, 1816, in Indiana, son of 
Ezekiel and Charlotte (Rowlands) Downs, 
natives of Indiana. Mr. Asa Downs began 
life as a farmer in Illinois, where he re- 
mained twelve years; then, in 1851, he came 
to Iowa and bought a claim near Weston, of 
Absalom Smith, a Mormon. This farm is 
still owned by Mrs. Downs. When the farm 
was first purchased, there was a saw and grist 
mill upon it, which was among the first mills 
of the coimty, and it was known as the Downs 
Mill, and was situated on Mosquito Creek, 
ten miles from Council Bluffs. The mill was 
destroyed by high water in 1852. Mr. and 
'Mi-3. Downs were married, in Illinois, De- 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP. 



185 



eember 7, 1845. They had thirteen children, 
one of whom is dead. They are Mary E. , 
born January 1, 1844; William, October 7, 
1848; Emily, April 7, 1849; Anthony W., 
June 16, 1850; Willis E., June 5, 1852; 
Marion J., June 5, 1854; Alice J., April 28, 
1856; Caroline, March 6, 1858; Thomas, 
November 11, 1860; George, September 17, 
1862; Sidney, February 27, 1864; Albert, 
November 12, 1866; Charles, April 28, 1868; 
and Amy E., December 22, 1869. Novem- 
ber 3, 1879, ;Mr. Dov?ns died, in Downsville, 
a village in Norwalk Township named in 
honor of him, and where he had lived many 
years. Mr. Downs was miich esteemed by 
all who knew him, and in his death the coun- 
ty lost one of its best and most useful citi- 
zens. Mrs. Downs is a Quakeress. 

JOSEPH ELLIS, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Monroe County, W. Va., in Au- 
gust, 1824, son of John and Ellen (Rupert) 
Ellis; he, born in Virginia, was a Surgeon 
in the war of 1812; she, born in South Caro- 
lina, is living in Virginia, and the mother of 
six children — five girls and one boy — our 
subject. He attended the common schools 
of his native county, and then went to the 
seminary in Alleghany County, Va. He went 
to Missouri in 1844, where he was occupied 
as a Government land agent till the breaking- 
out of the war. He advocated the right of 
slavery, but did not join the Southern army. 
In 1864, he came to Iowa; lived in Council 
Bluffs a year, two years at the Eight- Jlile 
Grove, one year in Crescent Township, 
thence to his present farm of sixty acres, 
which he purchased of J. P. Casady. When 
Mr. Ellis first purchased this land, it was un- 
improved; he has improved it, and now has 
a comfortable home there. January 19, 
1847, in Missovn-i, Mi-. Ellis married 
Frances Cochran, daughter of James Coch- 
ran, who was born in Madison County, Ky. , 



and migrated to Misspuri when it was a 
Territoi-y. By this iinion there are five chil- 
dren—Mary E., born March 17, 1849; Min- 
erva A., 1851; Robert S., May 20, 1853; 
Charles A., April 11, 1855; and Harvey, born 
in 1856. During his residence in Missouri, 
Mr. Ellis was atone time Judge of the Coun- 
ty Com't; he was also Major of militia. Since 
coming to Iowa, he has been a member of 
the Board of Supervisors of this county, and 
has also served as Justice of the Peace, and 
is now a member of the Board of School Di- 
rectors. Politically, he is a Democrat. 

G. ^Y. HENDERSON, farmer, P. O. Ne- 
ola, was born in Crawford County, Mo., April 
27, 1828, son of Jimmy and Anna (Harris) 
Henderson; he, born in Virginia, near 
Jamestown, November 27, 1805, removed 
with his father to Missouri when quite young. 
There he remained as a farmer till 1834, 
when he removed to Illinois and settled on a 
farm, where he remained till his death, which 
occurred September 8, 1843. He was mar- 
ried in Illinois about 1825. His wife was 
born in Tennessee in 1803, and died in 1843. 
They raised a family of five girls and foiu- 
boys, all of whom were married and raised 
families. They are as follows: Mary, born 
April 18, 1827; Jane, July 4. 1830; John, 
December 1, 1831: Nancy J., January 18, 
1843; Martha, March 12, 1835; Sarah, July 
1836; Samuel, April 18, 1838; and William, 
bom June 26, 1840. Om- subject attended 
the subscription schools of Illinois and East- 
ern Iowa, and is a man well posted in the 
affairs of the day. He first learned stone- 
cutting, then cabinet-making, and then went 
to farming He subsequently made his home 
with a sister, and, after the death of her 
husband, took care of her family till his own 
marriage, in 1855, his wife being Miss E. L. 
Galup, a native of New York State. After 
his marriage, Mr. Henderson located on the 



X86 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



farm of eighty acres where he now lives. 
Mr. and Mrs. Henderson's children are Ed, 
born in 1S40; Margaret, March 31, 1860; I. 
N., May 9, 1861; N. I, August 26, 1863; 
Jimmy, Sejstember 25, 1865; H. A., Febru- 
ary 23, 1867; W. W., June 13, 1869; Julia 
K, 1871; Elmira, March 4, 1873; H., Feb- 
ruary 4, 1877; and Hattie A., April 9, 1879. 
Mr. Henderson was a minute-man during the 
rebellion. He has been Road Suiiervisor and 
School Director. He is a Democrat, and 
votes for principle, not party. 

J. N. HORN, farmer, P. O. Neola, was 
born May 12, 1849, in Garner Township, 
this county, son of John and Bebecca W. 
(Shuttle) Horn, natives of Dover, Kent, Eng- 
land. Subject's father was born in 1815, 
and came to the United States in 1847; set- 
tled in Garner Township, Pottawattamie Co., 
Iowa, in 1848. He is a carpenter by trade, 
but has b -en a farmer since his residence in 
this country. Subject's mother was born in 
1815, and has borne eight children — three 
sons and five daughters; three of the latter 
are dead. Mi'. Horn attended school till 
fourteen years of age, and worked on his fa- 
ther's farm till twenty-one, when be began 
working by the month in Hazel Dell Town- 
ship. This he continued three years, and 
then, after renting land for three years, he 
moved to Neola Townshiji in 1876, and 
bought the farm of 190 acres where he now 
lives. Mr. Horn was married, January 1, 
1878, in Neola, to Mary Ann Spencer, born 
in Crescent Township, this county, October 
6, 1855, daughter of Thomas and Selina 
(Charles worth) Spencer, natives of England, 
both now living in tliis county, near our sub- 
ject. Mr. and Mrs. Horn have had five chil- 
dren, two of whom are dead. The children 
are George Thomas, born January 26, 1874; 
Phillip Jesse, October 26, 1875, died Decem- 
ber 7, 1876; James Albert, September 13, 



1877, died February 15, 1879; John Robert, 
September 15, 1879; and Ida Belle, Decem- 
ber 6, 1881. Mr. Horn was one of the first 
white children born in this county, and he 
has never been a mile beyond the county line. 
He is a Republican in politics. 

E. P. IVINS, editor of the Neola Tribune, 
Neola, was born in Clinton County, lad.. 
July 25, 1849. His father. Dr. Daniel Ivins. 
was born in New Jersey in 1815, and was a 
pliysician of forty years' practice. He grad- 
uated at Cincinnati Medical College about 
1840; p)racticed in the State of Indiana till 
coming to Iowa, in 1856; remained four 
years in Bedford, Taylor County, then in 
Monroe County till tlie breaking-out of the 
rebellion, when he went into the army and 
served about three years as Assistant Sur- 
geon. He then returned to Iowa, where he 
practiced till his death, which occurred in 
October, 1880. Mr. Ivins' mother, Eliza- 
bbth P. (Davis) Ivins, was born near Day- 
ton, Ohio, March 4, 1828, and died in Feb- 
ruary, 1881. She was the mother of three 
boys and four girls; one of the former and 
two of the latter are dead. Mr. Ivins at- 
tended the common schools of Albia, Monroe 
Co., Iowa, and there served an apprentice- 
ship at printing. In 1862, he entered the 
army as drummer; remained about three 
years, and then, returning home, resumed his 
trade, which he followed until July 1, 1881, 
when he located in Neola. At that time, he 
pui'chased and became editor of the paper 
known, as the Neola Tribune. It was first 
edited in 1878, by a man named Zenas Brown, 
and subsequently passed into the hands of 
Mc Williams & Chapman, whom our subject 
bought out. The Neola Tribune, as edited 
by Mr. Ivins, is a wide-awake weekly jour- 
nal, devoted to general news and matters of 
local interest. Mr. Ivins was married, at 
Dallas, Iowa, December 25, 1873, to Maggie 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP. 



187 



Logan, born near Pittsburgh, Penn., March 
5, 1852, daughter of Hugh andj Marj A. 
(Hughes) Logan; he, born in Irehmd about 
1804, was a farmer, and served in the army 
three years; she, born in Pennsylvania about 
1813, died in 1857. Mr. and Mrs. Ivins 
have one child, Hattie L. Mr. Ivins is a 
Bepublican. 

MRS. MARTHA J. JACKSON, Neola, 
was born in Logan County, Ohio, November 

24, 1825; her father, J. L. Hemphill, was 
born in Kentucky October 10, 1796; was a 
carpenter by trade, but turned his attention 
to farming in Ohio, where he died December 

25. 1874. Her mother, Elinor (Rittenhouse) 
Hemphill, was born in Virginia February 9, 
1794, and was the mother of nine children, 
six of whom are living. Mrs. Jackson was 
first married, in Ohio, March 19, 1844, to 
Samuel B. Kirkland, born March 30, 1822; 
his father, James Kirkland, was born in 
Licking County, Ohio, August 30, 1791; hav- 
ing lost a limb, he tm'ned his attention to 
teaching, which he prosecuted dm'ing life; 
he died in Iowa in May; 1870. His wife, 
Sarah (Smith) Kirkland. was born June 9, 
1800, and died October 14, 1843, and was the 
mother of eleven children, nine of whom are 
dead, two of them dying in the army. Mr. 
S. B. Kirkland was an engineer for seven 
years on the Mad River & Lake Erie Rail- 
road. He then farmed in Iowa till going to 
the war in July, 1861. He served as Drum 
Major till taken sick at Vicksburg. He then 
started for home on the hospital steamer, "R. 
C. Wood," and died at the landing at Keo- 
kuk. Iowa, August 30, 1863, leaving seven 
childi-en — Sarah E., born February 2, 1845; 
Eliza H., October 29, 1846; Henrietta A., 
January 18, 1849; Clara J., September 25, 
1851; Mina, December 19, 1855; William 
F., July 8, 1857; and Olive F., May 15, 
1859. Our subject was again married, 



March 30, 1865, this time to Abraham Jack- 
son, who has since died, leaving two chil- 
dren—Martha E., born February 10, 1866; 
and Abraham, born April 13, 1867. Mi-s. 
Jackson has one son married and four mar- 
ried daughter.?, one of whom has since died. 
Our subject lives on a farm two and a half 
miles northwest of Neola. She is a Predby- 
terian. 

P. LEONARD, farmer, P. O. Neola, was 
born in Ireland Mai'ch 18, 1818, son of Mark 
and Agnes (Diu'kin) Leonard, natives of Ire- 
land; he, born in 1776, was a farmer, and 
died in his native country; she died in Ire- 
land, and was the mother of eight children, 
two of whom came to America. Mr. Leonard 
learned theoretical and practical surveying in 
Ireland. He came to America July 12, 1841, 
landing at the port of St. John, N. B. , where 
he remained eight years, teaching school six 
years of his time. He left New Brunswick 
in May, 1849, and, after traveling in the 
States of Maine, Massachusetts, New York 
and Pennsylvania, ho located in Middlesex 
County, j)rovince of Ontario, where he taught 
one school eight consecutive years, and an 
other seven. While teaching, he boarded on 
his farm, which he conducted at the same 
time, walking to and from his farm, a dis- 
tance of seven miles, each day. He contin- 
ued farming in Canada till April, 1872, when 
he came to Neola, Iowa, and settled on the 
southeast quarter of Section 26, where he 
still resides. This first quarter has been im- 
proved, 200 acres added to 't, and the whole 
inclosed by fence. Mi. Leonard married 
Miss Ann Van Tassel, born in Queen's Coun- 
ty, N. B., in 1820, daughter of Reuben and 
Sarah (Foster) Van Tassel, he born in New 
Brunswick about 1788, she born in New 
Brunswick in 1801. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard 
have had ten children, five of whom have 
taught school; two are dead. Mr. Leonard 



188 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



is President of the Board of School Trustees, 
which position he has held for the past five 
years. He is a member of the Catholic 
Church, and a Democrat in politics. 

N. W. MA.TSON, farmer, P. O. Neola, was 
born in Georgetown, Harrison Co., Ohio, No- 
vember 22, 1827, son of Peter and Jane 
(Dawson) Matson; he born in Virginia in 
1804, and died in Illinois in 1855; she born 
in Pennsylvania in 1801, died in December, 
1876. The pai-ents had ten children, eight 
of whom are livinsr. Mr. Matson becran 
farming on his own responsibility in Illinois 
in 1847, where, for ten years, he rented 
land. In 1857, he removed to Minnesota 
and bought land, which he remained uijon 
and improved for about twelve years. The 
following live years, he was a freighter in 
Faribault, Rice County. In 1875, he came 
to Iowa, and settled upon his present farm 
of 200 acres, valued at $30 per acre. It is 
situated in Norwalk and Neola Townships. 
Mr. Matson raises stock extensively, and 
sells from eighty to one hiindred pounds of 
butter per week, in Council Bluffs. March 
15, 1851, our subject married Miss Sarah C. 
Romine, born in Indiana in 1832, daughter 
of Jacob and Elizabeth (Johnston) Romine; 
he was born in Indiana about 1802; she died 
in Muscatine, Iowa, about 1839, and was the 
mother of six children. Mr. and Mrs. Mat- 
son have one son, Mervin Matson, born in 
1855. Mr. Matson is a member of the Ma- 
sonic fraternity, and a Republican in poli- 
tics. 

B. F. MATTHEWS, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Lincoln County, Mo., May 20, 
1842. His father was born in Pennsylvania 
in 1810, and died November 8, 1860; he 
moved to Kentucky when quite young, thence, 
in 1825, to Missouri, first settling in St. 
Louis County, and then in Lincoln County, 
where our subject was born. His mother, 



Azila J. (Ligon) Matthews, was born in Ten- 
nessee, and died September 5, 1860. The 
parents had four boys and four girls, three of 
whom are living. Mr. Matthews attended 
school in his native county, and his first 
work on his own responsibility was as over- 
seer for a slave-owner in Missouri, which po- 
sition he occupied eight months, and then 
entered the Fifth Missouri State Militia, in 
which he remained is months; was then 
mustered out and returned home. He soon 
enlisted in the Third Missouri State Cavalry 
(Federal); he remained in the service three 
years, being in several engagements, and, 
when mustered out in 1865, he went to work 
on a farm in Missouri. Mi'. Matthews came 
to Iowa in August, 1873, and located at 
Council Bluffs, where he worked in a supply 
store one winter, in a wholesale grocery a 
short time, and then went onto a farm in 
Mills County, Iowa. After an absence of 
sixteen months iu Council Bluffs, during 
which he worked for J. P. Goldern, he re- 
turned to Mills County, thence to this county 
for a year. He next spent two years in 
Greene County, when, in 1880, he returned 
to this coiinty, where he now resides. Mr. 
Matthews was married, January 10, 1867, to 
Miss Laura Holmes, born in Missouri Au 
gust 22, 1851, daughter of Lemuel B. and 
Jane (Keland) Holmes, residents of Missou- 
ri, where the father was occupied as a farm- 
er. Mrs. Matthews died May 23, 1869, leav- 
ing two chikh'en — -Luenda B., born January 
23, 1868; and James F., born March 19, 
1S69. While in the army, Mr. Matthews was 
accompanied by his brother, James C, who 
has since had au arm blown off while load- 
ing a cannon at a re-union of the ti'oops. 
Mr. Mabthews is a Methodist in religion, and 
a Republican in politics. 

WILL McDonald, Aoiu- merchant, Neola, 
was born in Illinois September 4, 1856, son of 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP. 



189 



John aud Bessie (McAlhaney) McDonald, 
natives of Ii-eland; he, boi'n about 1832, is 
now engaged in business in Oakhmd, Iowa; 
she, born about 1835, died December 3, 1878, 
in Washington Territory, where she had 
gone for her health. The parents had fom- 
children — Ella, Jennie, Thomas and Will. 
After a common schooling, Mr. McDonald 
learned the trade of a miller. He worked at 
farming till 1878, when he went to Washing- 
ton Territory tu attend his mother, who was 
ill; remained there a year, until the death of 
his mother, and, returning to Illinois, he lo- 
cated on a farm in Shelby County, near the 
town of Defiance. After six months in the 
latter place, he engaged in milling for a 
short time, and was then appointed manager 
of the Neola Exchange Mill, which position 
he fills to the satisfaction o£ all interested. 
This mill was opened in April, 1880, and 
does a large business. Mr. McDonald was 
married, September 1, 1880, in Council 
Blufis, Iowa, to Lottie Dingman, born in 
Council Blufis December 28, 1861, daughter 
of John B. and Martha A. (Bitter) Dingman, 
he born in Canada October 16, 1828, she born 
in Virginia Sejjtember 18, 1837. Mr. and 
Mrs. McDonald have one child, Theodore 
Lionel, born June 26, 1881. Mr. McDonald 
is a member of the Iowa Legion of Honor, 
and in politics is a Eepublican. 

LOWRY McGREW, saloon-keeper, Ne- 
ola, was born in Westmoreland County, 
Penn., July 18, 1831. His father, John Mc- 
Grew, was born in Pennsylvania in 1796; 
emigrated to Illinois in 1813; remained in 
Bock Island County till about 1870, when 
he removed to Pottawattamie County, Iowa. 
He died in Hairison Count}, Iowa, in 1876. 
His mother, Elizabeth (Bobbins) McGrew, 
was born in Pennsylvania; came West with 
her family, and died in Bock Island County, 
111., in 18-45. She was the mother of eight 



children — four boys and four girls. Our 
subject commenced the business of life by 
mining, in 1860, in Colorado, in the Califor- 
nia Gulch Gold Mine. After five years 
spent there, he went to Mexico, where he 
spent five years in diiferent places and various 
employments. After leaving Mexico, he 
spent eight years herding cattle, and then, 
in 1873, located at St. Louis, Mo., where he 
was employed about a year as night clerk in 
a hotel. August 21, 1874, he came to Neola, 
farmed for a time, and then opened a saloon 
where he now is. Mr. McGrew was married, 
in Neola, Iowa, June 28, 1879, to Miss Ida 
Norris, born in Michigan July 21, 1853, 
daughter of J. W. Norris. Mr. McGrew is a 
Bepublican. 

SIMON McGREW, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., 
' November 23, 1843, son of John and Eliza- 
beth (Bobbins) McGrew, natives of Pennsyl- 
vania; he, born about 1798, died about 1876; 
was a miller by trade, also a farmer; she, 
born about 1808, died in 1845, and was the 
mother of eight children, two of whom are 
dead. When our subject was one year old, 
his parents removed to Illinois. He there 
attended the common schools and worked on 
his father's farm till he joined the One Hun- 
dred and Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteer In- 
fantry. After serving three years in the 
army, he returned to Illinois, where he re- 
mained a year, thence to Iowa one year, and, 
after a year spent in Illinois, he ag^in 
farmed in Iowa for a year, and then clerked 
for three years in his brother's store, after 
which he broke prairie one year. In 1875, 
he bought the farm of forty acres on which 
he now lives. Mr. McGrew was married, 
November 11, 1875, in Council Blufi's, Iowa, 
to Emma J. Norris, born November 11, 1855, 
in Ingham County, Mich. . daughter of J. W. 
and Electa A. (Greenman) NoiTis, natives of 



190 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



New York State, he born September 20, 1824, 
she born March 24, 1831. Mr. and Mrs. 
McGrew have three children — Ella G. , born 
September 3, 1876; Alice M., January 19, 
1878; and John L.. November 6, 1879. Mr. 
McGrew is a Republican. 

H. L. McWILLIAMS, attorney, Neola, 
was born October 2, 1849, near Mineral 
Point, Iowa Co. , Wis. ; was raised and 
brought up on a farm near the place of his 
birth; obtained his early education through 
the district and normal schools of his native 
State, and largely through his grandfather, 
Francis McKenna, who was a graduate of 
Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland; left home 
in 1870; came to Iowa; became a school- 
teacher and farmer; gave that up, and went 
into the real estate business, and took up the 
study of the law at the same time; continued 
in that business about a year; moved to Pot- 
tawattamie County, Iowa, where he again 
took up the study of the law, in the office of 
Flickinger Bros., at Walnut and Council 
Bluffs, Iowa, and was admitted to the bar in 
1878; opened an office in Walnut, Iowa, and 
continued in the practice there about six 
months; came to Neola, his present residence, 
in March, 1879; formed a copartner.ship with 
Mr. J. C. Chapman, under the firm name of 
McWilliams & Chapman, attorneys at law 
and real estate agents. The above firm have 
built up a large business since coming here. 
Was married, at Walnut, Iowa, April 29, 
1882, to Miss Anna Stuart, a descendant of 
the Stuarts of Scotland. 

HERMAN MENDEL, merchant, Neola, 
was born in Holstein, Germany, March 11, 
1846, and came to America when twenty-one 
years of age. After clerking for two years 
in the city of New York, he came to Council 
Bluffs, Iowa, in July, 1869, and, soon after, 
entered the employ of Langdon Bros., deal- 
ers in groceries and liquors. In December, 



1869, he came to Neola and opened the first 
mercantile establishment in the place, buy- 
ing the first load of corn ever sold there. 
The business was started with a capital of 
about $300, and was conducted under the 
firm name of H. Mendel & Co. In 1870, 
Thomas McGrew became a partner, and the 
firm continued, under the name of McGrew 
& Mendel, until 1874, when Mr. Mendel 
sold his interest to his partner, and, with 
Mr. Roane, started a similar business in his 
present location. The firm of Mendel & 
Roane continued until 1876, when Mr. Men- 
del became sole proprietor, and has since 
conducted business under the name of H. 
Mendel. In 1881, he visited his father, who 
lives in Germany, and is seventy-two years 
old. November 18. 1875, Mr. Mendel mar- 
ried Miss Augusta Biu-ke, born in Ohio about 
1851, daughter of John Biu'ke, a resident of 
Ereeport, 111. Mr. and Mrs. Mendel have two 
children — Gracie and Max. Mr. Mendel is a 
member of the Masonic fraternity, and in 
politics is a Democrat. 

JOHN W. NORRIS, huckstering, Neola, 
was born in Penfield, Monroe Co., N. Y., 
September 20, 1824. His father, John Nor- 
ris, was born in New Jersey May 8, 1778. 
When quite young, he went to New York 
State, where he was engaged in farming. In 
the spring of 1834, he moved to Michigan, 
where he died in 1862. Subject's mother, 
Mary (Hall) Norris, was born in New York 
State April 27, 1780, and died about 1834. 
She was the mother of thirteen children, of 
whom our subject is the youngest. Mi-. Nor- 
ris was a farmer for seventeen years, and then 
learned blacksmithing. After serving an ap- 
prenticeship of three years, he started a shop 
of his own, in Nankin, Wayne Co., Mich., 
v.here he worked at his trade about three 
years, and then bought a farm, on which he 
lived till about 1855. He then sold his first 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP. 



191 



place, and bought another near Lansing, 
Mich., where he remained till 1863, then 
went to California, remained ten months, 
and returned to Michigan. In 18t34. he sold 
his property in Michigan, and, coming to 
Iowa, located at Council Blnffs, and worked 
at blacksmithing two years ; then, after farm- 
ing in Harrison County for three years, he 
came to Neola, in September, 1869, his be- 
ing the first American family to settle in that 
place. Mr. Norris was married, in Nankin, 
Wayne Co., Mich., March 18, 1849, to Electa 
A. Greenman, born in New York State March 
29, 1831. daughter of Hiram and Henrietta 
(Belong) Greenman; he, born March 23, 
1799, died about 1861 ; she, born in New 
York State September 7, 1802, died in 1842. 
The children of this marriage are as follows: 
Hattie, bom January 28, 1850, died Septem- 
ber 13, 1852; George O., December 10. 1851, 
died September 13, 1852; Ida J., born July 
21, 1853; Eva J., November 11, 1855; and 
Henrietta, July 12, 1860. After first settling 
in Neola, Mr. Norris worked at his trade one 
and a half years, then farmed six years, and, 
in December, 1878, returned to Neola. where 
he has since followed huckstering. In poli- 
tics, he is a Democrat. 

THOMAS EISHTON, merchant, Neola, 
was born in Manchester, England, July 11, 
1840, son of Henry and Mary (Bland) Eish- 
ton, natives of England, he born April 10 
1810, she born May 9, 1815. The parents 
were married in England November 11, 
1832, and have eight children. The father 
was a block printer in England, which occu- 
pation he followed when first coming to this 
country, in 1844. He was one of the first 
seven printers who came to America. His 
wife came over the year after he did, and he 
worked at his trade in Ehode Island and 
Massachusetts until May 15, 1850, when they 
started for Council Bluffs, the journey occu- 



pying over six weeks, their express team be- 
ing two cows yoked together. Our subject 
began life as a farmer in this county. This 
occupation he followed till 1864, when he 
went to Montana Territory, where he re- 
mained on a ranch till 1867. He then re- 
turned to Springfield, 111., remained a year, 
and settled, in 1868, in this county, on a 
farm, where he remained five years. In 
1873, he went to Council Bluffs and clerked 
for Gould & Johnston for a year, then kept 
a gi'ocery for four years, the firm name being 
Mullis & Eishtou. In 1878, the firm of 
Eishton Bros, opened their business in Ne- 
ola. Our subject continued a member of this 
firm till Aiigust, 1881, when he started a sep- 
arate store, which he still continues. He 
was married, in Council Blufis, in March, 
1863, to Mary Breckinridge, born in Sanga- 
mon County, III, January 15, 1841, daugh- 
ter of Preston and Catharine (Moler) Breck- 
inridge; he, born near Paris, Bourbon Co., 
Ky., August 5, 1807, died July 25, 1880; she, 
born August 30, 1804, died February 4, 
1847. Ml-. Eishton is aa Odd Fellow and a 
Democrat. Mrs. Eishton's maiden name, 
Breckinridge, had the following peculiar or- 
igin: A family in Scotland by the name of 
Mcllvain, while participating in one of the 
wars between the Protestants and Eoman 
Catholics, were defeated, and sought refuge 
lender a species of low shrub called brack, 
which grows on the. ridges of the Highlands 
of Scotland; hence the name Mcllvain 
changed to Brack-on-ridge, and finally 
merged into Breckinridge. The same family 
took part in some of the religious wars of 
Ireland, in which they were eventually de- 
feated. The great-grandfather of Preston 
Breckinridge (father of Mrs. Eishton) was a 
leader in these wars, and, upon being defeat- 
ed, fled, with his brothers, to America. One 
of the brothers settled in Pennsvlvania and 



193 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



the other in Virginia. The latter raised a 
family, among whom was one son, Alexander, 
who had a son Robert, who was the father 
of John, who had two sons — Robert J. (bet- 
ter known as Rev. R. J., D. D.) and Joseph 
Campbell, the latter of whom was the father 
of John C. Breckinridge, ex- Vice President 
of the United States. Alexander (before 
mentioned) was the father of George, who 
had a son Alexander; he was twice married, 
and the eldest child by ihe second wife was 
Preston, father of Mrs. Thomas (Breckin- 
ridge) Rishton. Preston Breckinridge mar- 
ried Catharine Moler, in Kentucky, Novem- 
ber 17, 1827. They had twelve children, 
who were born and married as follows : Alex- 
ander, born October 31, 1828, married. May 
25, 1852, to Martha H. Barnhill, they had 
eight children; Hugh, born December 9, 1829, 
married, February 22, 1855, to Sarah M. 
Randolph, have two children; Cornelius, 
born March 12, 1831, married, September -1, 
1855, to Elizabeth L. Barnhill, they have five 
children; Joseph, the last, born in Kentucky, 
was born on July 17, 1832, married, March 
28, 1855, to Sarah J. Matthew, had two chil- 
dren; Elmore, born November 4, 1834, the 
first of the family born in Sangamon County, 
111., married, November, 1857, to Susannah 
Randolph, had six children; Cleophas, born 
August 7, 1836, married, after serving in the 
army, to Lilian T. Cave, have two children; 
Catharine, born June ,19, 1838, married, 
January 30, 1856, to Simon P. Randolph, 
they have six children; Elizabeth and Mary 
were twins, born January 13, 1841; Elizabeth 
married, April, 1862, to James H. Abell; 
Mary married, March, 1863, to our subject; 
Preston, born December 11, 1842, was in the 
army, returned home sick, August 7, 1865, 
and died the following day; Jane, born Feb- 
ruaiy 9, 18l5, married, August, 1864, to 
William Kamlage. Mr, Breckinridge's sec- 



ond marriage was with Lucy Robb; she died 
November 18, 1854, leaving two children — 
David, born December 28, 1850, lives in 
Texas, unmarried, and Lucy D., born August 
13, 1854, married, October 13, 1874, to W. 
H. Hunter. Mr. Breckinridge was a man of 
political notoriety, having opposed Abraham 
Lincoln for the State Legislature of Illinois,' 
and was elected over him and served during 
the years of 1851 and 1852. 

E. REICHART, merchant, Neola, was born 
in York County, Penn. , June 4, 1844, son of 

i Henry and Catharine (Gaytross) Reichart, he 

I born in York County, Penn., in April, 1795; 

I she, born in Germany in 1789, came, when 
fifteen years old, with her parents, to Amer- 
ica, Subject's father raised his family and 
tilled the soil in his native county till 1869. 
when he settled in Norwalk Townshij), this 
county, on a farm, where he died in April, 
1881, and his wife in January, 1877. They 
had six children. Subject's grandfather was 
one oE the first settlers of Y'ork County, 
Penn., coming there from Germany and lo- 
cating on a farm in a very early day of this 
country's history. Mr. Reichart was edu- 
cated in the common and high schools of 
York, Penn., where he served an apprentice- 
ship of two years, learning the trade of a 
millwright. At this time, the war broke out, 
and Ml-, Reichart, with all his comrades in 
trade, enlisted in the One Hundred and 
Forty- third Pennsylvania Infantry, Col. Day- 
ley. He joined the army as a private in 
1862, and was discharged as Orderly Ser- 

'geant in 1865. 'Mi-. Reichart was at the sec- 
ond battle of Bull Run; also at Fredericks- 
burg, Culpepper and Gettysburg. At the 
latter battle, he was captured, and paroled 
on the field. He was in the battle of the 
Wilderness; also at Cold Harbor, whore he 
was wounded. He was discharged in Har- 
risburg, Penn., June 19, 1865, shortly after 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP. 



193 



the surrender of Lee's army. Upon leaving 
the army, he retm'ued to Iowa, and, shortly 
after, bought a farm near Council Bluffs. 
This he improved and lived on till 1877, 
when he came to Neola and opened a general 
hardware and agricultural implement store, 
under the firm name of Reichart Bro.s. IMr. 
Reichart was married, in June, 1868, in 
Council Bluflfs, to Eliza J. Ritter, born in 
this county in 1849, daughter of Adam and 
Nancy (Ward) Ritter; he, born in Virginia 
in 1812, came to Iowa in 1847 and located in 
Garner Township, where he has since been 
engaged in farming; she, born in Virginia 
in 1818, is the mother of eight children. 
Mr. and Mrs. Reichart have four children — 
Laiu-a, Carrie, Sadie and Elizabeth. Mr. 
Reichart was the first Justice of the Peace in 
Norwalk Township, and served in that ca- 
pacity foiu- years. He was one of the first 
Aldermen of Neola, and served on the Board 
of Trustees of Norwalk Township for six 
years. He is an Odd Fellow, and a Demo- 
crat in politics. 

G. W. RODGERS, stock-dealer, Neola, 
was born in Ohio Couaty, W. Va. , May 28, 
1831; his father was born in West Virginia 
March 28, 1799, was a farmer and blacksmith 
and died in his native county June 15, 1845. 
The mother of our subject, Mary (Taylor) 
Rodgers, was born February 14, 1804, and 
died in 1879; the parents had nine children, 
seven of whom are living. When fifteen 
years of age, Mr. Rodgers moved fiom West 
Virginia to Illinois, where he worked thi*ee 
years as a hired man and then rented a farm 
till March, 1860, when he came to Appanoose 
County, Iowa; he remained there till Septem- 
ber 1, 1800. when he moved, with an os- 
team, to Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie Coun- 
ty; there he spent two years on a farm owned 
by Joseph Foreman, then two years on Thomas 
Coplan's farm: there, April 8. ISO:?, he lost 



his first wife, Ellen (Miller) Rodgers, born in 
Illinois in 1836; she was the mother of five 
children. After spending a short time in his 
native State, visiting friends, Mr. Rodgers 
returned to Iowa, and worked for two years, 
at $25 per month, for Dr. Robert McGovern, 
of Harrison County. After spending three 
months in Virginia, Mr. Rodgers worked 
four months for William Keline, of Iowa, at 
$40 per month. He then went into farming 
and stock-raising for himself. April 1, 1875, 
Mr. Rodgers located on his present farm ; 
from March 1 to July 18, 1882, he shipped, 
from Neola, 1,500 head of cattle and about 
5,000 head of hogs; he has at present 300 
head of stock cattle; he owns 1,030 acres of 
inclosed land in one body, valued at about 
$25 an acre. Mr. Rodgers was married a 
second time, November 28, 1878, to Miss 
Amelia Ward, born in England February 22, 
1850, daughter of George and Martha (War- 
ton) Ward; he was born in England and died 
in this country; she died at the home of our 
subject, February 22, 1882. Mr. Rodgers 
has sis children — Martin L., Mary C, George 
C, Nancy E. , Charlie and Viola. The family 
are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. 
Rodgers is a Republican. 

S. ROUSH, farmer, P. O. Neola, was born 
December 8, 1835, in Highland County, 
Ohio, son of John and Rebecca (Rhodes) 
Roush, he born in Virginia about 1799, went 
to Ohio when three years of age and remained 
upon the same farm fift_y years, coming to 
Iowa, Mai-ion County, where he now lives, in 
1854. Subject's mother, of German descent, 
was born about 1802, and is the mother of 
fourteen children, two of whom are dead. 
Mr. Roush had but little Bchooling in his 
younger days, but he is a good business man 
and well informed upon to^^ics of general in- 
terest. He first rented a farm in Marion 
County, Iowa, in 1855: there he continued 



19i 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



about twelve years, when he removed to this 
county, and after renting for two years, 
bought forty acres, which he imjjroved and 
sold six years later; after renting land three 
years, he bought eighty acres, which he sold 
after farming one season; he rented three 
years more, and then, in 1880, bought his 
present farm, situated two and one-half miles 
north of Neola. Mr. Koush was married, in 
Marion County, Iowa, in 1858, to Amanda 
M. Hughes, born in Iowa about 1839, daugh- 
ter of Asa and Sarah (Parker) Hughes. This 
union has been blessed with twelve children, 
two of whom are dead. Those surviving are 
Sarah J., William, John, Martha P., Robert, 
Chester K., Harlow, Harry, Jennie L. and 
George. Mr. Roush is a Democrat. 

H J. SCHIERBROCK, blacksmith, Neo- 
la, was born in Lee County, Iowa, March 29, 
1859; his father, Christian Schierbrock, was 
born in Germany October 10, 1809; he came 
to America in 1857, and settled in West 
Point, Ijee Co., Iowa, where he has since fol- 
lowed the carpenter trade, being a hale, 
hearty man, desjjite his age; he was married, 
in Germany, about 1817, and his wife has 
blessed him with nine children — Catharine, 
Adolph, Mary, Herman, William, Henry J., 
Lizzie, John and Annie; seven of them are 
living, of -whom our subject is the youngest 
son. The latter left home when twelve years 
of age, and went to Missovrri, where he 
worked two summers in a brick-yard; then 
worked two years with his father at carpen 
tering. At the age of sixteen, he began as 
an apprentice at blacksmithing, ser\'ing his 
time with George Vandahar, at West Point, 
Iowa. He worked at liis trade for seven 
months at Quincy, 111., then came to Neola 
March 5, 1878, and after working as a jour- 
neyman for ten months, opened on his own 
account and has since conducted the leading 
blacksmith shop of the place, having all the 



appurtenances of a ftrst-elass shop. He owns 
320 acres of land, in Dakota; he is a Catholic 
in religion and a Democrat in politics. 

LEVI W. TODD, physician and sm-geon, 
Neola, was born in Jennings County, Ind. , 
in September, 1854 The family originated 
in Scotland, but subsequently removed to 
Ireland, where a man by the name of Todd 
(his first name believed to have been David) 
married Hannah Owen, and came to this 
country with other members of the family 
previous to the American Revolution. They 
settled at Pequea, Lancaster Co., Penn. , and 
had three sons — John, Robert and Levi — who 
were educated by their uncle. Rev. John 
Todd, who conducted a literary institute in 
Virginia. About 1778, the thi-ee brothers 
emigrated to what became Fayette County, Ky. 
They were influential in forming the institu- 
tions of the State, and took an active j^art in 
the Indian wars of those days. John Todd, 
under commission from Patrick Henry, Gov- 
ernor of Virginia, was authorized to establish 
the cotinty of Illinois. In the commission, 
dated December 12, 1778, at Williamsburg, 
then the capital of the State, he was styled 
County Lieutenant Commandant, and as such 
organized the county, and thus became in 
fact, though not in name, the first Governor 
of Illinois. At the outbreak of the Indians 
west of the Ohio, he was commissioned 
Colonel, and was slain at the battle of Blue 
Licks, August 18, 1782. Robert Todd, the 
second brother, acquired the title of General, 
in connection with the Indian wars and later 
military operations in Kentucky. One of 
his daughters became the wife of Gen. Will 
iam 0. Butler, of Carrollton, Ky. Levi 
Todd, the youngest of the three brothers, was 
engaged in the early Indian wars in Ken- 
tucky, and was a Lieutenant under Col. Clark 
in the expedition that captured Fort Gates 
and the village of Kaskaskia July 4, 1778. 



NEOLA TOWXSHIP. 



195 



Lieut. Todd afterward acquired the title of 
General. He was Clerk of the Circuit Court 
of Fayette County, Ky. ; spout the most of 
his life at Lexington, Ky., where he died. 
His daughter Hannah was the mother of Hon. 
John T. Stuart; his son, Robert Todd, was 
the father of Mrs. N. W. Edwards, Mrs. Dr. 
William S. Wallace, Mrs. C. M. Smith and 
Mrs. Abraham Lincoln, all of Springfield, 
111. Gen. Levi Todd, the third son, before 
mentioned, was the head of the family of our 
subject. Dr. Levi W. Todd, youngest son of 
Levi W. and Demia (Butler) Todd, he born 
in Ohio in 1807, was Treasurer of Jennings 
County, Ind., for foiu-teen years, diu-ing 
which time he studied medicine, afterward 
graduated at Cincinnati, and is now practic- 
ing at Litchfield, Minn. Our subject's 
mother was born in New York State in 1812, 
and died in 1876; she was the mother of ten 
ehildi-en, one of whom is dead. Our subject 
began his education in the common schools 
of Jennings County, Ind., and afterward 
spent two terms in Franklin College. John- 
son County, Ind. He came to this county in 
1870, and, after teaching school for two years, 
returned to Indiana and read medicine with 
his father. He graduated in 1879 at Hahne- 
mann Medical College, Chicago; then located 
in Neola, where he has since practiced medi- 
cine. Dr. Todd was married, in Council 
Bluffs, Iowa, in 1878, to Fannie Foot, born 
in Connecticut July i, 1855, daughter of 
Reuben M. and Nancy (Taylor) Foot, natives 
of Connecticut. Dr. andjVlrs. Foot have one 
child — an infant daughter, Demia. Mem- 
bers of the Christian Church. The Doctor 
is a member of the I. O. O. F., of the Iowa 
Legion of Honor, and is a Republican. 

J. A. UPSON, farming, P. O. Neola, was 
born in Ohio August 10, 1837, son of Reuben 
A. and Jane (Fiirber) TJpson; he, born in Con- 
necticut about 1808, emigi-ated from there to 



Ohio, where he was occupied as a farmer and 
raised his family; he is now living in Henry 
County, 111. Subject's mother was born in 
England about 1810, and when ten years old 
came to America with her parents; she had 
seven children, three of whom are dead. 
Mr. Upson was engaged in farming; rented 
land in Illinois till he joined the army, in 
1862: he enlisted in the One Hundred and 
Fifteenth Ohio Volunteers, and served three 
years. He was taken prisoner by Hood's 
forces, near Nashville, Tenu., and after about 
seventeen days he escaped from the enemy 
and returned to the Union lines. The faith- 
fulness of the negroes to the Union cause is 
illustrated in the following incident: In De- 
cember, 186-4, some Federal soldiers, among 
whom was our subject, were confined in an 
old court house in Columbia, from which Mr. 
Upson escaped while after water; he was 
taken in by a colored family and secreted for 
eight or nine days in their garret. Gen. 
Thomas then took the town, and Mr. Upson 
was restored to his regiment. After return- 
ing from the war, Mr. Upson settled in 
Hampton, 111., and worked in a mill one 
year, then engaged in farming two years, 
after which he spent two years farming in 
Iowa; thence to Nebraska, where he spent 
five years on a homestead and timber claim; 
sold this and returned to Iowa: spent five 
years in Harrison County, and in the fall of 
1881 came to Pottawattamie County. Mr. 
Upson was married, in Rock Island County, 
111., in 1861, to Delia Richardson, born in 
Rock Island County, HI., in 1838, daughter 
of Stephen and Nancy (Deby) Richard»uu; he, 
born in Connecticut in 1809, lives in Illinois; 
she, born in Pennsylvania, died some years 
since. Mr. and ilrs. Upson have eight chil- 
dren — George, Ida M., Nellie L., Sarah J., 
Bennie L., Minnie, Lily N. and Kate. Mr. 
Upson is a Republican. 



196 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



J. H. WATKINS. farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in London, England, February 18, 
1838, son of William and Maria (Gypp) Wat- 
kins, natives of London, England: be was 
born about 1801, and died in Brigham City, 
Utah, in 1865 ; he came to America in 1842 ; 
while in England, he worked as a brick-layer 
and plasterer; also a cabinet-maker; in this 
country, he was mostly occupied as a farmer. 
The mother of our subject was born about 
1802, and died in Brigham City, Utah, in 
1867; she came to America with her husband, 
whom she blessed wiih thirteen children, 
four of whom are living. Mj\ Watkins' 
father first settled in Illinois, and in 1847 
removed to Iowa, near Crescent City, where 
he remained until 1852, when he went to 
Utah; there our subject was employed as a 
trader till 1858. when he returned to Iowa 
and rented a farm in Fremont County, till 
1863. During the summer of the latter year, 
he drove team to Denver City, making two 
trips; during 1864, he fanned, and the fol- 
lowing year lumbered and mined in Montana 
Territory. After a short time spent in Utah, 
he returned to the Montana mines, thence 
back to Iowa, where he rented a farm till 
moving to Pottawattamie County, where, after 
renting a farm of Mr. H. Rishton, Sr., for 
four years, he bought 120 acres, where he 
now lives. Mr. AVatkins was married, in 
Utah, in December, 1858, to Mary E. Ettle- 
man, born in February, 1840, in Illinois, 
daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Smith) 
Ettleman, he, born in Pennsylvania, was a 
hotel-keeper and died at the age of eighty- 
six; she is still living, at the age of eighty- 
two. Mr. and Mrs. Watkins' children are 
Joseph H., Margaret M., Rosy E., Eudora, 
Hiram A., Lucy E., Nettie A., Perry J. and 
Jessie. Mr. Watkins is a Democrat. 

H. S. WATKINS, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in London. England, January 2, 



1840; his father, William Watkins, was born 
in England about 1801, and came to America 
about 1842, settling first in Hancock County, 
111., thence to Iowa, where he lived near. 
Crescent City till 1852, when he emigrated 
to Utah and located in Brigham City, where 
he died in 1865. He was a plasterer, brick- 
layer and cabinet-maker, but farmed in this 
country. Subject's mother, Hannah M. 
(Gypp) Watkins, was born in London, Eng- 
land, in 1802, and came to America with 
her husband and three children; she died in 
Brigham City, Utah, in 1867, and was the 
mother of thirteen children. Mr. Watkins 
began as a day laborer in Utah, in 1859, and 
was employed in various places in that Ter- 
ritory and Montana until 1860. when he mar- 
ried and came to this county, and was en- 
gaged in farming until 1863, when he again 
turned westward and for two years engaged 
in mining and freighting in Colorado, Mon- 
tana and Utah. In the fall of 1865, Mr. 
Watkins returned to Iowa, and bought a 
farm in Pottawattamie County, and remained 
upon il till 1881, when he bought the farm 
of 320 acres where he now lives. It is situ- 
ated about four and a half miles northwest of 
Neola. Mr. Watkins was married, in Utah, 
in I860, to Sarah T. Jones, born in Wales in 
1844; her father, John Jones, was born in 
Wales, and came to America in 1849, settled 
first in this county, and then went to Utah in 
1852; her mother, Jane (Taeharn) Jones, 
was born in Wales and came to America with 
her husband; she was tlie mother of seven 
children. Mr and Mrs. Watkins have four 
children — Estella E., Maria J., Mary A. and 
David \. Mr. AVatkins is not a partisan in 
politics. 

G. J. AVILLIAMS, farmer. P. O. Xeola. 
was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, May 14, 
1855; his father, Thomas Williams, living on 
a farm in Pottawattamie County, was born in 



NEOLA TOWNSHIP. 



197 



England about 1827; is a blacksmith and 
farmer; also a musician; he came to America 
in 1851 with his father, who lives with our 
subject; his mother, Anna (Jones) Williams, 
was born in Wales about 1832; she came to 
this country with her parents, who, after 
spending one year in Council Bluffs, located 
in Salt Lake City, where they still reside. 
Mr. Williams attended the common schools 
of Pottawattamie County,"where he is now an 
active farmer and stock-dealer. Ho first en- 
gaged in stock-dealing, by which occupation 
he cleared enough in four years to purchase 
his present farm of eighty acres, situated two 
miles south of Xeola. Mi-. Williams was 
married, in Norwalk Township, this county, 
December 25, 1877, to Sarah E. Minturn, 
born in this county September 13, 1862, 
daughter of Benjamin and Sarah A. (Pickets) 
Minturn; he, born in Illinois in 1812, is a 
farmer by occupation, living in this county; 
she, bom in Prince Edward Island in 1821, 
died in Iowa in 1872. Mr. and ilrs. Will- 
iams have one child — Clara S., born June 12, 
1881. Mr. Williams is an Odd Fellow and 
a Republican. 

CHARLES M. AVITT, merchant, Neola, 
was born in Prussia January 2, 1853; his 
father and mother were natives of Germany, 
the former bom in 1853 and the latter in 
1856. Subject's grandfather, Frederick 
Witt, was a soldier in the allied army of 
Blucher's Division, and in the battle of 
Waterloo was taken prisoner. About 1856, 
Mr. Witt came to America with his parents, 
who, after spending two years in Newark. N. 



J., removed to Chicago, where they still re- 
side. Mr. Witt has five brothers and five 
sisters, all living in America. Our subject 
obtained his education by attending night 
school in Chicago, while in the employ of 
Sinclair & Moore, proprietors of a planing- 
mill. He commenced working for them when 
ten years of age, and finally became foreman 
of the mill, which position he held for two 
years, or until the mill changed hands, when 
Mr. Witt went to Ottawa, 111. , where he was 
foreman of a large lumber yard for two years. 
From Ottawa, Mr. Witt returned to Chicago, 
and entered the hardware fij-m of Georee 

o 

Rehm & Co., with whom he remained one 
year; then, in 1879, he came to Neola, Iowa, 
and opened a hardware and furniture store, to 
which he has since added farm implements; 
he has built up a large and lucrative trade. 
Mr. Witt was married, in Ottawa,' 111., to 
Miss Adeline Jacob, born in Lancaster Coun- 
ty, Penn., February 11, 1858, daughter of 
Henry and Catharine (Machedance) Jacob, 
who came to America from Germany in 1840; 
he is a dyer by trade, born January 10, 1823; 
they are now living on a farm in Illinois. 
This union has resulted in two childi-en — - 
Frederick H., born November 24, 1878, and 
Adeline E., born August 12, 1880. In 1880, 
Mr. Witt erected one of th: linest houses in 
the town of Neola; he also has a fine double 
store in which to conduct his business. He 
is a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the 
Legion of Honor; in politics^ he is a Repub- 
lican, and in religion, Methodist Episcopal. 



198 



BIOCtRAPHICAL: 



NORWALK TOW:t^SHIP. 



JEREMIAH ANEY, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Cherry Valley, Otsego Co., N. Y., 
July 17, 1832; he is the son of Jacob and 
Angeline (Putnam) Aney; his father and 
mother were both born in Cherry Valley, N. 
Y., he Si^ptember 6, 1798, and is still living 
in New York; she about the year 1803. Our 
subject received a common school education 
and lived at home till he was twenty-one 
years of age; he was maiTied, December 7, 
1854, in Otsego County, N. Y., to Ellen Peai-- 
son, born in Cherry Valley July 14, 1835. 
She is the daughter of John Pearson, who 
was born in Mohawk. Montgomery Co., N. 
Y., SejDtember 16. 1804; he is still living in 
Otsego County, N. Y. Her moth<!r, Mary 
Keeling, was born in Staffordshire, England, 
October 15, 1806. Our subject lived and 
farmed in Otsego County, N. Y. , until 1874, 
when he came to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Here 
he lived for four years, after which he came 
to this county. He owns 200 acres of land 
in Section 11, Norwalk Township, and en- 
gaged in general "farming. He has one child 
— Elmer F., who was born in Roseboom, Ot- 
sego Co., N. Y., November 9, 1857; he was 
married, in Council Bluffs. September 5, 
1880, to Mary Charles, who was born in 
Wayne County, lud., March 3, 1863. They 
have one child — Jeremiah Atwood, born May 
9, 1881. Our subject is a member of the 
Society of Friends. Tu politics, he is a 
Democrat. 

E. B. ASHLEY, farmer, P. O. Weston, 
was born in Darke County, Ohio, August 1, 
1839; he is the son of Joel L and Mary 
Annie (Martin) Ashley; his father was born 



in Massachusetts about 1816; he was a stone 
and brick mason and an early settler of Ohio. 
His (subject's) mother was born in Ohio in 
1818. Our subject had a limited common- 
school education; he worked at home on his 
father's farm until he was twenty-one years 
of age. He was married in Logan County, 
111., May 20, 1860, to Martha N., daughter 
of William and Elizabeth D. (Alsop) Shirley. 
She was born in Scott County. Ky., July 19, 
1837. Both of her parents were natives of 
Kentucky. Our subject's parents moved to 
Logan County, 111., in 1857. After his mar- 
riage, Mr. Ashley farmed in that State for 
about sixteen years; he then came to this 
county, March 8, 1876, and has been engaged 
in farming ever since. He has made a spe- 
cialty of raising corn, but contemplates going 
into the stock-raising business. He has six 
childi-en — Frank, born March 15, 1861; 
Rose, born February 26, 1864; Dolly, born 
March 1, 1866; Lena, born November 28, 
1869; Cora, born September 11, 1871, and 
Birch, born July 27. 1874. Mr. Ashley is a 
member of the Christian Church. He votes 
the Republican ticket. 

C. BRADFIELD, farmer. P. O. Ne9la, 
was born in Newberry, Berkshire, England, 
about 1842; he is the son of George and 
Sarah (Vockins) Bradfield, both of whom 
were natives of England, the father of Berk- 
shire and the mother of Wiltshire. Our 
subject was raised in England and received 
h«s education in the common schools of that 
country. He came to the United States in 
1861, and after living in New Y'ovk for one 
vear, he went to LTtah. From Florence, 



NORWALK TOWXSHIP. 



199 



Neb., he traveled by ox teams. He lived at 
Salt Lake for eigbt years, at theeudof which 
time he came to Council Bluffs by rail. Here 
he stayed for one year, when he came to the 
eastern part of Norwalk Township, where he 
has eighty acres of laud. He has been en- 
gaged in farming and blacksmithing for 
nearly the past twelve years. He was mar- 
ried, in Newberry, England, in 1860, to 
Maria Cuin, who was born in Hampstead, 
England, about 1840. They have had four 
children — all sons, of whom but one is living 
— Franklin Thomas, born in Utah November 
22, 1867. In religion, Mr. Bradfield is a 
Mormon, and in politics a Greenbacker. 

F. L. CHILDS, farmer, P. O. Neola, is 
one of the most enterprising farmers of this 
township, born in Jacksonville, Windham 
Co., Vt., Februaiy 26, 1843; he is the son of 
L. J. and Betsey (Bassett) Childs; his father 
was born in Windham County, Vt., March 
16, 1815; his mother was born June 9, 1821. 
•His father was a farmer, but was engaged at 
different times in various other occupations. 
He was a merchant, tavern-keeper and baker. 
While engaged in the latter capacity, he 
founded, in connection with his four brothers, 
the Mechanical Bakery of Chicago. Our 
subject's parents emigrated from Wilming- 
ton, Vt. , to Chicago, when he was a small 
boy. From this place, they moved to St. 
Charles, Kane Co.. 111., where they lived for 
nine years. They then came to this county, 
locating in Norwalk Township in 1856. A 
brother and sister of our subject's mother ac- 
companied them. The brother enlisted as a 
volunteer m an Iowa regiment and was killed 
at the battle of Pea Ridge. When our sub- 
ject tirst came to this county, the country- was 
wild and unsettled. Deer, elk, buffalo and 
lynx held full sway on the prairie, while 
catamounts, wild cats and wolves prowled 
about. While cutting timber, om* subject 



killed a large catamount, and at one time, 
while coming home from school, he was fol- 
lowed by a lynx for a mile. Mr. Childs' 
farm now consists of 400 acres, all of which 
is under cultivation. He makes a specialty of 
feeding stock, for which he raises tame hay. 
This spring (1882), he has the credit of ship 
ping the fattest cattle that were shipped from 
this county. He has always lived on his 
present place since coming to Iowa and is 
forward in improvements. His early edu- 
cation was received at Tabor, Fremont Co.. 
Iowa. March 16, 1865, he was married, in 
Norwalk Township, to Margaret G. Dewey, 
who was born in Cambridgfeshire, England, 
November 5, 1844. They have had five chil- 
dren, four of whom are living, viz., Ellen 
Dewey, born May 18, 1869; Bradford F., 
born July 27, 1874; George S., born Jan. 
19, 1877, and Naomi Emily, born December 
8, 1879; Charlie L. is dead. In religious 
matters, Mr. Childs is not denominational, 
and in politics, he is a Republican Green- 
backer. 

WILLIAM CLE ARY, farmer, P.O. Downs- 
ville, was born at Shawbridge, Terre Bonne 
Co., Canada, December 28. 1859; he is the 
son of William and Ann Jane (Shaw) Cleary; 
his father was a farmer and was born in the 
northern part of Ireland inlSlO; his mother 
was born in Shawbridge, Canada, in 1826. 
Her father, William Shaw, built a bridge 
over the North River, from which circum- 
stance the place was named Shawbridge. 
Our subject's parents had seventeen childi-en 
— -nine sons and eight daughters. Of these 
there are sixteen at present (1882) living. 
Om- subject received a very limited education 
in the common schools of Canada. He 
worked on his father's farm until he was 
twenty-six years of age. In 1878, he came 
to Council Bluffs, and was engaged in team- 
ing for two years. He then worked at the 



200 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



creamery of C. H. Wheeler for one year. In 
January, 1882, he bought eighty acres of 
land in Norwalk Township, where he now re- 
sides. He was married, April 4, 1882, to 
Maggie A. Tindele, who was born at Shaw- 
bridge, Canada. Mr. Cleary is a member of 
the M. E. Church. 

HEXKY G. FISHER, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in York County, Penn., June 18, 
1837; he is the son of Robert and Catha- 
rine (Gatrost) Fisher. His father was a na- 
tive of New York, and his mother of Hazen, 
Germany, and she was born about 1812. 
Our subject's education was wholly acquired 
in that practical school which has experience 
for its teacher. While a boy, he lived with 
his grandfather, who taught him the butcher's 
trade. At the age of sixteen, he apprenticed 
to a carpenter for three years, named Charles 
NeflF, of Dallastown, York Co., Penn. He 
came West in 1856, traveling by rail from 
Harrisburg to Iowa City ; at the latter place, 
he paid out his last money for a passage by 
stage to Des Moines. At this place, he was 
compelled to part with a good watch, in order 
to secure a stage ticket to Council Bluffs. 
He arrived at the latter place on a very 
stormy winter day, December 19. 1856. The 
balance of that winter he spent with his un- 
cle, Philip Gatrost. For several years fol- 
lowing, he worked at his trade — carpenter- 
ing. September 25, 1862, t-is miles east of 
the Bluffs, he was married to Hannah Gray- 
bill, who was born in Hancock County, 111., 
August 3, 18-1:2. She is the daughter of 
George and Mary (Smith) Graybill. Her 
father was a native of Ohio and her mother 
was born near Indianapolis, Ind. They were 
among the iirst settlers in Pottawattamie 
County, coming here when Mrs. Fisher was 
only three years old. Shortly after his mar- 
riage, oui' subject began farming. He rent- 
ed land for four years of Dr. Phillips. One 



year, he sub-rented the farm, and 500 bush- 
els of corn, along with the stable, was burned 
by the carelessness of the renters. He theu 
purchased part of his present farm, and im- 
proved it. In 1867, he was engaged in 
butchering for the Chicago, Rock Island & 
Pacific Railroad while it was being construct- 
ed through this county. This adventure 
proved to be very successful to our subject. 
He owed at times as high as §3, 000 for cat- 
tle, and hold accounts amounting from $5, - 
000 to S6. 000. Part of this was lost, how- 
ever, by the dishonesty on the part of one of 
the contractors. The nest year, he moved to 
Neola and engaged in the grain business, 
which he followed for three years. He lost 
two car loads of wheat and the same of corn 
in the great Chicago fire. In the spring of 
1873, a fire destroyed his house and effects 
in Neola. He went back to his farm, and 
after living there .for two years, was again 
bm-ned out. on July' 3, 1875. He then 
bought an addition to his farm, and built the 
house in which he now resides. In 1881, he 
biitchered fur the. Chicago, Milwaukee & St. 
Paul Railroad while it was in course of con- 
struction through this county. The present 
year, he has completed a canal for the same 
railroad through a portion of his own place. 
This vas imdertakeu and' made a success after 
the failure of seven other contractors. Mr 
Fisher has six children — George E.. born 
November 15, 1863; Manuel D., born Febru- 
ary 15, 1865; Lucinda E., born June 18, 
1868; Mary C, born June 20, 1870; Massa 
Anne, born October -L, 1873, and Stephen Ira 
Isaac, born August 23, 1881. In politics, 
Mr. Fisher is a Republican Greenbacker. 

CORDOVA FLECK, miller, Downsville, 
was born in Richland County, Ohio, in No- 
vember, 1843; he is the son of G. W. and 
Elizabeth (Hedi-ick) Fleck; his father was 
born in Pennsylvania in 1820; his mother 



XORWALK TOWNSHIP. 



201 



was a native of Ohio, born in 18 IS, and died 
in 1860. Our subject owns and operates a 
mill on Mosquito Creek at Downsville. He 
is also Postmaster. He was married, iu Greene 
County, Iowa, October 30, 1S64, to Matilda 
A., born in Putnam County, Ind., the daugh- 
ter of L. N. and Tabitha Wright. They 
have four children — Warren M. , Elizabeth 
E., Jennie F. and Ida I. 

HENEY GATROST, farmer, P. O. Wes- 
ton, was born iu this cOunty July 31, 1848; 
he is the son of Philip and Catharine 
(Graybill) Gatrost His father was a native 
of Germany and came to Pennsylvania when 
he was a boy. From there he moved to Illi- 
nois and afterward to this county, locating in 
Garner Township in 1846. His mother was 
born in Ashe County, N. C, in 1814; was 
brought to Ohio when an infant, and is still 
living in this county. Our subject was edu- 
cated in the common schools of this county, 
and was an unusually diligent and attentive 
student. He worked on his father's farm till 
he was twentj' years of age, when he was 
married to Emily, daughter of Asa and Dru- 
silla Downs, who settled in this county in 
1852. Our subject then farmed his father's 
place for five years, since which he has been 
engaged in farming on lands which he rents. 
His mother became connected with the Latter- 
Day Saints Church, in Ohio, in 1883; came 
to Caldwell County, Mo., where she experi- 
enced all the hardships of that people. They 
were mobbed and driven out of Missouri, 
when they went to Adams County, 111. , near 
Quincy. She came with the colony that 
founded Kanesville, this county, in 1846. 
Our subject's father was connected with the 
same church, after coming to Iowa, and died 
in that faith, November 5, 1870. Mr. and 
Mrs. Gatrost have eight children— Alvin J., 
Michael E., Ii-a E., John W., Forest A. , Ada A., 
Laui'a M. (deceased), Caroline I. and Eva 



J. ]Mr. Gatrost is a member of the Latter- 
Day Saints Church. In politics, he is a Re- 
publican. 

FRED S. GROTE, farmer, P. O. Weston, 
was born in Germany September 10, 1850; 
he is the son of Fred and Eureka Grote; 
his father was a brick-maker, was born in 
'Germany about 1819, and is now dead; his 
mother was two weeks older than her hus- 
band. Om- subject's parents came from Ger- 
many to Coiincil Bluffs in 1858, when he was 
a boy. He received a common-school educa- 
tion, and spent his youthful days in helping 
his father in the brick business. He was 
married, in Council Bluffs, in 1873, to 
Lena Lubbers, a native of Hanover, Ger- 
many. She was born in 1848, and came 
alone to Council Bluffs about 1871. She is 
the daughter of John and Angella Gertrude 
(Haka) Lubbers. Her father was born in 
Altenberg, in January, 1820. He came to 
Council Bluffs in 1876, and died May 18, 
1882. Her mother was born in the same 
place in 1821, and died in Germany Septem- 
ber 20, 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Grote have four 
children — Henry, born January 9, 1874; 
Minnie, born April 18, 1876; Fred, born De- 
cember 30, 1877, and Harmon, born June 9, 
1881. Mrs. Grote is a member of the Cath- 
olic Church. In politics, Mr. Grote is an In- 
dependent. He has 160 acres of land. 

JAMES HEY WOOD, farmer, P. O. Coiin- 
cil Bluffs, was born in this county August 15, 
1848. He is the son of Jonathan and 
Mary (Matheson) HejTVOod. His father was 
a shoemaker by trade, but was engaged most 
of his life in farming. He was born in Ver- 
mont in 1806. He came to this county 
thirty-seven years ago, and is still living 
three miles east of Council Bluffs. Our sub- 
ject's mother was born in New York about 
1824, and died at the age of thirty-six. Our 
subject received a common-school education 



202 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



and worked on his father's farm until he was 
nineteen years of age, at which time he be- 
gan farming for himself. He was married, 
in Xorwalk Townshii^, February 10, 1870, to 
Euth J. Price, born in Dowliss, "Wales, Au- 
gust 29, 1848. She is the daughter of 
Bees D. and Jane (Jones) Price. Her father 
was born in Wales in 1812, and her mother 
in the same country in 1813. Mrs. Heywood 
was but five months old when her parents 
brought her to America. They came all the 
way to Cou.ncil Bluffs by water, and was on 
board the first vessel that had ascended the 
Missouri to Traders Point. Our subject has 
240 acres of land, most of which is in a good 
state of cultivation. 

F. T. C. JOHNSON, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Augusta County, Va., June 16, 
1834. He is the son of Francis and Mary 
Jane (Hall) Johnson. His father was an old 
Virginia planter, and was born in Augusta 
County, Va. , in 1808. The old Johnson 
homestead is known in Virginia as Bushy 
Neck. It is a tract of land lying in a loop 
of the Middle River, a branch of the Shen- 
andoah. It has come down through the family 
for 200 years, and was granted as a considera- 
tion for services rendered the crown of Eng- 
land. Onr subject's father had two brothers, 
both of whom died in the West Indies. Neither 
raised any childi-en. Our subject's mother 
was born in Albemarle County, Va., in 1810. 
His advantages for an education were very 
limited, being confined to the old subscrip- 
tion schools. At the age of seventeen, he 
began an ajjprenticeship of three years to the 
carpenter's trade. For two years and eight 
months, he attended the University of Vir- 
ginia, at Charlottsville, near Monticello, the 
home of Thomas Jefferson. Our subject con- 
cluded to come West, and arrived in Council 
Bluffs March 4. 1855. He came as far as 
Rock Island, 111., bv rail, crossed the Missis- 



sijjpi on the ice; came as far as Winterset, 
Madison Co.. Iowa, by stage, and walked the 
balance of the distance, arriving several days 
ahead of the stage. The fii'st summer he 
worked at his trade, doing the first work on 
the capitol at Omaha, and also working on 
George Izzard's house, the first Governor of 
Nebraska. The following winter he spent in 
Eastern Iowa He returned the next spring 
and worked at his trade as a contractor. He 
built the court house and nearly all the 
schoolhouses uj) to 1870; also the residences 
of P. Batehell, John Bearsheim, L. Kirch 
and William Groneweg, together with most 
of the business houses on Broadway, up to 
1870. He then settled on his present farm, 
Section 17, Norwalk Township, and has re- 
sided there since. September 20, 1857, he 
maiTied Caroline, daughter of Col. L. W. 
and Mary Ellen (Farmer) Babbitt. She was 
born in Cleveland, Ohio, August 30. 1836. 
Her father was born in Ovid, Seneca Co., N. 
Y., January 30, 1812. He was one of the 
first settlers of this county. He first came as 
Register of the Land Office; was afterward 
the editor of the Council BhiSs Bugle. Mrs. 
Johnson's mother was born in West Virginia. 
Our subject has had six children, five of whom 
are living — Lysander, born July 4, 1858; 
Alexander, born November 29, 1859, and died 
in December, 1861; Mary Ellen, born July 
30, 1861; Francis Lee, born April 7, 1863; 
Julian, born October 3, 1864, and Da'sy, 
born December 9, 1873. In politics, Mr. 
Johnson is an old school Democrat. 

PATRICK KENNEDY, farmer, P. 0. 
Neola, was born December 15, 1814, within 
one mile of the seashore, at Inniscron, 
County Sligo, Ireland. He is the son of 
Thomas and Hannah (Fox) Kennedy. His 
father was a farmer and was bom in Ireland 
about 1782. His mother was also born in 
Ireland about 1782. His parents had three 



XORTVALK TOWXSHIP. 



203 



children — two sons and a daughter. Ouv 
subject was educated in subscription schools 
in Ireland. He lived and worked with his 
father until his marriage, which occurred in 
1844 at the place of his birth. His bride was 
"Winifred Bourke, born September 20, 1815, 
the daughter of Thomas and Bridget (Fox) 
Bourke. The parents were both natives of 
County Sligo, Ireland. Oiu' subject came to 
America in 1847, accompanied by his brother. 
He landed in New York City, and lived over 
three years in Pennsylvania. He then moved 
to Clark County, Ohio, where he lived about 
twenty-one years, afterward going to Caldwell 
County, Mo., where he lived about three 
years. An investment in land proved disas- 
trous to the extent of S9,(j00, which repre- 
sented his all. He then came to Council 
Blufl's, arriving in 1872, at which time he 
had just ten coppers left. He went to work 
with a will, and this year (1882), he was 
able to pui-chase 160 acres of well-improved 
land, for which he paid S3, 500. Mi-, and 
Mrs. Kennedy have had eight childi-en, three 
of whom they have buried in Ohio. Those 
living are Mary, born March 25, 1845, she 
is the wife of Patrick Hannan; Margaret, 
born March 25, 1858, she was married to T. 
C. Brougham, and bore him three children, 
she died in February, 1880; Thomas, born 
September 18, 1847; John, born February 
22. 1860, and Kate, born May 21, 1862. In 
religion, ]\Ir. Kennedy is Catholic, and in 
politics, a Democrat. 

AUGUST KLOPPING, farmer, P. O. 
Downsville, was born in Prussia. Germany. 
July 20, 1835; he is the son of Frederick 
and Sophia (Lukermann) Klopping; his fa- 
ther was a fai'mer and was born in Prussia 
about 1807, and died in that country about 
1862. His mother was born in Prussia 
in 1810; she came to this country from 
Prussia in 1881, being in her seventy- 



second'year, and is still living. Our subject 
was educated in his native land, and worked 
at home until he was twenty-one years of age. 
In April, 1854, he came to the United States, 
arriving in New York in May of the same 
year. He went at once to Freejaort, 111., 
where he lived for one year. He then came 
to Council Bluffs, where he worked as team- 
ster for about two years. He was married, 
in Council Bluffs, November 21, 1858, to 
Maria Hatcher, who was born in Prussia May 
2, 183S; she is the daughter of Peter and 
Maria (Myers) Hatcher, both of whom were 
natives of Prussia and both died in that 
country. Mrs. Klopping came from the old 
country to New Orleans in 1856. From 
there she went to Quincy, 111., and finally, 
to Council Bluffs in 1S57. After his mar- 
riage, our subject farmed for four years in 
Shelby County, Iowa. He then went to 
Freeport, 111., where he stayed nearly a year. 
He then lived one year in Jasper County, 
Iowa, after which he returned to this county. 
He rented land for two years, and in 1866 
he purchased 120 acres of his present farm. 
He then went to the Bluff;-', and teamed again 
for two years. In the spring of 1869, he re- 
turned to his farm, and by successive pur- 
chases now has 520 acres, over 300 of which 
are under cultivation, the balance being in 
grass and timber. His specialty is raising 
cattle. Mr. and Mrs. Klopping have had ten 
children, seven of whom are living — Sophia, 
born November 27, 1S59; Henry F., Decem- 
ber 6, 1861, died January 28, 1863: Karl, 
born December 15, 1863; Edward, February 
21, 1866, died July 27, 1867; Adolph, born 
March 25, 1868; Anna M., July 17. 1870; 
Emma, September 12, 1872; Louis, March 3, 
1875; August, March 6, 1877; Louisa, July 
18, 1880, died May IS. 1881. 

F. A LARKIN, farmer, P. O. Downsville, 
was born in Jackson County, Iowa, October 



204 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



23, 1857; he was the fourth child of Arthur 
and Bridget (McGivern) Larkin. His father 
was born in County Armagh, Ireland, March 
1, 1829, and died in Jackson County, Iowa, 
April 1, 1873. His mother was also born in 
County Armagh, Ireland, February 1, 1828. 
The parents were married in 1852, in the 
Catholic Church, in Elgin, 111., by the Rev. 
Father Pheely. They had nine children, of 
whom but four are now living — Felix A. (our 
subject), Ai-thiir J., James E. and Alice E. 
The others were Peter, Michael, Margaret, 
Mary Ann, and John Frank. Om- sub- 
ject lived with his parents until his fa- 
ther's death, but is now working a farm of 
his own, consisting of 160 acres, as well as 
120 acres in Hardin Township, owned by his 
mother. Mrs. Larkin, mother of subject, 
came to America in 1849, and her lato husband 
when he was quite young, living at various 
places from New York City to Clinton, Iowa. 
The family are members of the Catholic 
ChurcL 

J. P. MAXFIELD, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Prince Edward's Island in Au- 
gust, 1839; he is the son of William and 
Sarah (Pickets) Masfield. His father was a 
farmer and was born in England April 1, 
1809, died in September, 1850. His mother 
was born on Prince Edwai-d's Island Nov. 
1, 1818, and died in November, 1S71. Oiu- 
subject received his early education in the 
common schools of this county. His parents 
left Prince Edward's Island June 1, 1850, and 
arrived in Council Bluffs July 17, of the same 
year. When a boy, our subject lived at home 
and worked upon his father's farm. He soon 
afterward made a start in life for himself, 
and was engaged in threshing for nine years. 
He now owns 195 acres of land, 120 acres of 
which are under cultivation, the balance being 
in timber and pastiu-e. December 28, 1865, 
he was married, in Council Bluffs, to Sophro- 



nia E. Mott, born July 9, 1842, in the State 
of Illinois. She is the daughter of Lyman 
and Electa (Parish) Mott. Her father was 
born in Canada April 27, 1804, and died in 
January, ISSO. Her mother was a native of 
New York. Mr. and ^Lvs. Maxfield have four 
children — Frank Albert, born October 9, 
1867; Charles Edwin, born July 5, 1870; 
Nellie May, born November 1, 1874, and Ada 
Caroline, born June 21, 1877. In politics, 
Mr. Maxfield is a Democrat. 

WILLIAM PHILLIPS, farmer, P. O. Ne- 
ola, was born in Carmarthenshire, Wales, 
October 27, 1836. His father, William Phil- 
lips, was a farmer, and was b'^rn in Glanmor- 
ganshire, Sotith Wales. He came to the 
United States in 1854, and located in the 
northern part of Utah, where he died about 
1862. Our stibject's mother, Gwenfred 
Thomas, was born in Glanmorganshire, South 
Wales. She died in Idaho, in November, 
1873. Our subject was educated in select 
schools in Wales, which he attended until he 
was twelve years of age. He was then ap- 
prenticed to a cabinet-maker for four years, 
during which time he attended evening 
schools. After he had learned the trade, he 
worked at the same till he came to America 
with his father. He followed his trade for 
about two years in Utah, after which he was 
engaged in freighting, farming and stock- 
raising until 1S65. Mr. Phillips raised all 
kinds of grain, but mostly wheat, oats and 
barley. A half of an acre sowed in corn was 
considered a good acreage. The land was 
fertilized by iiTigation. He botight and sold 
freight from Utah to Montana, and in 1803 
started for the Yellowstone mines, taking his 
freight train and cattle with him. He 
learned from the prospectors that the mines 
were not a success, and he was obliged to 
take a large portion of his freight to Virgin- 
ia City to get rid of it. He also sold his 



XOPiAVALK TOWNSHIP. 



205 



cattle on the Gallatin Kiver. After giving 
up the idea of mining, he tm-ned his atten- 
tion to gardening and dairying, about eighty 
miles northeast of Virginia City, in which 
latter place he paid §75 for the last pound of 
onion seed in the market. In the summer, 
he sold his claim and garden. That summer 
the Crow Indians made a raid through the 
country, but did not disturb hire. Mrs. Phil- 
lips was with her husband during these times, 
and was one of five women who constituted 
the feminine population of Gallatin Valley. 
After selling out, our subject went to Virgin- 
ia City. He returned to Utah and engaged 
in freighting and dealing in stock until he 
left that State, He was married, in Utah, in 
March, 1S59. to Amelia Morgan, who was 
born in Glamorganshire, South Wales, March 
22, 1843. She is the daughter of John and 
Mary (Meredith) Morgan, both of whom were 
natives of Wales. Her mother died in her 
native land when Mrs. Phillips was an infant. 
Her father came to Conesville, Muscatine Co., 
Iowa, in 1850. He farmed two years on Lit- 
tle Mosqiiito Creek, when he went to North- 
ern Utah, where he farmed and raised stock 
for a good many years. In 1865, he went to 
Idaho; where be died in 1869. Our subject 
left Utah and came to this county in Septem- 
ber, 1865. He spent the summer in traveling 
through several States, looking for a location. 
He returned to this county, gnd in the fall of 
1866, he bought and settled upon his pres- 
ent farm, in Norwalk Township, which con- 
sists of 400 acres. Here our subject has lived 
and farmed ever since he first pm-chased it. 
His specialty is raising corn, of which he has 
about 370 acres. Mr. Phillips has been 
Township Clerk, School Director, Trustee 
and Eoad Supervisor. He has seven children 
—Thomas William, born December 12. 1860; 
John M., born Febniaiy 11, 1862; Mary A., 
born Jamiary 12, 1864; Evan, born March 6, 



1867; Celia, born February 7, 1869; Morgan, 
born April 23, 1871, and Howell, born Octo- 
ber 13, 1872. Mr. Phillips belongs to the 
Masonic order and also to the I. O. O. F. 

HENRY SHARP, farmer, P. O. Downs- 
ville, was born in Lincolnshire, England, 
June 3, 1857. He is the son of SjDencer 
and Martha (Holmes) Sharp. His father was 
a farm bailifl', was born in England about 
1820, and died in 1866. His mother was 
born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1825, and 
died in 1863. He received his education in 
Christ's Hospital, London, which was founded 
in 1552 by Edward the VI. Leaving school 
at the age of sixteen, he came to America. 
He left Liverpool May 6, 1873, arriving in 
New York the 17th, and in Council 
Blufis the 24th day of the same month. 
From this time until 1875, he worked at 
home. In 1875, he and his brother rented 
the home farm. In 1877, in company with 
an elder brother, he rented a farm near Wes- 
ton. During the year 1878, he worked for 
Mr. Heywood. He rented land for the fol- 
lowing two years. In December, 1880, he 
bought forty acres of land from a brother, 
and in the spring of 1882 he added forty 
acres more, and is engaged in breaking the 
same. Mr. Sharp is not married. He is a 
member of the M. E. Church, and in jjoli- 
tics a Republican. 

D. J. SMITH, farmer. P. O. Neola, was 
born in Blue Rock Township, Muskingum 
County, Ohio, May 28, 1851. He is the son 
of Jonathan and Lois (Allen) Smith. His 
father was born in Virginia, January 16 
1804, and died April 19, 1875. He was one 
of the early settlers in Muskingum County, 
.Ohio, emigi-ating from Virginia in 1808. 
Our subject's mother was a native of Massa- 
chusetts, and was born September 4, 1811; 
she is still living. Our subject received his 
education in Ohio. He lived at home till 



20G 



BIOGRAPUICAJ.: 



twenty-two years of age, when be went to 
Kansas, where he remained for two years. 
He then came to Page Connty, this State, 
where he lived for two years. He was mar- 
ried, at Clarinda, Page County, this State, in 
October, 1S75, to Miss Sarah 0. Galhip, who 
was born in Kingston, De Kalb Co., 111., De- 
cember 17, 1857; she is the daughter of Oli- 
ver K. and Mary (Anderson) Gallup; her 
father was born in Cambridge, Guernsey Co., 
Ohio, May 1, 1825; her mother was born in 
the same place May 1, 1831. Both the par- 
ents are living. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have 
three children — Ira M., born July 30, 1877; 
Nathan O. , born March '2-4, 1879, and Mary 
L., born December 16, 1881. After his mar- 
riage, oiu" sixbject came to this county. He 
rented land for three years, after which he 
purchased the farm on which he now resides, 
on which he has made substantial improve- 
ments. He votes the Rejaublican ticket. 

GEORGE T. WARD, farmer, P. O. 
Downsville, was born in Tazewell County, 
Va., October 15, 1837; he is the son of 
Milton and Martha D. (Thompson) "Ward. 
His father was born in Tazewell County, 
Va. , March 29, 1797, and died in February, 
1879. His mother was born in the same 
county, in Virginia, in May, 1801, and died 
October 29, 186-4. The Thompsons were one 
of the first families of Virginia. Oiu- sub- 
ject's grandmother, Rebecca Peery (maiden 
name), was born in a block-house in Tazewell 
County, Va. His grandfather Thompson 
was a Major in the Provincial militia. 
While out as a scout and in search of deer, 
he narrowly escaped captiu'e and probably 
death at the hands of the Indians. The 
string of one of his moccasins fortunately be- 
came loosened, and, in stopping to tighten it, 
he fell considerably behind the rest of the 
little party, who were surprised by a band of 
Indians in ambush, who fell upon them, capt- 



uring live and killing the balance of three. 
Our subject's advantages for an education 
were extremely limited, there being no com- 
mon schools in Virginia at that time. He 
worked at home with his father, who was a 
farmer and cattle-raiser, until the breaking- 
out of the war of the rebellion. In 1861, he 
enlisted as a private in a confederate regi- 
ment, but ranked as Lieutenant Colonel in 
the militia of his native State. According 
to newspaper reports, at the time the Union 
forces were driving Gen. John S. Williams 
out of the Sandy Valley, our subject was the 
bearer of a dispatch from Gen. Marshall, 
ordering "Williams thi-ough the mountains, 
from Kentucky to Virginia. Our subject was 
promoted to the rank of Captain. After be- 
coming disabled, he sent in 'his resignation, 
which was never accepted, so he remained a 
conunissioned officer till the close of the war. 
He was with Gen. Morgan at Greenville, 
Tenn., at the time the General was killed. 
At the close of the war, in June, 1865, he 
surrendered at Charleston, W. Va. He was 
married, in Buchanan County, Va., November 
12, 1861, to Jane Ratliif, who was born in 
Buchanan County, Va., May 29, 1843. She 
is the daughter of Abednego and Louisa 
(Matney) Ratlifi'. Her father was born in 
Tazewell County, Va., in 1801, and is still 
living. Her mother was also a native of 
Tazewell County, Va., and was born in 1799, 
and died December 3, 1868. Mr. and Mrs. 
Ward have had five childi-en, of whom three 
are living — George E. (deceased), Archibald 
N., Eliza R., Lydia and Sarah E. (deceased). 
In religion, Mr. Ward is a Quaker, and in 
politics, a Democrat. 

D. E. ^VIGHTMAN, farmer, P. O. Downs- 
ville, was born at Saratoga Springs, N. Y., 
December 8, 1833. He is the son of David 
and Elizabeth (Degroif) Wightman. His 
father was born in Pawlet, Vt., in 1806, and 



PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 



307 



died in 1856. His mother was born in Con- 
necticut in 1813, and died in 1848. Our 
subject emigrated from his native town, with 
his parents, tc the western part of the State 
of New York, when he was a boy. A.t the 
age of sixteen, he went to Ellicottsville, the 
then county seat of Cattaraugus County, N. 
Y. , to learn the carpenter's trade. When 
he became twenty years old he went to Otta- 
wa, La Salle Co., 111., where he stayed for 
one year. He then went to Rock Island, 
111., where he worked at his trade for four 
years, thence going to Iowa City, Iowa, where 
he remained for four months, finally return- 
ing to Ottawa, 111., where he engaged in 
building houses and barns for the farmers. 
Dm-ing this stay in Ottawa, he married 
Amanda L. Millikin, at Bruceville, La Salle 
County, February 1, 1860. She was born 
near Ottawa, 111., .January 21, 1838, and is 
the daughter of Samuel and Rebecca (Will- 
iams) Millikin. Her father was born in 
Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., Penn., No- 
vember 24, 1801, and died February 25, 
1866. Her mother was born in Etna, Licking 



Co., Ohio, February 24, 1807, and is still 
living in Ottawa, 111. Before her marriage, 
Mrs. Wightman was engaged in teaching 
school. She is a very intelligent lady, and 
is decided and earnest in her advocacy of re- 
ligion and temperance. After the birth of 
two children, our subject went to Nebraska, 
with the intention of settling in that State, 
but not liking the country, he returned East 
as far as Council Bluffs, where he worked at 
his trade for six years. At the end of this 
time, he moved on to his present farm, in 
Norwalk Township, where he and his family 
have resided for the past ten years. Mr. and 
Mrs. Wightman have had four children — 
Mary E., born November 14, 1860; Rebecca 
E., born March 10, 1864: Charlie E., born 
July 17, 1867; and Ada, born July 4, 1869, 
died Ji^ly 16, 1873. Mary E. is married, 
but her place at home is filled by her little 
son — Edward, a bright and interesting boy, 
who is the delight and pride of his gi'and- 
parents. Mr. Wightman is at present Justice 
of the Peace. 



PLEASAI^T TOWNSHIP. 



F. BENEDIX, farmer, P. O. Avoca, was born 
in Mecklenburg, German}-, April 23, 1844; son 
of F. and Friedriche (Ripke) Beiiedix, both na- 
tives of Mecklenburg, Germany; he was born in 
November, ISIO; is a cooper by trade; she, born 
in October, 1S14. Both the parents are still liv- 
ing, in Rock Island County, 111. Tbey are the 
parents of eight children, three sons and five 
daughters, of whom one son and four daughters 
are deceased. Our subject received his educa- 
tion in Scott County, this State, and started in 
life as a farmer, in which occupation he has 
since been engaged. He came to the United 



States in 1852, and lived in Scott Countj-, this 
State, till 1865, and afterward in Illinois, until 
1872, when he came to Pleasant Township, and 
in the following j'ear purchased eight}' acres of 
wild land at $10 per acre, which he built on and 
otherwise improved. In 1874, he bought forty 
acres at §10 per acre, which he also improved. 
He now carries on general farming. He was 
married in Scott County, this State, October 20, 
1871, to Christina Johnson, born in Schleswig, 
Germany, January 23, 1848, daughter of Henry 
and Christina (Hull) Johnson; he, a native of 
Denmark, and died in 1876; she, born in North 



208 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Schleswig, German}'. Mr. and Mrs. Benedix 
have nine children — Mary, Anna, Lena, Emma, 
Dora, Christina, Ida, Friedrich and Henrj-. Our 
subject has filled several townsliip offices, in- 
cluding Constable, Road Supervisor and School 
Director. In religion, he is a Lutheran, and in 
politics a Republican. He is also a member of 
the A. H. T. S. 

A. C. BERGMAN, farmer. P. 0. Avoca. was 
born in Wehrden. in Prussia, German}', August 
24, 1833. and received his German education in 
his native town, but in the English language he 
has educated himself. He is a son of Henry 
and Carolina (Hesse) Bergman, natives of Wehr- 
den, Prussia, Germany, who had a family of 
five sons and two daughters. Henry Bergman 
was born February 4, 1794; his wife, who was 
born in June, 1799, died April 9, 1869; they 
both died in their native place. In May, 1855, 
Mr. Bergman came to the United States, land- 
ing at New Orleans, La., and thence proceeded 
to St. Louis, Mo., where he remained three 
mouths; then went to Knox County, III, where 
he engaged in farming. He remained in Illi- 
nois for seventeen years, traveling, however, in 
1865-66, in ^linuesota and Missouri, and in 
1870 in Kansas, looking for a suitable place to 
locate. In 1871, he came to Pleasant Township 
and bought eighty-three acres of laud at $9 per 
acre, improved it, and built on the place a house 
and other buildings. In 1872, he bought forty 
acres at $9 per acre, which he improved. He 
set out 2,000 shade trees — maples, bos-elders, 
black walnut and Lombard poplar — and also 
many fruit trees, and in 1881 liuilt a large one 
and a h.alf story frame dwelling-house, 18x28 
and 14x22 feet, with two porches. This is one 
of the finest residences in this township. At 
La Fayette. Stark County, 111., December 27, 
1859, he married Katy Johnson, a native of 
Sweden, born August 22, 1841, daughter of 
Peter and Catharine (Olson) Johnson, natives 
of Sweden; lie, born JIarch 11, 1800; she, born 
July 15. 1798. By this union they have one 



son, Edgar Augustus, born February 11. 
1862. They have also an adopted daugh- 
ter, Lizzie Clark, born in Jasper County, Iowa, 
born April 14, 1838. Mr. Bergman has held 
the office of Township School Director and 
President of the Board; was Township Trustee 
two years; has been Justice of the Peace five 
years, and still holds that office, and is a leader 
in township affairs. He is a member of the 
Catholic Church; is an A.. F. & A. M.; iu poli- 
tics, a Republican. 

WILHELM BOHLE, farmer. P. 0. Avoca. 
was born in Waldeck, Germany, May 24, 1853. 
son of Friedrich and Louise (Roch) Bohle, both 
natives of Waldeck. Germany; he, born in De- 
cember, 1823, is a cabinet-maker, and is still 
living; she, born in March, 1824, and died in 
the place of her birth iu 1880. They were the 
parents of Ave children — two sons and three 
daughters. Our subject went to school iu his 
native country, and commenced life as a farmer. 
He emigrated to America in 1872, and lived in 
Scott County, this State, for six years. He came 
to Pleasant Township in 1878, and purchased 
eighty acres of improved land at S22.50 per 
acre; nearly all the branches of farming claim 
his attention. He was married in James Town- 
ship, this county, March 11, 1879, to Anna Bock- 
enthen, born iu Holstein, Germany, November 
2, 1863, daughter of C. and Dora (Bilenberg) 
Bockentheu, both natives of Holstein, Germany. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bohle have one boy, Friedrich. 
born September 4, 1881. In religion our sub- 
ject is a Lutheran, and in politics a Republican. 

SAMUEL BRINGOLF. farmer. P. 0. Shelby, 
was born in Jasper County. Mo., Angiist 1. 
1846 ; son of A. and Mahala (Mann) Bringolf. 
who were the parents of ten children, six boys 
and four girls. His parents are now residing 
in Polk County, Iowa. A. Bringolf, subject's 
father, a farmer and stock-dealer by occupation, 
was born in Lancaster County. Penn., in 1810 : 
his wife, a native of Indiana, was born in 1830. 
Subject left Missouri with his parents in 1855. 



PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 



209 



after being one-half a j'ear in Warren Count}-, 
and came to Polk Countj', Iowa, where he 
received his education, and where he engaged 
in the stock business, and was also a merchant 
in Des Moines for one and a half years. In 
IST'J, he moved to Shelby County, Iowa, where 
he had the previous 3-ear bought 160 acres of 
wild land at $9.50 per acre, aud, after improv- 
ing the land, setting out 1,000 shade trees and 
planting over 100 fruit trees, sold the place in 
November, 1881, at $35 per acre. He then 
bought his present place in Pleasant Township, 
consisting of 167 acres, for which he paid $40 
per acre. On the place are a one and a half 
story frame house 16x30 feet, and a large barn 
40x50 feet. Mr. Bringolf has devoted the 
greater part of his time to the stock business, 
but for the last five years has followed general 
farming. At Des Moines, Iowa, May 20, 1874, 
he married Caroline Woods, born in Ohio, Sep- 
tember 17, 1855, daughter of H. M. and Lotta 
(Boyd) Woods, he born in Pennsylvania in 
1820 ; she born in Maryland in 1822. By this 
union they have had three sons. Mr. Bringolf 
held several township offices while in Polk 
County. Iowa. He is a Democrat, and a mem- 
ber of the A., F. & A. M., I. O. 0. F., I. 0. L. 
aud A. 0. U. W. 

C. H. BROWN, farmer, P. 0. Avoca, is a 
native of Hubbardston, Worcester Co., Mass., 
born June 3, 1822, and is a son of J. M. and 
Kate (Upham) Brown, who were the parents of 
two sons and one girl. J. !M. Brown, who was 
a shoemaker b}- trade, was born in Worcester 
County, Mass., in 1788, aud died in Windham 
County, Vt, October 12, 1861 ; his wife, who 
■was born in Hubbardston, Worcester Co., 
Mass., June 9, 1802, died in Knox County, 111., 
in 1872. Subject was educated in Wmdham 
Count}', Vt., aud began life as a farmer, which 
occupation he has since followed. In 1826, he 
left Massachusetts and went with his parents to 
Vermont, where he remained till 1864, when he 
came West and settled in Knox County, 111 , 



where he farmed for eight years, thep came by 
rail to Pleasant Township in tlie spring of 1882. 
"Here he bought eighty acres of wild land at $8 
per acre ; improved it, set out three acres of 
forest trees and one acre of an orchard con- 
taining apple, cherry, peach, pear and plum 
trees, and all kinds of small fruits. In 1874, 
he bought forty acres of wild land at $7 per 
acre, aud devotes his attention to general farm- 
ing. All his shade trees were raised from the 
seed. He has been Township Trustee, is a 
member of the Presbyterian Church, and is, in 
polities, a Republican. 

CHRISTIAN BRUENE, farmer, P. 0. Shel- 
by, was born in Waldeck, Germany, September 
20, 1839 ; son of William and Louise (Schnave) 
Bruene, both natives of Waldeck, Germany; he, 
born in 1813, is a carpenter and farmer ; she 
was born in 1807. They are both still living 
in their native country. They were the pareuts 
of five children, three sons and two daughters. 
Our sulyect received his schooling in his native 
land, and started in life as a farmer. He came 
to this country in 1869, and lived in Scott 
County, this State. He came to Pleasant 
Township in 1874, and purchased eighty acres 
of land at $8 per acre. He returned to Daven- 
port, where he remained one year, and then 
came back and improved his land. In 1882, 
he bought 100 acres at $17 per acre. Silver 
Creek runs through his present place, which is 
given to general farming. He was married, in 
Pleasant Township June 17, 1876, to Augusta 
Messerschmidt, boru in the Province of Poseu, 
Germany, August 27, 1849, daughter of Gott- 
lieb and Henrietta Messerschmidt, both natives 
of Poseu, Germany, he born in 1822, and she 
in 1826. Mr. and Mrs. Bruene have one child 
— Minnie, born November 2, 1881. In religion, 
our subject is a Lutheran, aud iu politics a Re- 
publican. 

WILLIAM BUCKLEY, farmer. P. 0. Shelby, 
was born in Huntingdon County, Penn., July 
19, 1834 ; son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Booher) 



210 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Buckley, natives of Huntingdon County, Penn. 
Jacob Buckley, who was a farmer, was born 
May 11, 1807, and died July 13, 1878, in Ful- 
ton County, Penn., where his wife, who was 
born April 10, 1810, died also, September 15, 
1855 ; they were the parents of eight sons and 
two daughters. Mr. Buckley received a good 
education in the schools of Fulton County, 
Penn., and began farming on his father's farm, 
where he remained till he was twentj'-five years 
of age. In Franklin County, Penn., January 
26, 1860, he married Nancy W. Campbell, a 
native of that county, born April 4, 1832, 
daughter of Robert and Jane (Linn) Campbell, 
also natives of Franklin County, Penn., he 
born February 16, 1798, she born in 1800. By 
this union they have been blessed with four 
children, two of whom are deceased — Asburj- 
Wilbur (deceased), John Emorj- (deceased), 
William Brewster and Charles Everlett. Sep- 
tember 26, 1864, Mr. Buckley enlisted for one 
year's service in Company H, Ninetj'-third 
Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry, 
under Capt. J. H. Johnson ; was wounded in 
the battle before Petersburg, and was dis- 
charged near Washington, D. C., June 20, 1865. 
In 1866, he moved to Carroll County, 111., 
where he followed farming till 1872, then moved 
to Iowa, and, after sta3'ing one 3'ear in Shelb}', 
came to this township. Here he had, in 1870, 
bought eightj'-six acres of wild land at §10 per 
acre ; moved onto the land in 1873, set out 
trees, and built a frame house 18x28 feet by 16 
feet in height, and other buildings. Mr. Buck- 
ley was Justice of the Peace of this township 
in 1872, and has filled other minor township 
otBces. He is a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and of the A. 0. U. W., and 
in politics is a Republican. 

E. P. COOPER, farmer, P. O. Shelby, born 
May 6, 1837, in Beverl}', Ohio, son of John and 
Frances (Petty) Cooper; he. a farmer, born in 
England, December 4, 1806, is still living in 
Marion, Linn Count}-, this State; she, born 



April 16. 1809, in Tennessee, is still living in 
\ Linn Count\-. They have had ten children, 
seven boj's and three girls. Subject went to 
school in Ohio, commenced life as a farmer, and 
married, in August 22, 1861, in Ohio, Mai'v E. 
Brabham, born in Loudoun County, W. Va., Sep- 
tember 19, 1843, daughter of Thomas Jefferson 
and Martha (Stevenson) Brabham, he, born in 
West Virginia June 30, 1818; she, in Loudoun 
County, W. Va., September 14, 1820. Mr. and 
Mrs. Cooper have two children, viz.. Flora E., 
born April 20, 1864, and Willraer, born April 
29, 1867. Subject is a Republican, an A. H. T. 
S., and came from Ohio to Linn County, this 
State, in 1859; went to Illinois in 1868, from 
there to this township in 1872, bought 160 acres 
of wild land at $9 per acre; went back to 
Illinois, lived there two years, returned to 
this township in 1874, built a house and 
other buildings himself, set out a number of 
trees, and has the farm almost all under culti- 
vation. 

JOSHUA DAVIS, farmer, P. 0. Avoca, was 
born in Fayette County, Penn., January 16, 
1848, and is a son of G. W. and Mary (Gibson) 
Davis, natives of Fayette County, Penn., who 
both died in Pleasant Township, this county. 
G. W. Davis was born February 14, 1819. and 
died October 7, 1871; his wife, who was born 
July 20, 1816, died December 7, 1881. They 
had eight children, three boys and five girls. 
Subject received his education at Newtown, this 
county, and has always been a farmer. He 
came to this township with his parents, and has 
been on the farm ever since. He now owns the 
home farm of 180 acres, of which sixty-five 
acres are broken; there is running water on the 
farm, which is well adapted to stock-raising 
purposes, and on which he carries on general 
farming. His two brothers and five sisters are 
— Michael J., William A., Martha, Mary, Sarah, 
Esther and Louisa. Mary A. Patterson, an 
adopted girl, is also a member of the familj'. 
Mr. Davis is a Republican. 



PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 



211 



JOHX DIRGO, farmer, P. O. Avoca, was 
born in Germany June 18, 1832; son of George 
and Katharine Dirgo, both natives of Germanj-, 
he born in 1816 and died in 1876; she born in 
1808 and died in 1872. Both died in their na- 
tive country. They were the parents of three 
children, two boj-s and a girl. Our subject re- 
ceived his schooling in his native country, and 
has been a farmer all his life. He came to the 
United States in 1855, and was married, in the 
fall of that year, in New York City, in which 
place he had landed, to Anna Mary Henu, born 
in Germany in November, 1830, daughter of 
John and Katharine (Wilberan) Henn. both na- 
tives of Germanj', he born in 1792, she in 1800. 
Our subject lived in New York State, near Troy 
for fourteen years. He came to Scott County, this 
State, in 1868, where he farmed until coming to 
Pleasant Township in 1875, where he purchased 
120 acres of wild land at S12.50 per acre. He 
has made improvements, including a one and a 
half storj- frame house, 16x24. He now car- 
ries on farming iu nearlj- all its branches. He 
has four children — John, Katie, George and 
Charlie, who are aged respectively twenty-seven, 
twenty-five, twenty-two and twenty years. In 
religion our subject is a Catholic, and in poli- 
tics a Republican. 

JOSEPH FRUM, farmer, P. O. Shelby, was 
born in Monongalia County, W. Va., December 
15, 1810, son of Samuel and Catharine (Bland) 
Prum, natives of Berkele}' County, W. Va. 
Both the parents died in Monongalia County. 
W. Va., he April 28, 1856, she born in 1792, 
and died in January, 1 874. The}- were farmers, 
and the parents of eight children, three sons 
and five daughters. Our subject received his 
schooling in his native count}-, and has been 
engaged in farming all of his life. He was mar- 
ried, in his native county, December 24, 1844) 
to Mary Boyd, born in the same place Septem. 
ber 14. 1819, daughter of William and Marga- 
retta Boyd, both of whom are deceased. Mr. 
and Mrs. Frum have eiirht children — Samuel 



B., Catharine, Joseph Ezra and John N. (twins), 
Vian, Anna, Christopher C. and George D. 
Our subject was engaged in farming before he 
left his native State. He came to Iowa in the 
fall of 1868, and to Pleasant Township in 
1872. He purchased 320 acres of wild land at 
$8.50 per acre, and improved it. At one time 
he and his sons owned 1,300 acres, which they 
divided, and now our subject has 160 acres, 
which he improved years ago by setting out 
2,000 shade and 225 fruit trees. In 1875, he 
built a large one and a half story frame house, 
16x24, with large kitchen and cellar. He has 
retired from active farm work, the place being 
run by his son, George D., who also owns 160 
acres adjoining on the west. Our subject has 
filled township offices in his native State, and 
has been School Director in Pleasant Township. 
From 1861 to 1863, he was in the employ of 
the Government. In politics, he is a Repub- 
lican. 

S. B. FRUM, farmer, P. 0. Shelby, born in 
Monongalia County, Va., September 22, 1844, 
son of Joseph and Mary Jane (Boyd) Frum, 
both born in Monongalia County, W. Va., in 
1818, are still living on their farm in this 
township. They are the parents of five boys 
and three girls. Subject was educated in 
Monongalia County, Va. ; is self-educated ; 
commenced life as an engineer, following that 
business for two years, when he came to this 
State iu 1867, where he commenced farming ; 
married in Avoca, this State, January 8, 1879, 
Anna G. Aldrich, born in Montrose, Lee Co., 
this State, August 28, 1859, daughter of P. J. 
and Melissa R. (Peck) Aldrich, both born in 
Berkshire County, Mass.; he, August 15. 1823. 
Mr. and Mrs. Frum have one child, Edwin 
Joseph, born October 23, 1879. Mrs. Frum is 
a member of the Episcopal Church ; her hus- 
band is a Republican, a Knight Templar, a 
member of the Legion of Honor, been Town- 
ship Clerk for seven years. School Treasurer 
for eight years, a member of the Board of 



212 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



Supervisors for three }'ear3 ; enlisted August 
14, 1862, in Company C, Fourteenth West 
Virginia Infantry (Capt. 0. P. Jollitfe); was in 
the battles at Cloyd Mountain, Lynchburg, 
with Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley^ 
wounded July 20 at Winchester, was a color 
bearer in his regiment for three years. He 
came to Poweshiek County, this State, in 1867; 
to this township in 1871 ; bought 320 acres of 
wild land in partnership with his brothers and 
father at S8 per acre ; they improved the land, 
divided it and subject got 80 acres as his share ; 
since then he has bought four other tracts of 
eighty acres each, one of which was improved, 
paying, on an average, SI 5 per acre. 

MARY ANN GROSS, Avoca, is a native of 
Alsace, Germany, born August 2, 1823, only 
child of Joseph and Mary Anna (Gaettli) Gross, 
natives of Alsace, German}-, where they both 
died. Her father was a shoemaker by trade ; 
was born in 1771 and died in 1847. Subject 
received her education in her native town in 
Alsace, Germany, where she was married May 
7, 1846, to Dominick Gross, a carpenter by 
trade, born in 1822, son of John and Regina 
(Kaelin) Gross, natives of Alsace, German}-. 
The}- resided in Scott County, Iowa, from 1853 
to 1873, farming there for seven years, the re- 
mainder of the time residing in Le Claire, that 
county, where Mr. Gross followed his trade. In 
1873, they removed to this county and settled 
in this township, where Mr. Gross bought 160 
acres of land at $8.50 per acre ; in 1876, bought 
160 acres at SIO per acre, and, in 1877, 160 
acres at $10 per acre. Mr and Mrs. Gross 
were blessed with seven children — Dominick, 
Joseph, John, Delia, Helena, Julia and George. 
They also took two children to raise — Michael 
Morrison and Maggie Senn. The boys have 
improved the farm, and two of them — Joseph 
and John — have bought 160 acres of land, pay- 
ing SI 7 per acre for forty acres and for the 
remaining 120 acres S20 per acre. The home 
farm is well improved ; there is a good dwel- 



ling house and a large number of trees on the 
place. Mrs. Gross is a member of the Catho- 
lic Church. 

DOMINICK GROSS, farmer, P. 0. Avoca, 
was born in Alsace. France, April 21, 1848, son 
of Dominick and Mary Ann (Ledolph) Gross, 
also natives of Alsace, France, and parents of 
eight children, four boys and four girls. 
Dominick Gross — subject's father — who was 
by trade a cabinet-maker, was born in 1822, 
and died in Avoca, this county, November 20, 
1880 ; his wife, who is still living in Pleasant 
Township, this county, was born in 1824. In 
1853. subject came to the United States with 
his parents; landed at New Orleans, La., and 
thence went to Le Claire, Scott County, Iowa. 
He received a good education in the schools of 
Le Claire, Iowa, and began the business of life 
as a farmer, and has since pursued that occu- 
pation. He remained in Le Claire till 1870, 
then moved to Butler Township, Scott County, 
Iowa, and after remaining there two years, 
came to Pleasant Township May 7, 1872. 
Here he has bought eighty acres of wild land at 
$8.50 per acre, in 1871, and improved the place. 
In 1877, he built a one-story house,J16x22 feet, 
and in 1882 erected a new two-story dwelling, 
16x28 feet, at a cost of $1,000. On his farm 
he has a grove of two acres of shade trees, con- 
sisting of maples, box-elders and cottonwoods, 
and has also an orchard containing eighty 
trees. In this township, April 17, 1877, he 
married Josephine Weiseman, born in Prince- 
ton, Scott Co., Iowa, October 22, 1858, daugh- 
ter of John and Barbara (Goelf) Weiseman ; 
he, a native of Bavaria, Germany ; she, also a 
native of Germany, born July 24, 1832. By 
this union they have been blessed with three 
children — Mary, born April 24, 1879 ; George, 
born May 19, 1831, and Charley, born June 29, 
1882. Mr, Gross has held the oflSce of Con- 
stable in this township ; he is a member of the 
Catholic Church; is a member of the A. H. T. S., 
and in politics is a Democrat. 



PLEASAXT TOWXSHIP. 



213 



JOHN F. GRONE, farmer, P. 0. Minden, is 
a native of Bremen, Germany, born October 
14, 1823, onl\- son of John P. and Christina 
(Angustiue) Grone, natives of Hanover, Ger- 
many ; he, a tailor by trade, born December 
29. 1797. went, in 1836. to New Yorli City, 
where he died July 18, 1845; his wife died in her 
native counti'y. Subject received his German 
education in his native city, and was educated 
in the English language in Duane Street 
School in New York City, to which city he 
came in 1837. He worked at the tailor's trade 
in New York. and. in 1847, moved to Wiscon- 
sin, where he followed farming, and where he 
was a township officer for twenty-five years. 
In 1873, he came to this township, bought 136 
acres of land at $8 per acre, and the same day 
bought another tract of 136 acres at $9 per 
acre, which latter tract he sold in 1878 at $16 
per acre. He has improved the first 136 acres; 
has set out an orchard of 106 trees and has a 
three-acre grove. He keeps Berkshire hogs 
and raises good stock generally. 3Ir. Grone 
has been twice married. In New York, March 
4, 1844, he married Johanne K. Albertus, who 
died August 31, 1847, and in Honey Creek, 
Sauk Co., Wis., December 26, 1849, he married 
Wilhelmina Albertus, born in Germany August 
11. 1834. Mrs. Grone is a daughter of Carl H. 
and Christiana (Becker) Albertus. natives of 
Germauj- ; he, born May 16, 1801, she born 
May 14, 1799. Mr. Grone has nine children — 
Johanna Carolina, Christina Augustina, John 
F., Carolina, Mary 31.. Arthur N., Wilhelm H., 
George W. and Franz Joseph. He is a mem- 
ber of the German Evangelical Association; he 
votes the Republican ticket. 

CHRIS HAGEDORN, farmer, P, O. Shelby, 
was born in Holstein. Germany, January 1, 
1838, son of Detlef and Katharina Hagedorn, 
both natives of Holstein, Germany, he, born 
November 5, 1805, and is still living in his 
native country, a farmer by occupation; she, 
born in 1815. and died in the place of her 



birth in 1864. They were the parents of four 
children, three sons and one daughter. Our 
subject received his education in his native 
land. His knowledge of English he acquired 
himself. He served two years, 1860-01. in the 
Danish Army at Copenhagen, and afterward 
turned his attention to farming. He was mar- 
ried in Holstein, Germany, March 1, 1862. to 
Sophia Grote, born in that province in 1829, 
daughter of Henrj- and Katharina (Ronfeld) 
Grote, both natives of Holstein, Germany, he, 
born in 1805, and she in the same j'ear. Mr. 
and Mrs. Hagedorn have seven children — Dora, 
Henry, Lewis, Clara, Minnie, Johnny and 
Laura. Our subject came to the United States 
in the spring of 1863, and came to Davenport, 
this State, where he lived for nine 3'ears, after 
which he lived in Council Bluffs for two years. 
He came to Pleasant Township in 1874, and 
purchased 120 acres of wild land at S9 per 
acre, which he improved; setting out four acres 
in trees and an orchard. In 1879, he bought 147 
acres of wild laud at $11.50 per acre. He now 
has a fine farm, which contains good buildings 
and other improvements. He carries on farm- 
ing in nearl}' all its branches. In religion, he 
is a Lutheran, and in politics a Democrat. He 
is also an I. 0. 0. F., Lodge No. 423. 

JACOB HARDER, farmer, P. 0. Avoca, 
was born in Mecklenburg, German}-, June 17, 
1825; son of Jacob and Mary f Jurden) Harder, 
both natives of Mecklenburg, Germanj-. where 
thej- also died. They were the parents of three 
children, of whom our subject is the only boy 
and the only one of the children now living. 
He received his education in his native coun- 
tr}-, and began life as a farmer. He was mar- 
ried in his native country, in October, 1853, to 
Mary Hoppner, born December 28, 1826, in 
Mecklenburg, Germany, daughter of Christian 
and Mary (Laasch) Hoppner, both natives of 
Mecklenburg, Germanj'. Mr. and Mrs. Harder 
have five children — Christina, Sophia, Mary, 
Charley and William. Our subject came to the 



214 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



United States iu 1857, and located near Chicago. 
He came to Pleasant Township iu the spring of 
1874, and purchased 320 acres of wild land at 
$8 per acre, selling one hnndred acres at $19 
per acre in 1881. He bought 240 acres at $12 
per acre. His present farm of 460 acres is 
well improved, and a fine stock and grain farm. 
He set out a grove, and at present engages in 
general farming. He has filled several town- 
ship offices. In religion, he is a Lutheran, and 
in politics a Republican. 

JOHN HEESCH, farmer, P. 0. Avoca, was 
born iu Holstein. German}-. September 21, 
1843, son of Hans and Anna (Timm) Heesch; 
both natives of Holstein, German}-, he, born in 
1817, and died in 1855; she, born in 1819, and 
died as did her husband also, in their natives 
countrv. They were farmers, and the parents 
of sis children, five sous and one daughter. 
Our subject received his education in his native 
countr}-, and started in life as a farmer. He 
came to the United States iu 1865, and lived 
in Davenport, this State, for eight jears. Here 
he was married, June 5, 1869, to Wilhelmina 
Freese, born in Waldeck, Germany, April 23, 
1849, daughter of Friedrich and Wilhelmina 
(Roch) Freese, both natives of Waldeck, Gei'- 
many. Mr. and Mrs. Heesch have five chil- 
dren — Anna, Louisa, Katharina, John and 
Wilhelmina. Our subject came to Pleasant 
Township in 1873, and purchased 160 acres of 
■wild land at $8 per acre. In 1875, he added 
eighty acres of wild land at $12.50 per acre. 
He set out a gi'ove of two acres, an orchard of 
140 trees, and has made man}- other substantial 
improvements, including good farm buildings. 
He carries on general farming. In religion, he 
is a Lutheran, and in politics a Republican. He 
is at present Road Supervisor. 

CLAUS HORST. farmer, P. 0. Avoca. was 
born in Holstein, German}-, March 20, 1830, son 
of E filer and Anna (Stauben) Horst, natives 
also of Holstein, Germany: he, born in 1802, 
■was a wood-carver, and died June 6, 1874. in 



Pleasant Township; she. born in 1801, and died 
in her native province in September, 1856. 
They were the parents of seven children — five 
sons and two daughters. Our subject received 
his education in his native country, and carpen- 
tering was his first occupation. He was mar- 
ried. April 14, 1858, in Holstein. Germany, to 
Lena Alpen, born in that province April 19, 
1826, daughter of Marx and Katharina 
Alpen, natives of Holstein, Germany; he, born 
in 1790; she, in 1794. Our subject worked at 
carpentering until 1863, when he turned his at- 
tention to farming. He was in the Danish 
Army for over two years; was a soldier in 1850, 
and took part in the battle of Idstadt and other 
engagements. He came to the United States 
iu 1863. and lived ten years in Scott County, 
this State. He came to Pleasant Township in 
1874 and purchased 160 acres of wild land at 
$8 per acre. He set out two and one-half acres 
in shade trees, one acre in an orchard, and 
otherwise improved the place. In 1875, he 
bought forty acres at $11 per acre, and in the 
following year sixty -seven acres at $9 per acre. 
He now has 267 acres of well-improved land. 
He erected a large house iu 1881. He has four 
children — Ehler, born May 2, 1859; Marcus, 
born Juue 22, 1860; Henry, born December 25, 
1864; and Lena, born May 26, 1865. Our sub- 
ject has filled several township offices, including 
School Director and Road Supervisor. In re- 
ligion he is a Lutheran, and politics a Repub- 
lican. 

MIKE KANE, farmer, P. O. Avoca, born iu 
Cook County, 111., September 20, 1853, son of 
John and Katharina (Cody) Kaue. both natives 
of County Clare, Ireland; he, born June 14, 1814, 
and is still living in Pleasant Township; she, 
born iu June, 1814, and died iu James Town- 
ship, this county. They were the parents of 
eight children, of whom four sons and one 
daughter are still living. Our subject received 
his schooling in Cook County, 111., near Chi- 
cago, and has been engaged iu farming all his 



PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 



215 



life. He came to tins State in 1865, and lived 
in Scott, Cedar and Clinton Counties, coming to 
this county in 1873, and lived in James Town- 
ship for four years. In 1882, he purchased 160 
acres of partly' improved land at $20 per acre 
He erected a large house, and has otherwise im- 
proved the place. He engages in general farm- 
ing. He was married, November 27, 1879, in 
Avoca, to Delia Gross, born in Le Claire, Scott 
County, this State, in December, 1854, daugh- 
ter of Dominick and Mary A. (Ledolph) Gross, 
natives of Alsace, Germany; he, born in 1822; 
she, in 1824. Mr. and Mrs. Kane have one 
child, John Edward, born January 15, 1882. 
In religion our subject is a Catholic, and in pol- 
itics a Democrat. 

J. L. KEIL, farmer and inventor, P. O. Shel- 
by, was born in Clayton Countj-, this State, 
November 16, 1857, son of John and Felizidas 
(Santy ) Keil. The father was born on the Atlan- 
tic Ocean, whilst his mother was on her way to 
the United States, March 8, 1834. He is a 
farmer, and is living in Pleasant Township. 
The mother of our subject was born April 
3, 1839, near the Rhine, in Germany, and died 
in Polk County, this State, July 28, 1871. 
The}' were the parents of four children, three 
sons and one daughter. Our subject went to 
school in Polk Count}-, this State, and began 
life as a farmer. He came to this county in 
March, 1878, and has lived in Knox, Valley and 
Pleasant Townships. His two brothers and 
sister are living — Solomon Abraham, born in 
Clayton County, this State, August 10, 1866; 
Edward L., born in Polk Count}-, this State, 
October 29, 1869; and Mabel, born in Sauk 
County, Wis.. September 25, 1860. Our sub- 
ject is an evangelist, and will continue to en- 
gage in that work. He is also at present work- 
ing on a " self-feeding " threshing-machine, for 
which he has applied for a patent. Mr. Keil is 
a member of the M. E. Church, and also the 
Greenwood Lodge of Good Templars. In poli- 
tics, he is a Republican. 



JOCHIM LAGE, farmer, P. 0. Shelby, Shel- 
by Count}', was born in April,1842, in Schonberg, 
Holstein, Germany, where also his parents, A. 
and Katharina (Horst) Lage, were born, and 
there they died. A. Lage was born in 1816, 
and died September 9, 1878; his wife died in 
1844. They had five children — four boys and 
one girl. Subject received his education at 
Schonberg and Goorden, near Kiel, Holstein, 
Germany, and was a Government forester for 
nine years. In 1869, he left his native coun- 
try and came to America, landing at New 
York; thence he came to Davenport, Iowa, where 
he followed farming till 1872 ; then moved to 
Benton County, Iowa, remained there a year; 
then went to Shelby County, Iowa. After re- 
maining in Shelby County one year, he came to 
Pleasant Township in 1876, and in 1879, bought 
Sighty acres of land there at $12.50 per acre. 
The place is improved and there is a fine grove 
of trees around the house. Mr. Lage carries on 
general farming. At Davenport, Iowa, Febru- 
ary 14, 1877, he married Bertha K. Wiese, born 
November 6, 1857, daughter of Peter and Ber- 
tha (Stolteuberg) Wiese, natives of Germany. 
By this union they have had two children — 
Miua Ottelle, born March 14, 1879, and Peter 
Alfred, born July 26, 1880. Peter Wiese, Mrs. 
Lage's father, was born ui Schonberg-Holsteiu, 
Germany, in 1826, and served as Sergeant dur- 
ing the Schleswig-Holstein war of 1848-51, par- 
ticipating in the battles of Duppler and Fried- 
erichstadt. Mr. Lage has always been a Re- 
publican. 

PATRICK LANE, farmer, P. 0. Shelby, 
Shelby County, was born in County Limerick, 
Ireland, son of John and Honora (McCarty) 
Lane, natives of County Kerry. Ireland. John 
Lane was born in 1799, was a farmer by occu- 
pation, and died in County Limerick, Ireland, 
in 1850. His wife died in New York City 
They had two sons and two daughters, and of 
this family one son is deceased. Mr. Lane was 
educated in Ireland, and began life as a farm- 



210 



BIOGBAPHICAL: 



er. which occupation he followed in his native 
country. In 1847, he came to the United 
States, came to Clinton Count}- in 1849, and 
the following year went to Tennessee, where he 
worked in the tunnel at Tunnel Hill, and while 
working there saved the life of a fellow-work- 
man — an act which he considers the best of his 
life. Returning to Iowa in 1851, he bought 
320 acres of land in Clinton Count}' at $1.25 
per acre, sold one-half of the land for $6.15 
per acre, invested the proceeds in stock, and 
succeeded well in all his undertakings. He 
was a foreman on the North- Western Railwaj' 
for some time. In 1874, he came to Pleasant 
Township where, in January. 1872, he had 
bought of J. P. Casady and Mr. Haas, of 
Council Bluflfs, 640 acres of wild land at S6.50 
cash per acre. He at the same time owned 
200 acres in Clinton County, one of the best 
farms in that county, which he sold in Maj-, 
1874, for $9,500 cash, then moved to his section 
in this township. In 1874, he bought 830 acres 
of wild land at $9.50 cash per acre ; in 1881, 
bought 80 acres of wild land adjoining the 
home farm at $16 cash per acre, and he now 
owns 1,550 acres of laud, all clear of incum- 
brance, one of the finest stock or grain farms 
in the county. The Big Silver Creek runs 
through the farm, one-half of which is valley. 
The farm is located four and a half miles west 
of Avoca, and two and three-fourths south of 
Shelby. Mr. Lane carries on general farming, 
and frequently goes to Chicago to bu}- cattle. 
At Lyons, Clinton Co., Iowa. November 14, 
1853, he married Mary Shannon, born in 
Count}' Clare, Ireland, in March, 1832. daugh- 
ter of Michael and Mary (Neylon) Shannon, 
natives of County Clare, Ireland, he born in 
1796, she in 1806. By this union, they have 
been blessed with the following children : 
James, Patrick Henry, Mary, Margueretta, 
Katy and John (deceased). In politics, Mr. 
Lane is a Democrat, but conservative in his 
views. 



WILLIAM LEIGH, farmer, P. 0. Shelby, 
was born in Somersetshire, England, October 
2, 1831, son of Thomas and Jestina (Cox) 
Leigh, natives of Somersetshire, England, he, 
born August 24, 1804, was a merchant, and 
died, as did his wife also, in the land of their 
birth. The father died in 1875. They were 
the parents of seven children, three sons and 
four daughters. Our subject received a good 
education in Taunton, England. He came to 
the United States in 1855, landing in New 
York. He lived in Connecticut for two years, 
where he clerked in a grocery store in Bridge- 
port, that State. He came to Johnson Coun- 
ty, this State, in 1857, and was a merchant in 
Iowa City for eight years. He came to Pleas- 
ant Township in 1875, aud purchased 160 acres 
of land at $12.50 per acre. He built a one- 
and-a-half-story frame house, 32x16, 16x20 
and 10x16, set out a grove, and built a large 
barn and other buildings. He has a farm in 
Shelby County of 220 acres, aud one in Harri- 
son County of 240 acres. He carries on gen- 
eral forming aud deals in stock and grain. He 
was married, in Bridgeport, Conn., June 16, 
1856, to Johanna Doray, born on the Isle of 
Jersey, England, April 20. 1828, daughter of 
John and Harriet (Winsey) Doray, he born on 
the Isle of Alderney, England. June 20, 1801, 
she born in Guernsey, England, September 19, 
1803. Mr. and Mrs. Leigh have three children 
—Thomas Doray, born May 31, 1857 ; Alfred 
Henry, February 28, 1865, and Ada Eliza, 
November 6, 1866. In religion, our subject is , 
an Episcopalian, and in politics he is a Repub- 
lican. 

F. W. LIPPOLD, farmer, P. O. Hancock, 
was born in Davenport, Iowa, January 1, 1856, 
son of William and Hannah C. (Burecamper) 
Lippold, natives of Prussia, Germany, and the 
parents of seven children, five sons and two 
daughters. William Lippold, who is a farmer 
by occupation, is still living in Pleasant Town- 
ship, where his wife died in June, 1878. Our 



I 



PLEASAXT TOWNSHIP. 



217 



subject received his education in the schools of 
Davenport and Le Claire Township, Scott 
Count}', Iowa, and began life as a farmer. 
In November, 1872, he came to this township, 
bought 160 acres of wild land at S9 per acre 
in ISSO, and has improved the place, erecting 
on it a frame dwelling-house one and a half 
stories, 16x24 feet, besides other buildings, and 
has set out a good orchard. He devotes his 
attention to general farming ; he also runs a 
threshing-machine. At Avoca, Iowa, January 
1, 1880, he married Hannah C. StofTels, born 
August 25, 1863, in Holstein, Germany, daugh- 
ter of JI. and Jlarj- (Jacobson) Stoftels, he a 
native of Prussia, she of Holstein, Grermany. 
Bv this marriage, they have one son — Florenz, 
born April 22, 1881. Mr. Lippold is a Demo- 
crat. 

GILBERT MANNING, farmer, P. 0. Avoca, 
was born in Clinton County, N. Y., April 19, 
1840, and is a son of Edgar and Sallie (Thew) 
Manning, who is still living in Clinton Countv, 
N. Y. Edgar Manning, a farmer by occupa- 
tion, was born in Vermont December 23. 1817; 
his wife was born in Clinton Count}-, N. Y., 
August 19, 1817; they had a family of two 
sons. 5Ir. Planning was educated at Peru, 
Clinton Co., N. Y., and taught school three 
years, and has since devoted his attention to 
farming. He left New York Februarj' 20, 
1878, came to Pleasant Township April 10, 
that year, and bought 160 acres of improved 
land at S21.87|^ per acre. He sold that place 
February 27, 1882. for 830 per acre and bought 
his present farm of 2U0 acres of improved laud 
at S30 per acre. His farm, which is one of the 
finest in the township is well supplied with liv- 
ing water, is well adapted for stock-raising or 
for raising grain, and is situated two miles,west 
of Avoca on the main road from the east to 
Council Bluffs. He carries on general farming. 
At Peru, Clinton Co., N. Y., November 27, 
1866, he married Rachel Muzzy, born in Sar- 
anac, Clinton Co., N. Y., July 12, 1842, daugh- 



ter of Milton and Esther (Nichols) Muzzy, he 
born in Vermont December 15, 1811, she born 
in Essex County, N. Y., August 17, 1811. Mr. 
Mannning was Justice of the Peace in New 
York for four years. He is a member of the 
Methodist Church and an A., F. & A. M., Peru 
Lodge. No. 281, Peru, N. Y., and in politics is 
a Republican. 

PHILIP SYDNEY McCANDLBSS, farmer, 
P. 0. Shelby, was born in Washington Count}-, 
Penn., December 15, 1844, son of Alexander 
and Wanzy (Scott) McCandless, he a miller and 
farmer, born in Pennsylvania in 1813, died in 
Douglas County, Kan., March, 1882; she, born 
in Washington County, Penn., in 1812, died 
there in 1850. They had seven children, four 
boys and three girls. Subject received his 
education in Henry County, 111., commenced 
life as a farmer, and married in Rock Island 
County, 111., February 12, 1879, Nellie J. Mor- 
gan, born August 30, 1857, in Shropshire. Eng- 
land, daughter of Thomas and Emma (Tim- 
mis) Morgan, both born in Shropshire, Englandi 
in 1827. Mr. and Mrs. McCandless have one 
child— Guy Sydney, born May 7, 1881. Sub- 
ject is a Presbyterian, a Democrat, a member 
of the A. H. T. S.; been School Director, Jus- 
tice of the Peace, and enlisted March 18, 1865, 
in Company E, Eightenth Illinois Infantry 
(Capt. Brewer), and got an honorable discharge 
in February, 1866. He went to Illinois in 1854, 
living there until he was twenty-five years old, 
when he came to Pleasant Township in 1869, 
buying 160 acres at $8.50 per acre, went back 
to Illinois, the next year, came back to this 
township again and broke eighty acres of land, 
when he went back again on July 1, but re- 
turned in the spring of 1871 and improved the 
farm; there is an orchard and fine grove on the 
place. He went to Colorado in 1877 with the 
intention of mining, but returned the same year. 
He does general farming and has a good farm. 

GEORGE NIPPERT, farmer, P. 0. Minden, 
was born in Alsace, Germany, March 11, 1819, 



218 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



son of Jacob and Eva Elizabeth (Lisher) Nippert, 
natives of Alsace, German3', and parents of five 
sons and two daughters. Jacob Nippert, who 
■was a farmer b}' occupation, was born in Janu- 
ar}', 1784, and died in Monroe County, Ohio, 
August 31, 1844: his wife, who was born in 
1784, is still living in Ohio. Our subject re- 
ceived his education in his native country, and 
acquired the English language without a 
teacher. His fiist occupation was that of a 
blacksmith. He came to the United States in 
1837. and lived three j-ears in Pittsburgh, 
Penn., three years in Ohio, when he went to 
Freeport, 111., where he remained until 1847, in 
which yesLT he removed to Wisconsin, where he 
resided until he came to Pleasant Township in 
1874. He purchased 160 acres of wild land at 
$8 per acre. He set out a two-acre grove, 240 
fruit trees and otherwise improved the place. 
He has a good house, and carries on farming 
in its various branches. He was married in 
Monroe County, Ohio, November 27, 1842, to 
Sarah Hirchinger, born in Alsace, Germanj^ 
August 11, 1821, daughter of Michael and 
Sarah (Bay) Hirchinger, natives also of Alsace, 
Germany, he born in 1784, she in 1795. Mr. 
and Mrs. Nippert had nine children, of whom 
one — Sarah, is deceased. Those living are 
Caroline, Michael, Lizzie E., Henry W., Rosan- 
na K., Jacob, Emma E. and Charles E. Our 
subject has filled township offices in Sauk 
County, Wis., and has been Township Trustee 
in Pleasant Township, In politics, he is a Re- 
publican. 

J. F. PARKER, farmer, P. O. Shelby, was 
born in Vermont September 27, 1837, son of 
Abel and Fanny (Farnsworth) Parker; he, a 
farmer and mason, born in New England Octo- 
ber 6, 1790, died in Lake County, 111., March, 
1857, she also died in Lake County, 111. The}- 
had a family of five boys and two girls. Sub- 
ject is self-educated, commenced life as a car- 
penter and married in Newton, Jasper Count}-, 
this State, September 18, 1862, Nellie Bettise, 



born December 22, 1842, in Detroit, Mich., 
daughter of John and Malizann (Cook) Bet- 
tise, he born in New England October 5, 1793, 
she in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., February 7. 
1804. Mr. and Mrs. Parker have two children, 
viz., Aimer A. Clifton and Blanche M. Edith. 
Subject is a carpenter as well as farmer; has 
been Township School Treasurer and held other 
offices, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, is a Republican, a member of the 
Grange; and came from Jasper County to this 
township in 1874; bought eighty acres of wild 
land for S8 per acre, built a one and one-half 
story frame house on it 14x22 feet, with a 
kitchen 14x22 feet, costing in all $800, besides 
other buildings, all built by himself Mrs. 
Parker's father went through the war of 1812 
with Capt. Tanner. 

A. D. PEDICORD, farmer. P. 0. Shelby, 
born in Morgan County, Ohio, October 23, 
1836; son of Thomas and Susannah (Crossen) 
Pedicord; he, a farmer, born in Maryland in 
1806, is still living on the old homestead in 
Morgan County, Ohio; she, born in Ireland in 
1801, still lives on the old homestead. They 
have had six children, three boys and three 
girls. Subject went to school in Morgan 
County, Ohio, commenced life by running on 
the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers from Zanes- 
ville to Pittsburgh, from 1856 till 1865, and 
married his first wife on the old homestead in 
Morgan County, Ohio, January 23, 1855, Sarah 
Brabham, born in Loudoun County, W, Va., in 
1841, daughterof T. J. and Martha (Stevenson) 
Brabham, both born in West Virginia; he, June 
30, 1818 ; she, September 14, 1820. Mrs. Pedi- 
cord died September 2, 1869. Subject was 
married the second time in Henry County, III., 
January 18, 1870, his present wife being a 
member of the Presbyterian Church, He is a 
Democrat, a Freemason, a member of the A. H. 
T. S., and is the father of the following chil- 
dren : Thomas J.. Mary Ann, Martha Susan- 
na, Elizabeth Edna, John and Ella Bell, 



PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 



219 



who died August 8, 1878. Subject was tax 
clerk ill Illinois, Assessor for this township, 
and filled several school offices for a lyimber 
of years. He left Ohio in the fall of 1864, 
going to Rock Island County, III., forming there 
eight years, came to this township in the spring 
of 1872, bought 160 acres of wild land at $9 
per acre, improved it, built a house and out- 
buildings, set out 2.0U0 shade and 300 fruit 
trees, which are in bearing condition, besides 
small fruits, bought forty acres of wild land at 
$7.50 per acre, from the Chicago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Railroad Company, bought forty 
acres of improved laud at $15 per acre, from 
John K. Cooper, Company Superintendent, and 
130 acres also improved at $22.75. He built a 
fine two storj' residence in 1882, 18x28 feet 
and 18x18 feet with bay window, which cost 
$1,000. 

WILLIAM V. ROCK, farmer, P. 0. Avoca, 
is a native of Waldeck, German}-, boru March 
19, 1S51, son of Frederick and Louisa (Schnane) 
Rock, natives of Waldeck, Germany. Frederick 
Rock was born September 26, 1818, is a farmer 
by occupation, his permanent residence being 
in his native country', though he is at present 
on a visit to the United States; his wife, born 
in 1822, died in Waldeck, Germany, in 1865; 
they had eight children, five boys and three 
girls. Subject left Germany in 1866, came to 
this country, and settled in Scott County, Iowa. 
He received his education in German}-, and in 
Scott County, Iowa, and began life as a farmer, 
which occupation he has since pursued. In 
the spring of 187-4, he came to Pleasant Town- 
ship where he had the previous year bought 
160 acres of wild land at $9 per acre, improved 
the place and broke eighty acres in 1874. He 
set out 2,000 shade and fruit trees, buill a 
house and farm buildings, and, in 1880 erected 
a more commodions frame dwelling house, one 
and half stories high, 18x28 feet at a cost of 
$1,100. He carries on general farming: his 
farm is well supplied with water and is well 



adapted to stock raising purposes. Mr. Rock 
has now one of the finest farms in the county, 
consisting of 240 acres, he having bought eighty 
acres in 1881, paying $20 per acre for one-half 
of it. and $21.25 per acre for the other half 
In Avoca, this county, March 8, 1875, he mar- 
ried Louisa Prese, born in Waldeck, Germany, 
January 9, 1856, daughter of Ludwig and 
Wilhelmina (Rock) Frese, also natives of that 
country. By this union, they have had three 
children — Minnie, born November 15, 1865; 
Frederick, born September 12, 1877, and Henry, 
born January 23, 1800. Mr. Rock has been 
highway Supervisor and Assessor of the town- 
ship, and is now Township Trustee. He is a 
member of the Lutheran Church, is a member 
of the A. H. T. S., and is in politics, a Repub- 
lican. 

ALEXANDER M. SCOTT, farmer, P. 0. 
Shelby, Shelby County, Iowa, was born in 
Washington County, Penn., February 9, 1847, 
and is a son of Archibald and Elizabeth 
(McCandless) Scott, natives of Allegheny 
County, Penn., and now residents of Henry 
County, 111., he, a farmer by occupation, 
born in December, 1808; she, born in 1810. 
Subject's parents had seven children, two boys 
and five girls. He received his education in 
his native State, and in Henry County, 111., 
began life as a farmer, and still follows that 
occupation. He moved from Pennsylvania to 
Illinois in the spring of 1857. He farmed for 
several years in Illinois, and in 1872 came to 
this township, -where, in 1 870, he had bought a 
tract of land, half of which he broke in 1871, 
and on which he built in 1872. His farm 
consisted of 160 acres of land which cost $8.50 
per acre, and, in 1873, he bought eighty acres 
at $8 per acre. In March, 1877, he sold his 
personal property, rented his farm, and re- 
moved to Lake City, Hinsdale Co., Colo., but re- 
turned in November. He built a one and half 
story frame dwelling house on his place. 16x26 
feet and 10x26 feet, at a cost of S700. In this 



220 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



township, January 7, 1880, he married Anna 
Frum, born in Monongalia County, W. Va., 
March 2i, 1857, daughter of Joseph and Mary 
(Boyd) Frum, natives of that county, and both 
born in the year 1820. By this union two 
children have been born — Archie Boyd, born 
December 9, 1880, and Clifford, born July 22, 
1882. Mr. Scott has been Township Trustee, 
President of the Board of Directors two j'ears, 
and also School Director for one year. He is a 
member of the Presbyterian Church, is a Good 
Templar and member of the A. H. T. S., and in 
politics, votes the Democratic ticket. 

WILLIAM SIMPSON, farmer, P. 0. Shelby, 
Shelby Count}*, was born in Onondaga County, 
N. Y., May 18, 1821, and is a son of Benjamin 
and Elizabeth (Redman) Simpson. Benjamin 
Simpson, who was a farmer by occupation, was 
born in Orange County, N. Y., November 21, 
1782, and died at Elbridge, Onondaga Co., N. Y., 
September 30, 1822; his wife, who was also 
born in Orange County, N. Y., October 15, 
1790, died in Clinton County, Iowa, April 30, 
1864; they had seven children, five boys and 
two girls. The subject of this sketch received 
fcis education in the schools of Elbridge, N. Y., 
and early engaged in farming; he also followed 
boating several j-ears, owning and running 
several boats on the Erie Canal. In Onondaga 
County, N. Y., December 1, 1842, he married 
Julia Gregoire, born in Canada October 24, 
1825, daughter of Theodore Gregoire, a black- 
smith by trade, who was born in Canada April 
22, 1786. By this union nine childi-en have 
been born, six of whom are living, four of 
whom reside in this county — Nicholas P., Ben- 
jamin E., Eltnor U., Sarah E., Elnora E., John 
W., Albert 0., Nettie M. and Gratia A. He 
came to Pleasant Township in 1870, bought 
488 acres of wild land at $10 per acre, which 
he improved, and on which he erected a frame 
house, 26x32 feet, two stories high, with kitchen 
14x16 feet, at a cost of $2,000. Mr. Simpson 
is engaged in general farming. When he came 



to Pleasant Township, there were only three 
voters, but at the last election 150 votes were 
cast, and then all the voters in the township 
did not vote. He is a supporter of the Dem- 
ocratic party. 

HIRAM STEWART, farmer, P. 0. Shelby, 
was born in Athens County, Ohio, December 
24, 1835, son of Alexander and Clara (McGee) 
Stewart, he a native of Athens Count}-, Ohio, 
born August 30, 1806; was a merchant, boat- 
man and a farmer, and is still living in this 
State. The mother of our subject was born in 
Pittsburgh, Penn., January 8, 1815, and died in 
West Point, Lee County, this State, in June, 

1840. They were the parents of ten children, 
five sons and five daughters. Our subject re- 
ceived his schooling in his native county, and 
in Lee and Henry Counties, this State. He 
started in life as a drover and farmer. He was 
married in Van Buren County, this State, Feb- 
ruary 21, 1861, to Esther L. Bennett, born in 
Athens County, Ohio, January 8, 1837, daugh- 
ter of P. W. and Martha A. (McLain) Bennett, 
he a native of Massachusetts, born in 1812; she 
born in Athens Count}-, Ohio, June 1, 1822. 
Mr. and Mrs. Stewart have four children — 
Clara Frances, born February 23, 1862; John, 
born June 29, 1864; William A., born June 
29, 1866, and May Anna, born July 3, 1869. 
Our subject came to Pleasant Township in the 
spring of 1868, and bought a school claim of 
eighty acres. April 20, 1875, he purchased 
forty acres of improved land at $20 per acre, 
and March 1, 1882, he made another addition 
of forty acres at $16.50 per acre. His present 
farm, of 160 acres of good land, is situated, 
120 acres in Section 16 and forty acres in Sec- 
tion 15. He carries on general farming. He 
has been Road Supervisor for a number of 
years, and also a Director. In politics, he is a 
Republican. 

JOHN H. C. STUHR, farmer, P. 0. Shelljy, 
was born in Holstein, Germany, Februarj- 27, 

1841, son of Adam and Mary (Bocher) Stuhr, 



PLEASANT TOWNSHIP. 



321 



both natives of Holstein, Germany, he born ia 
1801, she in 1809. Both died in their native 
country'. They were the parents of seven chil- 
dren, four boys and three girls, of whom one 
son and a daughter are deceased. Our subject 
received his education in his native country, 
and emigrated to America in 1857, landing in 
New York. He came to Davenport, this State, 
from which place he went in the army, return- 
ing to the same count}', after serving through- 
out the entire time of the war. He enlisted in 
the fall of 18(51, in the Twelfth Missouri Infan- 
trj' Company I, Capt. Alefeldt. He took part 
in the engagements of Pea Ridge, Vicksburg, 
Lookout Mountain, Atlanta and others. He 
was married in Davenport, this State, October 
2, 1866, to Eva Katharina Wilhelmina Arohn, 
born April 24, 1844, in the same place as her 
parents — G. and Mrs. (Atzman) Arohn, who 
were natives of Schleswig, Germany. Mrs. 
Stuhr came to the United States in 1866, and 
lived in Scott County, this State, till the time 
of her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Stuhr are the 
parents often children, eight of whom are liv- 
ing — Emma, Willie, Mary, Clara, Kathrina. Ma- 
tilda, Dora and Johanna. Our subject came to 
Pleasant Township in 1875, and purchased 205 
acres of land at $11 per acre, fiftj^-five acres for 
$1,000, and also made a purchase of 160 acres 
of wild land in Harrison County at $9 per acre, 
fifty-five acres of which were, however, some- 
what improved. His present farm property is 
now well cultivated. He set out a grove and a 
three-acre orchard of small fruit. He pays at- 
tention to most all kinds of farming. Mrs. 
Stuhr died in Pleasant Township August 17, 
1882, and her funeral was attended bj- lai'ge 
numbers, who have always held her in the 
highest esteem. Our subject h.as filled many 
township offices. He was Constable two j-ears, 



Trustee three years. Assessor two years, and 
School Director two j-ears. He is an I. 0. 0. 
F., Helvetia Lodge, No. 423. In religion, he is 
a Lutheran, and in politics, a Republican. 

CHARLES WASSER, farmer, P. 0. Avoca, 
is a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, born 
January 19, 1827, and is a son of Erhart and 
Rosina. (Stein) Wasser, also natives of Wurtem- 
berg, German}-. Erhart Wasser was born in 
1794: was a shoemaker by trade, and died in 
Pennsylvania in 1857; his wife, who was born 
in 1802, died at Blue Island, 111., in 1868; they 
had three children, two boys and one girl. 
Subject received his education in Wurtemberg, 
Germany, and learned the shoemaker's trade 
in Germany. In 1853, he left his native coun- 
try and came to the United States, locating at 
St. Clair, Penn., where he worked at his trade 
ten years. In 1863, he moved to Illinois, where 
■he worked at his trade, and, in 1871, came to 
Pleasant Township, bought eighty acres of land 
at Sn per acre, improved it and remained on 
the place two years. He then worked at his 
trade for three years, renting his farm mean- 
while, and, at the end of that time, returned to 
the farm. In 1880, he bought eighty acres of 
improved land at $18.50 per acre, and carries 
on general farming. There is a good supply of 
living water on the farm, which is well adapted 
to stock-raising. Mr. Wasser has been Road 
Supervisor. In Germany, in 1851, he married 
Kate Anna Gebel, a native of Germany, born 
January 30, 1823, daughter of Elias and Katha- 
rina (Hiventhal) Gebel, natives of Germany, he 
born in 1790, she in 1798. Mr. Wasser was 
again married in Pennsylvania in 1857. He 
has three children — Lizzie, Jacob and Conrad 
Philip. He is a member of the Lutheran 
Church, and in politics, is Republican. Mrs. 
Wasser is a member of the Reformed Church. 



223 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ROCKFORD TOWNSHIP. 



H. L. ALDRIPGE. farming, P. 0. Loveland, 
was born in Indiana in 1846, came to Potta-. 
wattamie County in 1854, and, with the excep- 
tion of a few j-ears he lived across the line in 
Harrison County, this township has been his 
home ever since. His business has alwa3-s 
been that of farming and stock-dealing. He 
received his education in this county, but, for 
several 3'ears after coming here, there was no 
school that he could attend. His father, John 
S. Aldridge, died while he was very young. 
The mother is still living ; she is a native of 
Indiana, and is now Mrs. Josiah Skelton, one 
of the old settlers of Pottawattamie County. 
Mr. Aldridge was married in this county, in 
1867, to Miss M. E. Selvy. He was first farm- 
ing in the Missouri River bottom, where he still 
has 156 acres of land, and also has a arm at 
his home place of 44 acres. This he bought 
more for a fruit farm, on which he now has 
quite a good many apple and other fruit trees. 
He has been engaged in buying and selling 
cattle, and now has about one hundred head of 
cattle, besides hogs and other stock. He is 
Democratic in politics, and is a member of the 
Masonic fraternity. He has held different 
township offices, and is now one of the Trust- 
ees. His first farm was raw prairie when he 
bought it, paying from $10 to $20 per acre. 
It is now well improved. His present home 
place cost $25 per acre. Mr. Aldridge started 
out for himself with but little, and his present 
success he has gained by his own energ}- and 
perseverance. He is also in the bee business, 
having a number of stands, which are pa3'ing 
well. He also has an orchard of about five 
hundred trees, which is doing finely. 

ELIHU CARTER, farmer, P. O. Loveland, 
was born in New York in 1827, son of Henry 



Carter, who died in January, 1872. The 
mother of our subjfect is still living, and was 
seventy-five years old in March, 1882. Our 
subject came to this State in 1875 from Winne- 
bago Count}', Wis., and settled on his present 
place. He purchased 160 acres of land, for 
which he paid $3,000. There were no fences 
or other improvements with the exception that 
80 acres were in corn, which he secured, and a 
house which was not completed. Our subject 
moved with his parents from his native State 
to Pennsylvania when he was about two years 
old. He lived there eight j-ears, afterward 
moving to Wisconsin, and finally to this State, 
as before stated. He received his education 
mostlv in Wisconsin, in which State he was 
also married to Miss Lucinda Knapp, a native 
of Pennsylvania, daughter of Hosea Knapp, 
who is still living, and was eighty-three years 
old in December, 1882. Mr. and Mrs. Carter 
have four children living, three boys and one 
girl, of whom one boj* and one girl are mar- 
ried and are living in Rockford Township. 
The}' have buried one daughter, who died in 
September, 1881. When our subject first 
movted to Wisconsin, the Winnebago and Me- 
nomonee tribes of Indians were respectively 
located on the south and north sides of the 
Fox River. They would steal from each other, 
and both from the white population. Mr. Car- 
ter lived in Waljjvorth, Fond du Lac and Win- 
nebago Counties, Wis., to which latter county 
he moved in 1850. In September, 1861, he 
enlisted in the Fourteenth Wisconsin lufantrj', 
Company C, and served eight months under 
Col. Wood. The battle of Shiloh was the 
principal engagement in which he took part. 
He gives but little attention to political mat- 
ters, having voted but once in this State, except 



ROCIvFORD TOWNSHIP. 



223 



on questions pertaining to local school affairs. 
His present farm consists of his original pur- 
chase of 160 acres, which he has put in plow- 
land and meadow, and a subsequent purchase 
of 20 acres, which is in timber. He raises 
principally corn. 

SAMUEL CLARK, farmer, P. 0. Missouri 
Valley, Harrison Count}', was born in Ne\v 
York State in 1818. His parents moved to 
Indiana when he was a small boy. There he 
grew up, was married and made his home till 
about 1853. He was married, in 1840, to Miss 
Sarah Harding, born in New York State in 
1820, daughter of William Harding. Mr. 
Clark has always followed farming. From 
Indiana, they moved to Wisconsin and lived 
tliere about a year, and then came to Eastern 
Iowa, where thev lived till the fall of 186-1 
when they came to this county, and have made 
this their home ever since. The first j'ear, 
they rented a farm, and then came on to their 
present farm. They bought it the first fall 
they came, but rented for a j'ear, while they 
were making improvements on their own place. 
It was all raw prairie at that time. He paid 
$4.50 per acre for land, and bought 122 acres 
at first. His farm now consists of nearh- 200 
acres, which he bought of J. C. Foreman, of 
Council Bluffs. They have reared four chil- 
dren, three girls and one bo}'. All were mar- 
ried. The eldest daughter, who died in Feb- 
ruary, 1881, was living in Nebraska; their 
son is living in Kansas, one of the girls is in 
Iowa, and the other is in Nebraska, At first, 
Council Bluffs was their trading point. After 
buying his place, he did not have much mone^' 
left, so for some time they had a pretty hard 
lot of it, but, by hard work and economj', they 
soon were in comfortable circumstances. For 
some time after coming, he was in the stock 
business, but now he does not farm himself, so 
he sold off his stock and rents his land. He 
is Republican in politics, but does not take 
much interest in political matters. He is a 



member of the Masonic fraternity. His first 
house wa.s 16x20 feet, and was made of cotton- 
wood, the lumber being sawed near here, and 
cost about $25 per thousand. Even the shin- 
gles were of the same material. The same 
housathey still use, but they have made con- 
siderable additions to it. Mr. Clark is a son 
of Erastus Clark, born in Connecticut, and one 
of a familj' of eleven children, who are scat- 
tered over the United States, Mrs, Clark is 
one of six children, one sister and one brother 
being deceased. When our subject and wife 
moved to this county, thoy came with a team 
of horses and two yoke of cattle, Mr, Clark's 
father came with them, and drove a light bug- 
gy, our subject driving one team of cattle and 
Mrs, Clark the other, while their son, L, H. 
Clark, drove the loose cattle, 

THOMAS N, COPELAND, farmer, P, 0, 
Loveland, was born in North Carolina in 1811, 
but was raised in Indiana, to which State his 
parents had moved when he was seven years 
old. He lived in Indiana until he came to this 
State in 1852, He was married in 1835 to 
Miss Barbara Frazier, born in Tennessee in 
1816, She moved to Indiana with her parents 
when she was small. Mr. and Mrs. Copeland 
have five children living, four daughters and 
one son, all of whom are married and are living 
near them. They have buried four children — 
three boys and one girl ; the oldest son djiug 
in September, 1881. Our subject's oldest sou, 
J. A. Copeland, two sons-in-law and four 
brothers were in the late civil war, which they 
went through without receiving a scratch. Our 
subject arrived in this county in the fall of 
1852, He came across the country in wagons, 
and made the trip of 500 miles in just four 
weeks. The winter following his arrival he 
passed just over the line in Harrison County, 
In February, 1853, he bought a 700-acre claim 
of Isaac Cox, for which he paid $470. He 
entered this, and shorth' afterward moved on- 
to it, living the first two 3-ears in a Mormon 



224 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



cabin. His farm now consists of 260 acres. 
With the exception of seventy acres which 
he sold, the balance of his original farm has 
gone to his children. His present home was 
built in the summer of 1855. It was con- 
structed mostly of Cottonwood. Part of the 
, original siding is still on. The house is 32x 
32, part of which is two stories high and has a 
basement. Our subject has been engaged in 
farming ever since coming to this couutj-. He 
also ran a mill for nine \ears. The mill was 
erected by Loveland & Craj-ton, our sub- 
ject purchasing the interest of Mr. Crayton. 
For nine years the firm name was Copeland 
& Loveland. His partner failing our subject 
took the mill, afterward selling it to Hawthorne 
& Co., who are its present owners. Our sub- 
ject has always taken an active interest in 
school and township affairs, and has done 
much toward the prosperity and advancement 
of his section. Although seventy-one j-ears 
old, he can read readilj' without the use of 
glasses, and his eyes appear to be stronger than 
they were forty years ago. In politics, he was 
first a Whig and afterward a Republican. 

BASEL FOX, farmer, P. 0. Loveland, was 
born in Putnam County, Ind., in 1827, son of 
James S. and Elizabeth (Enoc) Fox ; he, born 
in New Jersej-, she a native of Pennsylvania. 
They were marrie'l in Ohio and emigrated to 
Indiana in 1826. Both are deceased. Our 
subject has one sister living, 3Irs. Eliza 
Mullinix, who resides in Harrison County, this 
State. He was educated in his native State, 
where he lived until he was twentj--flve years 
of age, when he started across the country' with 
an ox-team and settled on his present farm in 
1852. His resources at the time he arrived 
were S20.50 in cash, half-interest in the three 
yoke of oxen and wagon and a note against his 
brother for $55. They purchased together a 
claim of 400 acres at a cost of |20 in money 
and two yoke of cattle. Our subject bought 
his brother's interest for §110, and the wagon. 



He then got Judge Casady to enter eighty 
acres of the land on time, paying him forty per 
cent interest. In this manner he struggled on, 
and now owns 385 acres of the original 400, 
most of which is fenced and is in a state of 
cultivation. He has made man}^ substantial im- 
provements, including two barns, one of which 
is 22x75, and a two-story residence. Mr. Fox 
was married in Indiana in 1849 to Amanda J. 
Bell, born in the same State. They have had 
twelve children, of whom four boys and four 
girls are living; the eldest born in December. 
1850, and the youngest September 16, 1879. 
April 7, 1862, our suljject enlistee! in the 
Seventeenth Iowa Infantry, Company H, and 
after three years' service was mustered <?ut at 
Davenport, this State. He took part in many 
heavy engagements, including Corinth, luka. 
Miss., Chattanooga and Mission Ridge. He 
was twice captured, once at Spring Place, G-a., 
and again at Tilton, Ga. He was five and a 
half months in Andersonville Prison, and was 
under medical treatment for ten mouths, being 
moved from one hospital to another. He is 
now a member of the Grand Army of the Re- 
public, and in politics is a Republican. 

A. FRAZIER, Postmaster and farmer. 
Honey Creek, came from Putnam County, 
Ind., in the fall of 1854, and settled on his 
present place, his father entering the same. 
Our subject was born in Indiana in 1837 ; sou 
of J. T. Frazier, a native of Tennessee, but 
who was raised in Indiana, and is still living on 
the place they first settled. The mother of our 
subject is dead. He (subject) received his edu- 
cation in his native State. He was married, in 
1857, to Miss Juliana Wild, a native of Eng- 
land. They have three children, one sou and 
two daughters, all of whom are at home. 
When our subject and parents came to this 
county, the}' traversed the country in wagons, 
and were four weeks in making the trip. They 
purchased the improvements which the Mor- 
mons had made on the place, and entered it 



ROCKFORD TOWNSHIP. 



225 



afterward. Council Bluffs was their trading 
point at this time. Our subject started a gen- 
eral store in Honey Creek in 1867. He is also 
the Postmaster at the latter place. His busi- 
ness, however, has been principally farming. 
He deals mostly in cattle, hogs and corn. His 
farm consists of 450 acres, 200 of which are 
under cultivation. He is a member of the Ma- 
sonic fraternity, and in politics is a Republican. 
M. H. FRENCH, blacksmith, P. 0. Loveland, 
is a native of New York ; born in 1838 ; son 
of Adoniram French, a native of Connecticut, 
and a farmer by occupation. The parents are 
both deceased. They had eleven children, six 
sons and five daughters, of whom six are now 
livina;. Our subject received his education in 
the common schools of his native State, which 
he left in November, 1867, and came to this 
State, settling in Loveland with just $7 in his 
pocket. He was married, in 1858, to Miss 
Elizabeth Johnson, a native of Ireland. They 
have the following children : Bdwiu C, born 
September 9, 1859 ; Ella M., born January' 18, 
1861 ; Willie L., born November 9, 1865 ; Jen- 
nie E., born April 22, 1870, and Arthur M., 
born August 30, 1873. The first three named 
were born in New York, and the latter two in 
this State. Ella M. was married, in September 
1879, to F. I. Haldemaa, who is station agent 
at Clear Water, Neb., where the}- are now living. 
Our subject never fiirmed but one j-ear. He 
sailed the lakes for three years, after which he 
settled on terra firma and went into the black- 
smithing business, which he has followed for 
about twenty-five j-ears. He runs a shop at 
present but seldom does any work in it himself, 
being engaged in partnership with his son 
in a general merchandise business in Loveland, 
in which he carries a stock of over $2,000. He 
is also agent for the Shugart Implement Com- 
pany of Council Bluffs. Mr. French also has 
109 acres of land in timber, from which he 
cuts from 200 to 250 cords per season. He 
also owns a good residence and two lots near 



the depot. Mr. and Mrs. French are members 
of the M. E. Church. In politics, he is a Dem- 
ocrat, and has alwa\-s voted that ticket. 

H. W. A. GOSS, farmer, P. 0. Loveland, was 
born in Illinois in 1845. His parents came to 
Iowa when he was but five j-ears old, and set- 
tled in this county on his present place in 
April, 1851. This has been his home ever 
since, except one j^ear he lived in Missouri 
Valley, Harrison County. He is the son 
of Sherman Goss, who died in 1855 ; the 
mother died in 1881, aged seventy-seven years. 
Our subject was educated in this county. His 
business has always been farming. He has 
three brothers, one in Council Bluffs, one in 
Missouri Valley, Harrison County, and one 
in La Veta, Colo. Mr. Goss was married, in 
this county, to Miss Ella Boyd, of Harrison 
County, daughter of John Boyd. They were 
married in 1874, and have two children, both 
boys. Our subject had four brothers who 
went into the. army ; one was killed. Mr. Goss 
was too young to go at the time. He is Re- 
publican in politics. The Mormons had been 
here before Mr. Goss came, but all the im- 
provements they had made was to break our 
garden spots in the hollows, for thej- did not 
have teams sufficient to break up the heavy 
sod. They also had log huts covered with 
boards, and on these dirt. Mr. Goss' father 
bought a claim from the Mormons, and then 
entered land in 1853, as soon as it was open for 
entr}'. Entering at first 160 acres, most of it 
lying in the Boyer River bottom, but after- 
ward entered more. Mr. Goss now has 106 
acres. He is now living on the old place first 
settled. He remembers how they had to do 
the first j'car they were here. The verj' high 
waters washed out what mills there were within 
reach of them, so the}' did their own grinding, 
by putting corn in a large iron kettle and 
pounding it with an iron wedge. The finest 
the}- would sift out and make bread from, and 
the coarse they would make into mush and 



226 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



hotninj. Hogs were so scarce it was almost a 
sight to see oue, but game was very plent}^ 
When comiag here. Kauesville or Council 
Bluffs only had one hewn-log house, and that 
was a store. The rest were all round logs, and 
covered with dirt. 

W. E. HOYT, boarding house and confec- 
tioner}', Loveland, was born in Illinois in 1850, 
but came to Iowa when about five j-ears old. 
His parents first settled twenty miles west of 
Iowa City, on the banlis of the Iowa River. 
He is the son of H. B. Hoyt, who is still living. 
The mother died about 1866. In 1863, they 
moved to this county, and he has lived here 
ever since, except two years; one spent in the 
eastern part of the State and the other in Kan- 
sas. He was educated mostly- iu the schools of 
this countj-. He has three brothers and two 
sisters. He was raised on a farm, and for the 
first two or three years after starting out for 
himself, he followed farming. In 1879, he 
bought out the grocery stock of Mr. Joseph 
Moss, and continued in that business in Love- 
land for two j'ears, then sold that out and 
started his present business of boarding house, 
restaurant and confectioner}-. He also owns 
and runs the Town Hall. He commenced on 
his present building March 1, 1881; the hall is 
20x50, twelve-foot ceiling, and the restaurant 
department connected with the hall is 14x50. 
He was married, in 1875, to Miss Ellen Moss, 
daughter of Joseph Moss. They have one girl 
and oue boy. He is Democratic in politics, 
and at present is Justice of the Peace; also, has 
a blacksmith and wagon repairing shop. 

HARDIN JONES, farmer, P. 0. Loveland, 
was born in 1810, in Keutuck}-, on the Green 
River, Case}' Count}'; then moved with his 
father to Orange County, Ind., in 1817, and 
then to Putnam County, lud., the fall of 
1826. and remained there till the fall of 1855, 
when he came here. All of his family came at 
the same time, except one daughter, who came 
before. His onlv son now living, has been liv- 



ing by him ever since, their farms adjoining 
each other. He first bought 280 acres of Cal- 
vin Beebe, paying $2,650. and siuce that, he has 
added to his farm. He and son together have 
since had over 1,000 acres. Our subject now 
has 435 acres. Their farming is stock and 
grain. Mr. Jones served as County Judge one 
year. Auditor one year. Justice of the Peace 
for about twenty -one years. He was elected 
to the offlce of Justice of the Peace six days 
after he was eligible, and has been in county 
and township offices of •some kind ever since 
till within a year. In moving here, they came 
in wagons, starting September 11 and arriving 
October 22, 1855. They camped out whenever 
night overtook them, and followed what was 
called tlie old Mormon trace. He is Demo- 
cratic in politics. His first vote was for Gen. 
Jackson. He is a member of the Baptist 
Church. He was first married, October 18^ 
1832, to Asenath DuWeese. She died Feb- 
ruary 12, 1860, He was afterward married to 
Mrs, Mary Skelton, October 18, 1860, She died 
in March, 1881, He was again married to Mrs, 
Brunetta Moss. He had five children by his 
first wife; both his other wives had five children 
each when he married them, and he had no chil- 
dren by either of them. 

JOHN GREEN JONES, farmer, P. 0. Love- 
land, came to this county in the fall of 1855, 
He was born in Indiana in 1834, son of Harden 
Jones, who is still living in this township. Our 
subject lived in Putnam County till coming to, 
this State with his father. He bought from a 
man by the name of Beebe, who had improved 
the place to some extent, having about forty 
acres fencej and broken, and containing a log 
cabin 12x16 feet, in which our subject lived for 
two years. His father's cabin was about 16x20 
feet. They bought about 280 acres when first 
coming, paying about $9 per acre. Although 
there was plenty of land that could be got for 
less, yet this suited them, and they were willing 
to pay the advance, Mr. Jones was married, in 



ROCKFORD TOWNSHIP. 



227 



Indiana, in the fall of 1854, and then came West 
the following year. He was married to Miss 
Mary Ann Mace, born in Tennessee, but came 
to Indiana while small. Her parents moved to 
this State and lived here till they died. Mr. 
and Mrs. Jones have six children, Ave sous and 
one daughter. Two sons are married, and the 
others are all at home. Mr. Jones has three 
sisters living, but no brothers; four sisters came 
West with them, two of whom were married. 
Mr. Jones has a farm of 525 acres, about 250 be- 
ing in cultivation, the remainder is in timber and 
grass land. He is Democratic in politics. 

OSCAR KELSEY, merchant and Postmas- 
ter, Lovelaud, came here and located perma- 
nently in the fall of 1875. He was born in 
Dearborn Countj', Ind., in 1847. He was 
raised on a farm and lived there until he came 
to Council Bluffs in 1871. He was educated 
in Moore's Hill College, Ind., which he left in 
his junior year on account of ill health, and 
came West and taught school till the spring 
of 1876, when he accepted a position as a book- 
keeper in Copeland & Loveland's mill, in which 
capacity he was engaged up to 1880, when he 
and his brother bought their present store, 
where they carry a $1,600 stock of general 
merchandise, with annual sales of $5,000, 
which are steadil}' increasing. They purchased 
the store of J. A. Copeland, and have since 
continued in the business. They also run a 
farm. Our subject was married, December 25, 
1875, to Miss T. E. Copeland, daughter of 
Thomas N. Copeland, whose biograph}' appears 
elsewhere. They have three children — two 
sons and one daughter. In politics, our sub- 
ject is a Republican, and has been such since 
John C. Fremont ran for President, for whom 
he and his brother were the only boys in the 
district school who would hurrah. Our sub- 
ject is the present Postmaster of Loveland, 
having been appointed in the summer of 1880. 
His father, L. H. Kelsey, and his (subject's) 
mother are still living in Indiana. 



HENRY LOWE farmer and charcoal dealer, 
Houe}' Creek, was born in England in 1844, 
and came to America, when he was six 
years old, with his parents. The}- stopped in 
Fall River, Mass., for about two years, during 
which time the father followed his trade of 
boss-carder in a cotton factory. The}- then 
moved to St. Louis, Mo., where they remained 
until 1854, when they came to the present 
place in Rockford Township. Our subject re- 
turned to St. Louis, coming back in 1857, and 
remained here ever since. He is the son of 
William Lowe, who is now a teacher of phonog. 
raphy in Ogden, Utah. The father was in the 
army; he belonged to the Seventh Missouri 
Cavalry, and went through the entire service. 
Our subject's grandfather, Lowe, was in the 
cavalry at the renowned battle of Waterloo 
The mother of our subject died in St. Louis 
about 1855. Her parents — Mr. and Mrs. Allen 
— came West about 1850, and both died on 
our subject's place. He was married , August 
24, 1862, to Esther Aveyard, who was born iu 
England in the same house as he was. Hiram 
Bostwick took her when she was six vears old 
and raised her. Mr. and Mrs. Lowe have had 
ten children, nine of whom — four boys and five 
girls — are living, and are all at home. The farm 
now consists of 220 acres, of which fifty acres 
are in tillable land, the balance being in timber 
and meadow. Our subject started iu life with 
nothing save determination to win. When he 
first came here. Mormon huts were the only im- 
provements, and there was a Mormon Church 
on his present farm. He started into the char- 
coal business in 1879, in which he has con- 
tinued since. He now has contracts for about 
6,000 bushels. In politics, he is a Republican. 

JOSEPH MOSS, agricultural implements, 
Loveland, was born in Greene County, Ind., in 
1834, son of Aquilla Moss. His parents arc 
both dead. He was educated in Indiana and 
was married in Putnam County, of the same 
State, to Miss Mary Jane Joues, March 30, 



238 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



1854, and the nest year came West, settling 
in Harrison County, wliere he lived two years, 
and then sold out and came to this count}' 
and bought laud, but sold out and went back to 
Indiana, where he remained four years aud 
then came back in the fall of 1864, and has 
been here ever since, bu3'ing a place about two 
and a half miles south of Loveland. Was ap- 
pointed Deputy Sheritf, and served four years 
under George Doughty, and then came back to 
Rockford Township and has lived in the town- 
ship since, but as he has two farms and prop- 
erty in Loveland his time has not been given 
to either. In the two farms he has 380 acres, 
about 200 acres being in cultivation, forty in 
timber and the remainder in grass land. In 
1878, he moved into Loveland and went into 
the grocery business for two years, aud also 
was in his present business of agricultural im- 
plements. After two 3'ears, he sold his stock 
of groceries, and since has been giving his 
time to the implemeiit business and to the carry- 
ing on of his farms. When he got to this State 
first, it was with a wagon and team and 30 
cents in money. The first winter in Iowa was 
his hard winter, for he had no money, but 
worked at anything he could get to do. Shocked 
corn in the snow, bare handed, for John S. 
Goss, and got 11 per day. Game of all kinds 
was plenty aud that furnished them meat. 
Paid $9 per hundred for flour. Pork 9 cents 
per pound. In the next spring he went to 
work his father-in-law's farm and made his 
start that way, for part of the corn he raised 
he sold for $3 per bushel. With this he en- 
tered land, improved and sold, aud kept this 
up for some time, buying and selling. He has 
been a Democrat all his life, and has held of- 
fices of some kind for over twentv years, is 
now a Justice of the Peace. He was at one 
time engaged in buying and shipping stock and 
trading of all kinds, but for four years he 
has uot been engaged in any verj' active busi- 
ness. He aud wife are both very active mem- 



bers of the Baptist Church. They have had 
ten children, four married, four at home and two 
are deceased. 

JOSEPH SEEBOLD, farmer, P. 0. Love- 
land, was born in Dutchess County, N. Y., in 
1826, and went to Michigan while small. He 
made Michigan his home till 1850, when he 
crossed the plains to California, stopping in 
Iowa for some weeks. He remained in Cali- 
fornia for five years. While there, he was min 
ing most of the time. Then he returned to 
Michigan in June, 1855, remaining there till 
December bf the same year, and then came to 
this count}-, arriving here about the 1st of 
January, 1856. He crossed the State by 
stage. It was storming badly, and the driver 
got lost on the prairie and night came on. Mr. 
Seebold was the only passenger, so they tied 
the horses to the coach and went inside, tore 
up the carpeting of the stage, aud in that and 
what robes they had they wrapped up for the 
night, but it was all thej- could do to keep from 
freezing. The next morning, aid was sent for, 
but they had managed to find the wa}- into the 
station before it came. He was married at 
Magnolia, Iowa, Januarj- 12, 1856, by Judge 
Hardy, then Judge of Harrison County, to 
Miss Jane Palmer. She had come to Harrison 
County, with her uncle, from Michigan, in 1852. 
They have nine children, five boys and four 
girls, all of whom are at home. lu April, 1856, 
our subject came to Rockford Township, and 
has been in it ever since, and about tweutj'- 
three years on his present farm. In 1864, he 
went into the service, going into the Third 
Iowa Battery, 0. H. Lj'ous commander, in 
Gen. Solomon's division, then at Little Rock, 
Ark., and then removed to Fort Smith, Ark. 
This was the last battery mustered out of the 
Seventh Armj- Corps. He is Republican in 
politics. His farming is general, but for a few 
3-ears he has turned his attention to sorghum, 
raising sorghum cane to quite an extent. His 
farm is well improved. When first coming 



ROCKFORD TOWNSHIP. 



229 



here, in 1856, there was onl3' one house on the 
Missouri bottom between Loveland and Cal- 
houn, Harrison County. 

CtEORGE west, farmer, P. O. Loveland, 
was born in Ohio in 1825, son of Harmon AVest, 
a native of Virginia, and a descendent of Gov. 
West, who was Governor of that State while it 
was a British colon}-. Our subject's parents 
who are both deceased, had fourteen children, 
of whom six are now living. Our subject re- 
ceived his education in his native State, and 
was raised on a farm. He came West, and 
settled in Illinois in 1850, where he remained 
until 1856, when he came to this State, and 
located across the line, between this and Har- 
rison Counties. He was married, in Illinois, in 
1851, to Miss Susan Drumnj. TLey have eight 
children, four sons and four daughters, of whom 
one son and a daughter are married. Our sub- 
ject first settled in Cincinnati Township. Har- 
rison Count}', adjoining Rockford Township on 
the north. He settled on the bottoms, to the 
west and north of the Bojer, but was unable to 
secure a title to the land, as it was undecided 
whether it was swamp or Government land. 
At that time, most of the settlers here were 
formerlj- Mormons, who had become dissatis- 
fied with that religion and had not gone to 
Salt Lake with the balance. Our subject did 
not secure a title to the land until about 1860. 
He sold his first land and went to the river, 
where he had a tract of timber. Here he ran 
a saw-mill for about two years. In 1868, he 
sold the mill and timber to the railroad com- 
pany for $15,000 ; after which he went to 
steamboating on the Missouri River. In the 
following }-ear. his boat, which carried both 
freight and passengers, was burned at Omaha, 
Neb., with a loss to himself of about $9,000. 
This was the Lydia Grace. He had previously, 
in 1863, lost another boat, the Emma, which 
sank in the river, he losing about $2,000. In 
1869, he came to his present farm, which now 
consists of 400 acres, which is mostlj' in corn. 



The life of our subject shows what a man 
with perseverance and energy can accomplish. 
He has made and lost two or three fortunes. 
His various occupations have subjected him to 
all kinds of exposure ; he has employed from 
twenty to thirty men at a time. After a resi- 
dence in this part of the State for about twenty- 
eight years, he concluded that one who has a 
home in Pottawattamie County cannot better 
himself in any part of this terrestrial sphere. 
In politics, he is a Republican. 

JACOB J. ZAHNER, farmer, P. 0. Love- 
land, is a native of Switzerland. He was born 
in October, 1818, and came to America when 
he was about twenty-six years of age. About 
two 3-ears later, he was married in Michigan, in 
which State he had first settled, to Miss Kath- 
arine Mundinzer, a native of German^-, who 
came to this country pi-evious to our subject. 
They were married at the house of a Mr. Lusts. 
They came from Michigan to Dubuque, this 
State, about 1851, and lived there till about 
1856, when he came to this county, and settled 
on his present farm, which now consists of 220 
acres. Our subject was in the military school 
in the old country with Gen. Sigel, of rebellion 
fame ; he also served his time in the Swiss 
Army ; he is a Catholic in religion and in pol- 
itics a Republican. 

FRANK ZAHNER, farmer, P. 0. Missouri 
Valley, was born in Dubuque Count}-, this 
State, December 26, 1852; son of Jacob J. 
Zahner, who came to this county about 1856. 
Our subject came here with his parents, and 
has since lived here. He was educated in this 
county, going three miles to school in winter, 
and working in the summer. When he was 
nineteen years old, he went to Jewell County, 
Kan., and took up a pre-emption claim of 160 
acres, which he kept for five years, finally trad- 
ing for 140 acres of his present place, paying 
$800 difference. He made a subsequent pur- 
chase of 160 acres, and of his present fiirm 130 
acres are in cultivation, the balance being in 



230 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



pasture and meadow. He was married, March 
29, 1875, to Miss Clara Kirkland, born in Logan 
Count}-, Ohi^, daughter of Samuel Kirkland, 
who came to this county about the time our 
subject did. He died in the army. Mrs. Kirk- 
land is still living near Neola, this count}-. 
Our subject has three children, two boys and 
one girl. He and his brotlier-in-law, W. T. 
Roden, are engaged in stock-dealing, in which 
business our subject has been for about three 
years. In the winter of 1880, they shipped 
1,600 head of cattle, besides hogs. Mr. Zahn- 



er's farming consists principally in raising corn 
for his stock. Though j'oung at the time, Mr. 
Zahner remembers the winter of the deep 
snow, when his father, in company with four 
others, started to mill, with four yoke of cattle, 
and some corn. They set out for what was 
then called the Willow Mill, a distance of 
' twelve miles, which took them all daj' to travel. 
Our subject has three thoroughbred cattle, which 
came from Corbin & McClintock, Kentucky. 
He is Republican in politics, and in religion a 
Catholic. 



SILYEE CREEK TOWl^SHIP. 



SHADRACH AUKLAND, farmer. P. 0. 
Living Spring. Mr. Aukland is a native of 
England, born in 1844 in Lincolnshire; came 
to America in 1852, stopping in Zauesville, 
Ohio, where they remained about one and one- 
half years. Soon after settling there, his father, 
William Aukland. was thrown from a horse 
and was killed. Mr. Aukland and his mother 
moved to Peoria Count}', 111., about eighteen 
months after this, and his mother still lives 
there. 3Ir. A. came to Pottawattamie County 
in 1869, and has made this his home ever since. 
He received his education in Illinois in com- 
mon schools. He was married in Peoria Coun- 
ty, 111., in 1866, to Miss Priscilla A. Evans; she 
was born in Ohio. They have three children 
living and one dead, all boys. He is Repub- 
lican in politics. He and wife are members of 
the Church of God. Farming has always been 
his business. In 1864, he enlisted in Company 
I, One Hundred and Forty-sis Illinois Infan- 
try (Col. Dean); served till close of war. Most 
of the time they were at Springfield, 111., doing, 
provost duty. Jlr. Aukland's farm consists of 
160 acres. It was raw prairie when he bought 
it; he gave $8 for the first eighty and 812.50 
per acre for the second eigbty; most of it is 



now in cultivation. Mr. A. has just completed 
a residence 18x26, one story and a half, his 
being one of many neat farmhouses rebuilt in 
this township in the last few years. 

J. A. BROCKMAN, farmer, P. 0. Carson. 
Mr. Brockman is a German by birth, and was 
born in 1841 in Holstein, and came to America 
in 1852. His own parents being dead, he was 
adopted by his aunt, and after she was married 
came with her to America; they settled in Iowa. 
His father, Frederick Brockman. was in the 
Holstein and Denmark war in 1847, and died 
during the war. Mr. Brockman was educated 
in Iowa. August, 1861, he enlisted in Com- 
pany E, Second Iowa Cavalry. He served 
three years, serving under Col. Elliott and Col. 
Hedge, in Gen. Hooker's division; Atlanta was 
the leading engagement. He stood on guard 
at Memphis when Gen. Forrest made his raid. 
After his discharge, he returned to his home in 
Scott County, Iowa, and remained there till he 
came to Pottawattamie County in 1869. fall of 
the year. He was raised on a farm but had not 
followed farming for himself till he came to 
this county. He had been in the hotel busi- 
ness in Davenport. In Durant, Cedar Co., 
Iowa, he ran a hotel for about eighteen months. 



SILVEE CREEK TOWNSHIP. 



331 



and was burned out May, 1869, and then came 
out here. He was married in Scott Countvi 
in 1868, to Miss T. G. Suser; she is a native 
of Grermany, coming from near Mr. Brock- 
man's old home. They have six children, two 
sons and four daughters. When he came to 
his present farm, it was wild land. His farm 
now consists of 136 acres, all in cultivation; 
corn and hogs are his principal business. He 
is Republican in politics. He and wife are 
members of the Lutheran Church. He is one 
of the Township Trustees, and has been three 
years. Mr. Broekman has been influential in 
bringing in about twenty families who have 
settled in Silver Creek, Keg Creek and Wash- 
ington Townships. 

CHARLES CASSON, farmer, P. 0. Living 
Spring. Mr. Casson is a native of Yorkshire, 
Eng., born in 1826. When he was eleven 
years old, he went into a woolen mill, where 
they made the finest woolen goods, and contin- 
ued to work in the same mill till 1869, where 
he quit and came to America, giving himself 
only about a week to prepare from the time he 
left the mill till he started. He was married, 
in 1851, to Miss Eliza Wood ; she was born iu 
the same shire. They brought nine children 
with them to America, and one was born since 
coming, but the oldest sou died in Iowa ; five 
sons and four daughters still living. One son 
married. When he came to America, he settled 
first in Logan County, 111., where he remained 
one year ; then went to Fa3-ette County, 111., but 
was there only two years, when he returned to 
Logan County, and made that his home till he 
came to his present farm in 1877, but had 
bought it in 1875. His farm consists of 160 
acres. It was raw land when he bought it, and 
paid $10 per acre. Since coming on to it he 
he has been steadily improving ; now it is all 
in cultivation. Corn-raising is most of bis 
farming, and then feeding part of the time. 
Mr. Casson's object in coming here was to 
make a home which should be his own, and he 



has succeeded. He is Republican in politics. 
He also has 160 acres in Wayne County, Neb. 
JOHN CLARK, farmer, P. 0. Macedonia. 
Mr. Lyman Clark, the father of John Clark, 
was born in New York State February 12, 
1811. Lived there till about 1851, and then 
went to Perry County, Ohio ; was in Ohio for 
.about eight years, and then went to La Salle 
County, 111., and was there about twentj' j'ears, 
and then came to Iowa in 1879, settling in Sil- 
ver Creek Township. He was married, in New 
York Januarj- 15, 1832, to Miss Betsey Cran- 
dall. She was born in New York February 8, 
1814. January 15, 1882, they passed their 
fiftieth wedding anniversary, both quite active 
and strong. They have had seven children, 
four sons and three daughters, two sons and 
two daughters now living — Charles H.. Frances 
J., Wilson M., Is.adora 0., Floretta Geraldus 
E., John. Charles H. died when he was a boy. 
All the others lived to be grown, and all were 
married except John, he living at home. 
Except three years that he worked at black- 
smithing, Mr. Clark's whole life has been spent 
in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Clark began their 
life together with nothing, but have lived to see 
their children doing well, and have made a 
good property for themselves. All their chil- 
dren were born in New York, except the 
youngest, and he was born in Ohio in 1857. 
Mr. John Clark was educated in Illinois in 
common schools. He has alw.aj's followed 
farming, and has remained at home. He and 
his father have each 160 acres of land in a 
body — 260 in cultivation — the remainder in 
pasture and hay land. His business is raising 
corn and feeding cattle and hogs — -feeding 
thirty-five head of cattle, besides hogs. He is 
Republican in politics. His father also has 
been a Republican since the party started. His 
father worked for three 3-ears for Moses and 
Henrj- Tilden, brothers of Samuel J. They 
were then in their manufacturing business, 
Mr. Clark being boss on the Tilden farm. 



232 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



JAMES A. FRAZIER, stockman, Silver 
f'ity. Mr. Frazier was born December 31, 1848, 
in Obio, and lived there till he was twenty 
years old, and then came to Marion Countj', 
Iowa, and was there for four 3'ears, and then 
moved to Mills County, where be remained for 
one year, and then came to Pottawattamie 
Count}-. He is the son of John R. Frazier. wbo 
was born in Indiana. Mr. Frazier's mother 
was born in Ohio, his parents are both living, 
and just across the line in Mills County. He 
is one of seven children, five sons and two 
daughters, only one of the family dead, a sister 
of Mr. Frazier's; while he was a small boy, he 
always said he was going to be a stock dealer, 
and he worked for that all his life. First be- 
ginning by raising sheep, an uncle gave him 
one lamb and from this he made a start, selling 
the first fleece of wool for a dollar, and invested 
that in another lamb, and then he let out his 
three or four lambs to a farmer to keep on the 
shares, and kept on in this waj' till he had 
about 500 head, when he left Ohio. In Marion 
County, Iowa, Mr. Frazier and two of his broth- 
ers, Randall and William, went into partner- 
ship and rented a fiirm ; James was only twenty- 
two, Randall, eighteen, and William, sixteen 
years old. From this time till 1878, these 
three brothers were in together. They farmed 
and fed some cattle for themselves, and some 
for their landlord. In this way, they learned 
the business of buying and feeding cattle. 
After coming to Mills Countj', thej' continued 
in the same way, only steadilj' increasing, and 
begun buying and shipping cattle and hogs, 
J. M. Strahan, of Malvern, Mills County, fur- 
nishing the money and getting half the profits. 
As they accumulated means of their own, 
they made use of it, and finally got enough to 
carry on business on their own account. In 
1878, they dissolved partnership, but in the 
spring of 1881 James and William again went 
in together, and continue. William carries on 
the business in Nebraska, where they have 



bought 1,600 acres of land, besides leasing 
3,400 acres of school and college lands. Of 
their land there, above 400 acres are fenced, 
and 200 in cultivation, and have cattle sheds, 
etc., to make a complete cattle ranch, and have 
on hand there now over 400 head. James 
Frazier tends to the business on this side of 
the river. He used to think that if he had a 
team of horses, he would be all right, but now 
he and his Ijrother have thirty-nine horses, 
mules and colts. His leading business here is 
buying and shipping stock. This summer, he 
has fed about 550 head of hogs, and shipped 
about 5.000 head, and of cattle fed about 100 
head and shipped 800. Randall Frazier has 
continued in the same business, but alone since 
1878, and has made a success also, having 
now a section of land, joining the town of 
Wayne, Wayne County, Neb., which is his iiome. 
Mr. James Frazier was married in Marion 
County, Iowa, 1873, to Miss Mary M. Cross, 
who was born in Ohio. They have six chil- 
dren, three girls and three boys. He is Re- 
publican in politics; came to his present farm, 
spring of 1874. His independent farm here 
consists of 200 acres, well improved with fences, 
orchards, groves, etc. 

JURGEN HEESCH, farmer, P. 0. Council 
Blutfs. Mr. Jurgen Heesch was born in Ger- 
many in 1848, Holstein being his native State. 
He came to America in the fall of 1870, settling 
in Scott Count}', Iowa; was there about fifteen 
months, and then came to Mills County, where 
he remained for one year, and then moved 
to Pottawattamie County, to his present farm. 
His parents both died in the old country; he 
was educated in his native land. Was married, 
at Council Bluffs, Iowa, June 12, 1873, to Miss 
Anne Schmielan; she was born in Germany 
also. They have four children, four girls. He 
is Republican in politics. His farm consists of 
240 acres, 140 in cultivation, the remainder in 
pasture and meadow. He bought it when it was 
raw prairie, paying $10 for the first eighty and 



SILVER CREEK TOWNSHIP. 



233 



$15 per acre for the last IGO. His farming is 
general corn-raising, and feeding to bis stock 
his leading business. When he came to this 
country in 1870, he had about S700, and the 
remainder he has made in this country. 

JAMES W. HOLMES, farmer, P. O. Silver 
City, Mills Co., Iowa. Mr. Holmes was born 
and raised iu Tazewell County. 111., born 1842. 
In 1856, his father moved to Page Count}-, 
Iowa, but is now living in Council Bluffs. In 
18(51, Mr. Holmes went to California, and re- 
mained there for seven years. By trade he is 
a carpenter, and learned his trade by working 
with his father. While in California he was 
mining, and also following his trade. In com- 
ing back to Page County from California, he 
went the longest way round, going to South 
America, England, Scotland and Ireland, and 
back through Canada to the United States, 
having been more than a year on the trip. He 
was married, in Page County, January, 1870, to 
Miss Millie Worthington, who was born in 
Pennsylvania. They have four children, all 
boys. He has alwaj-s been Democratic, in poli- 
tics. Is a member of the Masonic fraternity, 
joining that societj- in Oregon when twent3--one 
years old. His farming is principally raising 
corn and feeding to hogs. Mr. Holmes has 
been in Pottawattamie County for twelve years, 
and has been in this township ever since, and 
now there are only seven or eight families in 
this township that were living here when he 
came. Mr. Holmes has seen more of the world 
than most men of his age, and his own experi- 
ence would make a volume in itself His farm 
consists of 1 20 acres. 

L. F. HUSZ, farmer, P. O. Council Bluffs. 
Mr. Husz was born in Germany January 1, 
1850. He was born on the Island of Fehmarn; 
came to America in 1867. settling in Daven- 
ix)rt. Iowa, and lived there till the spring of 
1875; he came to this county and settled on his 
present farm. He was married, in Pottawatta- 
mie County in 1881, to Miss M. L. Bebensee: 



she was born in Germanv also. They have two 
little children, both girls. His farm consists of 
360 acres, 200 in cultivation, 160 in pasture. 
His farming is general, but mostly corn and 
stock. He is Republican in politics; his mother 
is still living, and in this count}'. Since com- 
ing here, farming has been his business, 
while in Davenport he was teaming. When he 
reached New York City, he had $5, and was 
seventeen years old; all that he has, he has 
made himself in this countr}'. In the old 
country he began to hire out, and worked hard 
when he was only about ten years old. He has 
had to make his own way by hard work and 
perseverance. 

O. LAWSON, farmer, P. O. Living Spring. 
Mr. Lawson is a native of Norway, his early 
home being about seventy miles east of Chris- 
tiana. He was born in 183-1; came to America 
about 1853; landed at Quebec. Soon after this, 
came to Chicago, where he remained about six 
years, leaving Chicago in 1859, and went to 
Pike's Peak. For eight or nine years he was 
in the West, being in Colorado, Utah, Idaho and 
Portland, Oregon, during the time, putting in 
the time mining, freighting, prospecting, and 
working at his trade of carpentering ; came to 
Pottawattamie County about 1866, and has been 
here ever since. First, bought the present 
place of John Van Kirk, buying of Judge Brat- 
ton. He was married, in Mills County, Iowa> 
February, 1871, to Miss Viola Orr; died July 
13, 1881; she was born in Ohio. He had four 
children, two are now living, both boys. In 
1869, he moved to his present farm, and has 
been on it since, except one year he lived in 
Mills Count}'. His farm consists of 320 acres; 
his principal business is raising corn and feed- 
ing. All of his farm but fifty acres is in culti- 
vation, and good improvements. He is Re- 
publican in politics. Mr. Lawson was raised 
on a farm in the old country, but never followed 
farming till he came to Iowa. While in Chica- 
go, he had learned the carpenter's trade, and 



234 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



followed that for some }'ears. Mr. Lawson is 
one of the oldest settlers now living in the town- 
ship. There were only six or seven houses in 
the township when he came, and some of them 
but the rudest of shanties, being mostlv situated 
along the old stage road. Between Keg and 
Silver Creeks, there was no house in this part 
of the count}-, and east of Silver, Macedonia 
was the nearest settlement, and Taj^lor Station 
on the north; Keg and Silver Creek Townships 
were in one at that time, and had onlj- seven- 
teen or eighteen voters. 

MALCOLM McKEXZIE, farming, P. 0. Liv- 
ing Spring. Mr. McKenzie was born in Scot- 
land August 8, 183-1, and came to Prince 
Edward's Island in 1836 with his parents, who 
lived there as long as thej- lived. He came to 
Maine in 1853, and has lived in the United 
States ever since, coming to Council Bluffs in 
1855, but remained there onl}- a short time, and 
then went to Minnesota and followed lumber- 
ing for five vears; then went to Colorado with 
the gold-seekers; from here he went to Idaho, 
on Salmon River; then to Washington Territo- 
ry, and then to Portland, Ore., where he re- 
mained for some time, and then back to Idaho, 
where he was mining for two j-ears; then came 
back to Denver, Colo., where he remained for 
three years, and was engaged also in mining; 
then drove stage for one ^ear from Britcher 
Path to Green Iliver for Wells & Fargo. In 
fall of 1867, October, was married at Golden 
City. Colo., to Miss Elizabeth Braekej', a native 
of Prince Edward's Island. That same fall 
they came to their present place, which was raw 
prairie, and there was not a house in sight at 
the time. They have five children — three boj-s 
and two girls. Mr. McKenzie was more suc- 
cessful in his mining than many gold-hunters. 
He and a partner in thirty-one days took out 
$17,780; but most of this was paid out for a 
claim which proved worthless; but striking an- 
other rich deposit, thej- got about $4,000 
each before the season closed. Mr. McKenzie 



had a partner and mining interest in Colorado, 
and as this partner had a good chance to make 
a sale, Mr. McKenzie, wiio was in Idaho at the 
time, sent him a power of attorney. His part- 
ner made the sale for .$80,000. and left with the 
proceeds. Mr. McKenzie found that he was 
gone, and traced him to New York City, where 
he had managed to escape on a vessel a few 
hours before. Mr. McKenzie's life has been one 
of varied experience and of much interest, 
leaving his home young, and spending so much 
of his life in the wilds of the West. His farm 
consists of 250 acres. He pa3-s attention to 
stock and farming, having at present about 100 
head of cattle. He has been in this township 
long enough to see all the improvements that 
have been made, as there were but few shanties 
in the township at the time he came. He is a 
Democrat in politics, but votes for what he con- 
siders the best man. 

A. AND D. McKENZIE, farmers, P. 0. Car- 
son. Messrs. McKenzie are natives of Prince 
Edward's Island, Queens County. A. Mc. was 
born in 1845, and D. Mc. in 1849. Mr. D. Mc. 
came to the United States May 22, 1869, com- 
ing to Massachusetts, and thence to Iowa July 
27, 1869. Mr. A. Mc. came direct to Iowa 
Januar}' 15, 1870. Both have been here ever 
since, and have been in Pottawattamie County, 
the first two 3-ears in Macedonia Township, and 
then to Silver Creek Township. January 18, 
1874, they bought their present farm, it being 
raw prairie, pa3-ing §10.25 per acre, buying 240 
acres, nearly the whole being in cultivation 
at present. Their principal business is raising 
corn and feeding to stock. Mr. A. McKenzie 
was married January 28, 1879, in Pottawatta- 
mie County, to Miss Rhoda Ann Jones, born 
in Indiana. They have one child, a boy. The 
McKenzie brothers received their education in 
Prince Edward's Island. The}' are Scotch de- 
scent, their parents coming from Scotland ; 
both parents now are dead. They are Repub- 
lican in politics. Mr. A. Mc. has always fol- 



SILVER CREEK TOWNSHIP. 



235 



lowed (arming, but Mr. D. is a shoe-malver by 
trade, having served five years as an appren- 
tice, but since coming here has followed farm- 
ing all the time. Most all that they now have 
they have made since coming to Pottawattamie 
County, and have made it by farming. 3Ir. A. 
Mc. was at work for three j^ears running the 
mail from Cape Traverse to Cape Tormentine, 
across the Straits of Northumberland. In win- 
ter, they have to carr}' the mail, from about the 
10th of December till the 10th of Jlay, across 
the ice. The mail would be put into a boat, 
and the men would put straps around their 
shoulders and draw the boat after them, where 
there was ice, and then, if the}' went through, 
they could catch on the boat, and use that, if 
there was water. Often, when the ice was 
good, they could make it across, the distance 
of nine miles, in three hours, but sometimes it 
would take them three daj's, waiting, when the 
sea was rough and the ice would be breaking 
up. Once, after they had crossed in three 
hours one waj-, and started back immediatel}', 
the ice broke up on the return, and they were 
floated back and forth till about 12 o'clock at 
night, and then landed about nine miles from 
home ; he has seen the ice piled up thirty or 
forty feet above the water and as much below 
the water. When the ice begins to break up, 
they can hear it for as much as ten miles. 

JACOB NISEWANGER, farmer. P. 0. 
Macedonia, was born in Shelby County, Ohio, 
in 1831. In 1857, he moved to Illinois, and 
settled in Logan County, and he remained there 
for six years, and then returned to Ohio, and 
remained at home with his father for two years, 
and then went back to Logan County, 111., 
where he stajed for one season, and then came 
to Iowa. In the fall of 18G1, before going to 
Ohio, he was married, near Lincoln, 111., to 
Miss Sarah J. Woods. She was born in Ohio. 
In the fall of 1864, he came to Mills County, 
and the next year came into Pottawattamie 
County, and has been in Silver Creek Town- 



ship ever since, and is perhaps the oldest set- 
tler in the township now. In 1867, he came to 
his present farm. The nearest settlement to 
him was over four miles. The first eighty 
acres of land he got he traded for without ever 
seeing it. His farm now consists of 160 acres, 
well improved. He has just completed a large 
two-story residence, and has a bearing orchard 
and forest groves, etc. His farming is mixed, 
raising grain, also stock. He has nine children, 
six boys and three girls, and one son dead ; he 
is Democratic in politics. His father, William 
Nisewanger, lived on the old homestead in 
Shelby County, Ohio, till his death, in Febru- 
ary, 1880. Mr. Nisewanger's mother died only 
a few da3's before his father. Mr. N.'s ances- 
tors were Germans, but his father was born in 
Maryland ; he was educated in the common 
schools of Ohio, going to a log schoolhouse, 
with a big fire-place, and sat on puncheon seats. 
H. OUREN, farmer, P. O. Living Spring. 
Mr. Ouren was born in the suburbs of Chris- 
tiana, Norway, in 1835. Most of his early life 
was spent in Christiana, being educated there ; 
his parents died when he was joung, and he 
was apprenticed to a merchant, where he served 
over three years ; he came to this countrj- when 
he was seventeen 3 ears old ; he is the youngest 
of nine children, five of whom are dead, the 
other four in America, Mr. Ouren being the 
first to come ; he landed in Quebec with 82 in 
his pocket, and then worked his way on to 
Chicago. He made Chicago his home from 
1853 till 1S61, but was awa}- part of the time, 
being in Wisconsin, lumbering, sailing on the 
lakes, etc. Was married in Chicago, March 1 4, 
1857, to Miss Aurora F. Peterson ; she was 
born in Sweden, but had come to America 
when she was about ten or eleven years old. 
They have seven children, six sons and one 
daughter, all at home. The first year after 
coming West, thej' wintered in Nebraska. In 
the spring of 1862, they moved to Colorado, 
and remained there till the fiill of 1865. when 



236 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



they returned to Nebraska ; spent the winter 
in a house belonging to Samuel Dodge. The 
next spring, they moved to Silver Creek Town- 
ship, and have been here ever since. Mr. 
Ouren and Mr. Lawson bought first 300 acres 
together. It was the Judge Bratton farm, now 
owned bj- John Vankirk. While there, they 
kept stage station and farmed. This place was 
an old Mormon settlement, and there were still 
a number of their huts when they moved there, 
and a hewn-log hut built by the Mormons, and 
this was used as the first schoolhouse on Silver 
Creek. In the spring of 1869, he moved to 
his present farm, the "Living Spring" farm. 
Between the Big and Little Silvers there was 
no settler when he moved in, except J. J. Clark, 
till seven miles to the north, and the nearest 
neighbor on the east was about three and a 
half miles. His farm now consists of 740 
acres, 160 being in Washington Township. It 
is all under fence, about 400 acres being under 
plow and tame grass, the remainder in pasture 
and meadow land ; his farming is mostly rais- 
ing corn, and feeding to cattle and hogs. Mr. 
Ouren has made a success, and has done it all 
by farming, not speculating any, and it has 
mostly been made in this county ; he has al- 
ways taken an active part in developing the 
township and helping its schools and improve- 
ments ; he is Democratic in politics ; he has 
been Township Treasurer for ten ^-ears, and 
besides has held other township offices. Mr. 
Ouren is one of the leading citizens in the 
township. 

JOHN C. PONTIOUS, farmer,?. 0. Silver City, 
Mills County, born in Jefferson County, Ohio, 
January 27, 1830, son of George H. and Hannah 
(Call) Pontious; he, a mechanic, born in Penn- 
sylvania December 12, 1795, is still living in Win- 
field, Cowley Co., Kan.; she, born in Ohio in 
1797, died in Jefferson Countj-, same State, in 
1849. They had eleven children— eight boys 
and three girls. Subject was educated in Jef- 
ferson County, Ohio; commenced life as a me- 



chanic, and married in Cincinnati, Ohio, Janu- 
ary' 21, 1852, Kebecca Smith, born in Reading, 
Ohio, February 16, 1832, daughter of James 
and Margarette (Brown) Smith, he born in New 
Jerse)' in 1795, she in Philadelphia, Penn., in 
1807. Mr. and Pontious have one son, Harvey 
W., born in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 24, 
1852. and was educated in Bloomingtou and 
Lincoln, 111. Subject is a member of the 
Christian Church; a Republican; has filled town- 
ship offices; has been a mechanic, a farmer, 
stockman, real estate dealer, and is largely in- 
terested in Colorado mines ; he lived in Lin- 
coln, 111., until 1876, when he moved to Council 
Bluffs; thence to this township, where he has a 
fine farm of 200 acres, in a good location, well 
improved, and feeds and deals in Short-Horn 
cattle and Poland-China hogs; is greatly inter- 
ested in all educational matters, and has the 
interests of his township at heart. 

A. T. RAINS, farmer, P. 0. Living Spring, 
born in Cedar County, Mo., April 29, 1849, son 
of Lawrence and Mary (Froth) Rains; he, a 
farmer, born in Ohio in 1812, is still living on 
the old homestead in Mills County, which he 
entered in Council Bluffs in 1851; she, born in 
Ohio in 1820, died in Mills County, this State, 
in 1876, and was the mother of seven children — 
three girls and four boys. Subject received his 
education in Mills County, this State, attending 
school a part of the time in a log cabin; com- 
menced life as a farmer, and married in Mills 
County, January 13, 1876, Johanna Wolfe, born 
in Mills County December 25, 1858, daughter 
of James and Sarah (Creech) Wolfe, she liorn 
in Kentucky, and he born in Missouri; was a 
member of Company A, Fourth Iowa Infantry, 
and died while in the army. Mr. and Mrs. 
Rains have four children, viz.: William Clar- 
ence, born September 12, 1876; Lavonia Alice, 
born October 30, 1877; Eddie H., born March 
25, 1879; and Alta Pearl, born January 5, 1SS2. 
Subject was a member of the Home Guards; a 
Republican; lived in Mills County until 1876; 



SILVER CREEK TOWNSHIP. 



237 , 



bought a farm of 140 acres in 1874, partly im- 
proved, at $15 per acre; rented it for two }-ears; 
moved onto it again in 1876, and greatly im- 
proved it since; set out a grove and an orchard, 
has good buildings, deals in stock, feeds cattle 
every winter and does general farming. 

JAMES F. SMITH, farming, P. 0. Carson. 
Mr. Smith was born and raised in La Porte 
County, Ind.; born 1835; lived in Indiana till 
1877; he sold out and came to Iowa, settling in 
Mills Count}', where he remained till spring of 
1882, when he came to his present farm in Sil- 
ver Creek Township; he had lived in La Porte 
County till about 1870; he went to Porter 
County, and lived there till he came to Iowa. 
He bought his present farm in 1879; but it was 
raw prairie, so he did not move to it till 1882. 
His farm consists of 250 acres, ten of it being 
timber land, all but about iifty being in cultiva- 
tion, 140 in corn, besides wheat. He is doing 
considerable feeding. He was married in La 
Porte County, Ind., in 1856 or 1857, to Miss 
Sarah J. Cooper; she was also born in La Porte 
County. They have four children, two girls 
and two boys; one girl married. He is Repub- 
lican in politics; farming has always been his 
liusiness; he was educated in Indiana; his 
mother died when he was only three years old, 
and his father was killed when he was five, and 
from that time he has had to look out for him- 
self 

JAMES A. SUMMERS, forming, P. 0. Mace- 
donia. Mr. Summers was born in Ohio in 1847. 
His father moved to Iowa when he was about 
eighteen months old; then settled in Jefferson 
Count}-, Iowa, when he was about ten years old. 
When he was about nineteen years old, Mr. 
Summers went back to Illinois, where be re- 
mained about five years. He was married, in 
Logan County, III, 1869, to Miss Huldah Ann 
Wickersham. born in Indiana; they have two 
children, one boy and one girl; came to Potta- 
wattamie County, Iowa, June, 1871, settling on 
his present farm, which was raw prairie, pay- 



ing $12.50 per acre. He has a farm of 120 
acres, all in cultivation. His farming is raising 
corn and feeding it to stock. He is Republican 
in politics; is one of the Township Trustees; 
his farm is well improved with orchards, groves 
and good farm buildings. When he settled on 
his present farm there were but three farms in 
the present School District, which is 2x3 miles; 
now it is all improved. Mr. Summers' father, 
William Summers, is still living, and resides in 
Jeflerson Count}', Iowa, and is in his eighty-first 
year. 

JOHN VANKIRK, farming and stock, P. (). 
Silver City, Mills County. Mr. Vankirk, one of 
the oldest settlers now in Silver Creek Town- 
ship, came here March, 1869; he is a native ol 
Washington County, Penn., and was born in 1835. 
Mr. Vankirk was out here and bought his pres- 
ent home farm in the lall of 1868, buying of 0. 
Lawson. His farm is perhaps the oldest settled 
farm in the township, Mr. John Bratton settling 
it, Mr. Bratton getting it from David Johnson 
July 25, 1855; Mr. Johnson had entered it May 
20, 1854. This was a stage station for a num- 
ber of years on the old Des Moines and Council 
Blufls road, and along Silver Creek and in the 
woods of this farm was quite a Mormon settle- 
ment, and there is one of their burying-grounds 
on the place. Mr. Vankirk lived on the old 
home place in Pennsylvania till he moved to his 
present farm. He was raised on a farm, and 
has always made farming and stock his busi- 
ness. His farm, which lies part in Mills and 
part in Pottawattamie County, contains about 
1,700 acres, on which he carries on feeding and 
stock-raising. Mr. Vankirk was married in 
Washington County, Penn., in 1856, to Miss Anne 
Vankirk, who was also born in the same county 
as Mr. Vankirk. They have three children liv- 
ing, two boys and one girl. He is a Democrat 
in politics. In the fall of 1857, Mr. Vankirk 
came out through this country, passing througli 
his present farm on the stage. Mr. Vankirk's 
parents are still living, their home being in 



238 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Mills Country, Hamilton Vaukirk being his fath- 
er's name. They are about 9event3' years old. 
When he settled here there was a bridge across 
Silver Creek on the old stage road, and then 



over three miles north another, and on the south 
it was eight miles to another. Mr. Vankirk is 
one of the most sueeessfiil men in Silver Creek 
Township, and has one of the largest residences. 



VALLEY TOWS"SHIP. 



W. G. ACKER, farming, P. O. Hancock, 
was born at Beardstown, Cass Co., 111., in 
1838, son of John Acker, born in New York 
State at the head of Lake Champlain ; he is 
a retired farmer; his wife, our subject's 
mother, is dead. They had eight children, 
one of whom is dead. Our subject was educat- 
ed at Mt. Morris Seminary, Illinois, and moved 
with his father, in 18-1:2, to Oregon, Ogle 
Co., 111. There he remained till about 1853, 
when he went to Chicago and served an ap- 
prenticeship at carriage- making; he resided 
in Chicago about seven years, it being a 
small place at that time. In 1865, he came 
to Iowa, and built the first carriage shop 
erected in the town of Boone. In the fall of 
1875, Mr. Acker sold out his business in 
Boone, came to Pottawattamie County and 
bought his present farm of 240 acres, situated 
in Valley Township. This land, then in a 
wild state, was worth from S5 to $8 per acre; 
now. in a state of cultivation, it is worth 
from §25 to §30 per acre. When Mr. Acker 
first settled here, this part of the township 
was but thinly settled^ and he circulated pe- 
titions for roads and schoolhouses. He was 
married, in 1855, to Miss S. L. Vanloon, a 
native of Ohio, daughter of Isaiah Vanloon. 
Mr. and Mrs. Acker have five children — W. 
C, born September 15, 1858; Elwood W., 
February 2, 1861; Estella M., May 5, 1865; 
Belle L.. December 4, 1869, and May E., 
born May 11, 1872. Mr. Acker is a member 
of the A. H. T. A. In politics, he is a Re- 
publican. 



SAMUEL ARMSTRONG, hotel, Hancock, 
was born in Ohio in 1834, son of Samuel and 
Rosie (Wheeler) Armstrong; his mother is 
living in Wisconsin; his parents moved to 
Southern Illinois when our subject was about 
four years old, then into Jo Daviess County, 
111. . and afterward, back to Portage County, 
Ohio, where they lived two years, and then 
to Wisconsin. Our subject went to school in 
Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin. He has two 
half-sisters and one half-brother. His father 
was a farmer, and Mr. Armstrong has fol- 
lowed the same occupation most of his life. 
He enlisted, August 14, 1862, in Company B, 
Thii'ty-third Wisconsin Infantry, and served 
three years, or until the close of the war, com- 
ing home in August, 1865. At first, he was 
under Grant, at Vieksburg, McPherson being 
the Seventeenth Corps commander, in which 
he was a member; he was at the taking of 
Spanish Fort; his regiment went on the Red 
River eipedition. but Mr. Armstrong was 
regimental Postmaster at the time, and was 
left behind with the sick at Vieksburg. He 
was also under Sherman in his Meridian ex- 
pedition, under Gen. Smith at Tupelo, Miss. , 
and in other engagements. At Vieksburg, 
he was wounded in the hand, losing a finger. 
Mr. Armstrong was married, first, in 1857, 
to Miss Nancy Jane Loney, of Wisconsin; lie 
has three children by this wife — one boy, 
Charles O. , living in Pottawattamie County, 
and two daughters. His wife died in 1863, 
and he was married the second time, in 
April. 1866. to Miss Lydia E. Millard, of 



VALLEY TOWNSHIP. 



239 



Ohio, who died in August, 1867. Mr. Arm- 
strong was married to his present wife in 
IStiO; she was Miss Mary J. Fitzgerald, born 
in Wisconsin; her parents are both dead; she 
is the daughter of Peter Fitzgerald, born 
in Kentucky; her mother was born in Ohio. 
Mrs. Armstrong has three brothers and four 
sisters. In 1871, Mr. Ai'mstrong came to 
Iowa, and settled in what is now Valley 
Township, where he followed farming till the 
fall of 1880, when he sold his farm, came to 
Hancock and built the first dwelling-house 
erected in the town after it was laid out. 
After coming here, he dealt in coal for about 
a year, bat now devotes his attention to th e 
hotel business and is having good success. 
Mr. ami Mrs. Armstrong are members of the 
Methodist Church. Mr. Armstrong is an 
Odd Fellow and a Republican. 

I. L. BAIR, farming, P. O. Hancock, was 
born in Knox County, Ohio, in 1843, son of 
David Bair, a blacksmith by trade, now liv- 
ing in retirement in Johnson County, Iowa, 
where he was one of the early settlers. Mr. 
Bair had seven brothers, one of whom is dead, 
and one sister. In 1854. he, with his par- 
ents, left Ohio and settled in Johnson County, 
Iowa, thence, in March, 1877, he came to 
Valley Township, Pottawattamie County. In 
August, 1862, Mr. Bair enlisted in Company 
K, Twenty-second Iowa Regiment, continu- 
ing in the same till the close of the war; he 
was in the Vicksburg campaign, under Grant, 
and in the Shenandoah Valley campaign, 
under Sheridan: became out without a wound. 
Mr. Bair was married, in 1868, to Miss Al- 
mina E. Pophan, born in Kosciusko County, 
Ind., daughter of Richard Pophan. Mr. and 
Mrs. Bair have four children — Louisa Ellen, 
Charles R. . Clinton H and Howard P. Mr. 
Bair and wife are members of the M. E. 
Church, of Hancock. Mr. Bair's farm con- 
sists of 120 acres, all well under cultivation. 



and the acquirement of his own industry. 
Mr. Bair is a member of the Masonic fra- 
ternity and of the A. H. T. A. ; in politics, he 
is a Republican. 

W. C. BARTON, farming, P. O. Hancock, 
was born in New York State in 1833, son of 
James and Dorcas (Akley) Barton; he was a 
lumberman and farmer, and died in Wiscon- 
sin in 1861; she died in Wisconsin, and was 
the mother of foiu-teen children, five of whom 
are dead. Mr. Barton received an ordinary 
education in his native State, and then en- 
gaged in farming till he became twenty-one 
years of age, when he moved to Wisconsin 
and engaged in farming till 1867, when he 
came to Mitchell County, Iowa, thence to his 
present place in Pottawattamie County. Mr. 
Barton's farm of 650 acres was, when he 
bought it. wild prairie; now it is in a good 
state of cultivation, and has excellent build- 
ings erected upon it, Mr. Barton's projterty 
is entirely self -acquired; he has an orchard 
of about 300 trees and quite a vineyard; he 
raises considerable stock, having on hand at 
present about one hundred head of cattle. 
Mr. Barton was married, in Wisconsin, in 
1857, to Diantha Dewey, born in Vermont, 
daughter of Horace and Sophia (Felt) Dewey, 
he a native of Vermont and she of Massachu- 
setts. Mr. and Mrs. Barton are the parents 
of live children — ^Marion L., Rosa, Aaron, 
Roscoe and Florence, all at home, except the 
eldest son, who is married and lives in Knox 
Township, where he owns and conducts a 
farm. Mr. Barton is one of the most suc- 
cessful farmers of Valley Township. Polit- 
ically, he is a Republican. 

A. M. BATTELLE. farmer, P. O. Avooa, 
was born in Washington County, Ohio, in 
1830, son of C. D. and E. G. Battelle; sub- 
ject's father is living at Columbus, Ohio, and 
is seventy-six years old; he was a Methodist 
minister until 1881, when he retired. Mr. 



210 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Battelle was well educated in Ohio and West 
Virginia, and first started in life in 1849, as 
a telegraph operator, which ocouiaatiou he 
followed nine years. The first office he had 
charge of was at Portsmouth, Ohio; from 
there he went to Brownsville, Penn., but the 
greater portion of his life as an oj^erator was 
spent at Washington, Ohio, and Wheeling, 
W. Va. The last two years spent in Wheel- 
ing, he was engaged in the grocery business, 
coming from Wheeling to his present place 
in 1855; he pre-empted his land. Mr. Bat 
telle was married, in 1852, in Washington, 
Ohio, to Miss Aramintha Beymer, born in 
Ohio, daughter of William and Julia Bey- 
mer. Mrs. Battelle's father is still living. 
Mr. and Mrs. Battelle have seven children — • 
three boys and four girls; two of the daugh- 
ters are married and one son is in Hancock. 
Mr. Battelle's farm consists of 200 acres, all 
in cultivation and meadow. He was a mem- 
ber of the Board of County Supervisors for 
seven years, being Chairman of the board for 
five years; he has held various township 
offices, and has been on the School Board for 
many years. Mr. Battelle had the first pine 
house in Pottawattamie County; it was 
fi-amed in Wheeling, W. Va, shipped on the 
river, and landed at the old landing at Coun- 
cil Bluffs. Mr. Battelle is a Mason and a 
Kepublican. 

W. H. BENJAMIN, hardware, H&ncook, 
came to Pottawattamie County in 1864, set- 
tling in Valley Township on a farm, where 
he remained till 1881, with the exception of 
a short time he was in business in Avoca, in 
the early settlement of that place. He was 
born in Orange County, N. Y., Ajaril 22, 
1832, and lived in ^different parts of the State 
till 1864, when he came to Iowa. His father 
was a carpenter and farmer, and Mr. Benja- 
min followed the same occupation; he re- 
ceived his education in New York; he is the 



son of S. H. and Magdalen (Forshee) Ben- 
jamin, natives of Orange County, N. Y. Mr. 
Benjamin is one of ten children, eight of 
whom are living, six of them being boys; his 
youngest brother is an attorney in Avoca ; he 
also has a sister there; his father was born in 
March, 1800, and died in 1872; his mother, 
born in September, 1808, is living. Mr. 
Benjamin went out with the One Hundred and 
Seventh Regiment of New York, enlisting in 
1862 for three years, but was in service only 
sis months; he passed through the battle of 
Antietam before being discharged. Mr. 
Benjamin was married, in Steuben County, 
N. Y., October 28, 1857, to Miss Maggie 
Travis, born in Putnam County, N. Y. , July 
3, 1838. daughter of Elisha and Clara Tra- 
vis, natives of Delaware County, N. Y. ; he, 
bom September 18, 1793, died August 18, 
1879; she, born June 15, 1795, died May 7, 
1880. Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin have had five 
childi'en, four boys and one girl — T. W., H. 
H., A. M., Clara M.,and B. W. ; one son is 
married and lives at Avoca, Iowa. Mr. Ben- 
jamin came to Hancock in 1881, and started 
the second business establishment in the 
town. He has a two-story building, forty- 
two feet front and forty feet deep, and has 
two storerjoms; in one he has hardware, of 
which he carries a large stock, including all 
kin Is of necessary hardware. He also re- 
tains his farm of 120 acres, well improved. 
Mr. Benjamin took the first load of produce 
into Avoca that was ever delivered there. He 
has held township offices, such as Assessor, 
Justice of the Peace, etc. In 1873, Mr. Ben- 
jamin assessed Knox Township, when it in- 
cluded the present Knox, Pleasant, Layton, 
Lincoln and two-thirds of Valley Townships. 
H? is a msmber of the I. O. O. F. and A. 
H. T. A. In politics, he is a Republican, 
and cpst his first vote for John C. Fre- 
mont. 



VALLEY TOWNSHIP. 



241 



I. G. CARTER, fanning. P. O. Hancock, 
■was born near Dresden, Ohio. February 20, 
1831; moved from Ohio to Chicago in 1853, 
and lived there five years; from there to Mc- 
Donough County, 111., and then to Jasper 
County, Iowa; thence to Columbus, Neb., 
where he lived for one year, and then moved 
to Valley Township, in 1872. Mr. Car- 
ter served three years in the war, going out 
■with Company C, Seventy-eighth Regiment 
of Illinois, staying with his company three 
months, when it was all captured except Mr. 
Carter and one other man, who escaped. Mr. 
Carter was then transferred to the Engineers' 
Corps; wac wounded, in the fall of 1863, at 
Carter's Creek, Tenn. , by a bridge timber; 
he was then transferred to the Invalid Corps 
at Louisville, Ky. He was mustered out at 
Clinton, Iowa, in July, 1865, having been in 
the battles of Fort Donelson, Stone River, 
Lookout Mountain, Franklin, Tenn., and the 
battle of the Wilderness. Before going into 
the army, he had followed his trade of car- 
pentering, but on account of the injury re- 
ceived at Carter's Creek, Tenn., he had to 
give up carpenter work, and has since fol- 
lowed farming, doing his first farming in Jas- 
per County, Iowa. He now has a farm of 
120 acres, adjoining the town of Hancock, on 
which he has lived since 1872; he does gen- 
eral farming, but pays most of his attention 
to corn. He is the son of Albin and Nancy 
(Clark) Carter, natives of Ohio; he was one 
of the old settlers in Ohio, and died in 1842; 
she died in 1842. Mr. Carter was married, 
November 13, 1851, to Miss Lucinda Dowell, 
born near Dresden, Ohio, October 16, 1835, 
daughter of George and Grace (Helms) Dow- 
ell, he, born in Virginia, died May 14, 1868, 
she, born in Pennsylvania, died April 25, 
1874. Mr. and Mrs. Carter have one son in 
Oregon, general agent of the Retailers' 
Union; their oldest daughter married George 



Payne, and lives in Harrison County, Iowa; 
one son is a drayman in Hancock; the young- 
est son and two daughters are at home; the 
children are Harrison A, Charles E.', George 
W., Retta, Eva M., Ida M., Jennie, Howard 
R. , Florence M. and Hugh E. ; two of the 
children are deceased. Mr. Carter has al- 
ways taken an interest in political affairs; he 
was County Treasurer of McDonough Coun- 
ty, 111., for two years; Trustee for two years 
in Jasjser County, Iowa, and has held various 
other county and township offices. He is a 
Methodist and a Republican. 

URIAH CLARK, farming, P. O. Oakland, 
was born in Pennsylvania in 1835, son of 
Charles and Sarah (McCreary) Clark, both 
born in Pennsylvania, and are now living in 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Father was a 
farmer, but now has retired. Mr. Clark 
moved with his parents to Illinois in 1850, 
and settled in Mercer County. He was edu- 
cated in Pennsylvania and Illinois. Began 
for himself by farming in Illinois, and con- 
tinued till the war broke out, when he en- 
listed in the army, in 1862, and served three 
years, going in with the One Hundred and 
Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry, under Col. 
Howe, of Chicago. He was at the siege of 
Vicksburg, Champion Hill, Black River, and 
at Jackson, Miss. ; stormed the works and 
went right over the breastworks. Mr. Clark 
came home with a bullet-hole through his 
coat, but not a scratch on his body. Was 
discharcred at Vicksburg; in 1865. He was 
with Sherman on his march to the sea, but 
was taken sick and sent back to Vicksburg. 
He was married, June 25, 1857, to Miss Sa- 
rah E. Noble, daughter of Joseph and Ellen 
Noble; she was boi'n in Illinois; she has two 
brothers and five sisters in Iowa. Mr. Clark 
has two brothers and three sisters living, and 
three sisters and three brothers dead. Mr. 
and Mrs. Clark have seven childi-en living 



243 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



and one dead — Mary ^dda, married E. M. 
Burch December >i, 1876, born October 28, 
1858; Josie Ellie, born March 16, 1861, 
died Jnne 20, 1881; Charles E., at home, 
born April 2, 1863; Minnie Kate, at home, 
born March 23, 1866 ; Hattie B. , at home, born 
January 9, 1868; Cora M., at home, born Oc- 
tober 13, 1870; Fannie G. , at home, born July 
2, 1873; Bertha M. , at home, born November 
15,1876. Mr. Clark is a Republican; he also 
belongs to the Baptist Church. After com- 
ing from the army, he moved to Iowa, start- 
ing from Illinois in October, 1865. When 
tirst coaiin^'Tiere, he settled two miles south 
of Oakland, where he had a farm of eighty 
acres, living on that till he came to his pres- 
ent farm, in November, 1873, buying 160 
acres first, paying $25 per acre, it being part- 
ly improved. He has since added another 
eighty acres to it. His farm is now all im- 
proved, having a good orchard of about three 
acres and five acres in forest trees, etc. 
When first startincr to farming in Illinois, it 
was with Ml-. R. M. White, they two renting 
a farm together. When coming out of the 
army, it took almost all he had to buy his 
outfit to move to Iowa, so he has made his 
farm since coming here. His farming is 
general. When tirst coming to his present 
place, there was no schoolhouse here, and 
not enough scholars for a school, but with 
his children they had scholars enough to start 
a school. So Ml-. Clark, Mr. McG-ee and Mr. 
Pullen met at Mr. Clark's house, and Mr. 
Clark was elected sub-director. The house 
was built and school started. Those three 
were the only voters in the district at that 
time. 

WILLIAM CLARK, farmer, P. O Oakland, 
was born in Ohio, near the Pennsylvania 
line, March 1, 1837, son of Charles and Sarah 
(McCreary) Clark. Mr. Clark had six sisters, 
three of whom are dead, and five brothers. 



three of whom are dead. The parents make 
their home with our subject. When fifteen 
years old, Mr. Clark moved, with his parents, 
to Illinois; in 1860, they moved to Kansas, 
remained there a short time and then came 
to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, where Mr. 
Clark has since engaged in farming and 
stock-raising. In 1863, in Mercer County, 
111., Mr. Clark married Miss Martha A. Hum- 
bert, born in Indiana, daughter of E. M. 
Humbert, who died in March, 1881. Mrs. 
Clark has three sisters and three brothers liv- 
ing, and is the mother of five children — Fred, 
Sarah, Carrie, William and an infant. Mr. 
Clark has lived in this county twenty-one 
years, and on his present farm six years. He 
commenced with nothing, and now has a 
farm of 400 acres, all in cultivation and past- 
ure; he raises a tine grade of cattle, feeding 
most of his grain. He has one of the largest 
dwellings in the townshif), and has on bis 
place a tine orchard of two and a half acres. 
Mr. and Mrs. Clark are members of the Bap- 
tist Church. 

WILLIAM CONVERS, farming, P. O. 
Hancock, was born in Crawford County, 
Perm., October 20, 1831, son of Erastus and 
Elizabeth Convers, he born in Vermont, died 
March 12, 1848, she born October 10, 1813, 
in Pennsylvania. Our subject came to Iowa 
when he was nine years old, and never had 
the advantages of school to any extent; he 
was raised on a farm and started in life as a 
farmer and veterinary surgeon. When he, 
with his parents, came to Iowa and settled in 
Iowa County, the nearest store was at Bur- 
lington, seventy miles distant, and Indians 
were so common that Mr. Convers became 
quite conversant with their language, speak- 
ing it quite well. He lived in Iowa County, 
Iowa, for thirty years, except one year spent 
in Minnesota with the regular army; he was 
not enlisted, but in 1848, when only seven- 



VALLEY TOWXSHIP. 



343 



teen years old, he di'ove teams iu winter and 
cooked in summer, while Fort Gaines was 
building in Minnesota. He had three broth- 
ers in the war of the rebellion and only one 
came out. Mr. Convers is one of six children; 
his only sister died many years ago; he has 
one lirotlier in Lyons County, Iowa, and one 
in California. Mr. Convers is a Good Tem- 
plar, Mason, Odd Fellow, a member of the 
A. H. T. A. ; he has been a temperance 
worker for twenty- three years, and took a 
very active part in working r'or prohibition 
in Iowa. His father died when he was only 
fourteen rears old, but his mother is still 
living, Mr. Convers was married, May 23, 
1851, to Miss Jane C. Heniy, born in Picka- 
way County, Ohio, May 24, 1836. Subject 
came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in 
1870, and bought his present place, which 
was not improved. He has a farm of 325 
acres of land, upon which he has sixteen 
acres of groves and orchards, and has erected 
good buildings. Mr. Convers has always 
followed farming and dealing in stock; also 
practicing as a veterinary siu'geon. He has 
one son — Charles H. — in California, teaching 
school; another — John — in Avoca, Pottawat- 
tamie County, as baggage master; he has 
also four daughters — Mary, Emma, Ella and 
Clara Mr. Convers has tilled various town- 
ship offices, and in politics is a Eepublican. 
I. X. GARDNER, fai-ming, P. O. Han- 
cock, was^born in Ohio in 1841; his father, 
John L. Gardner, was a farmer and railroad 
contractor; he located at Marengo, Iowa, 
when it was a small place, and there owned 
quite a body of land which was afterward 
divided into lots. Our subject remained in his 
native State till he became eighteen years of 
age, when he went to Pike's Peak, at the 
time of the gold fever. He remained in the 
West two years, and then, retm-ning to Ohio, 
enlisted, in 1SG2, in the Twenty-seventh Ohio 



Regiment, Col. Blackburn, serving till mus- 
tered out at the close of the war; he entered 
as a private, but came out as Second Lieitten- 
ant; he had foiu" brothers in the army — one a 
Captain in the Twenty-ninth Iowa, and an- 
other in the Sixty-fifth Ohio Regiments; three 
of the brothers were wounded, one of them 
severely, the latter is now in the employ of 
the Government at Washington. After the 
war, Mr. Gardner went to Missouri ; thence, 
in 1871, he came to this county and bought 
120 acres, which is now quite well improved. 
Mr. Gardner was married, in 1879, to Miss 
Emma Kearney, born in New York City; they 
have two children-^Frank and Gerald. Mr. 
Gardner received his education in Ohio and 
Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and completed it at Hills- 
dale College, Mich. He is a member of the 
A. H. T. A., and in politics is a Republican. 
CHARLES \V. HARDMAN. physician, 
Hancock, was born in Tazewell County, III., 
in 1853, son of Samuel B. and Maiy F. Hard- 
man; he is a farmer and Methodist preacher; 
she is the mother of three children — our 
subject, one son, a druggist, in .Avoca, Iowa, 
and a daughter living in Davenport, Iowa, 
the wife of Mr. Hancock, who founded the 
town in Iowa which bears his name. Dr. 
Hardman was raised on his father's farm, in 
Tazewell County, and subsequently took a 
course in Rush Medical College, Chicago, 
graduating from the same in 1878. After 
graduating. Dr. Hardman located in Pawnee 
County, Kan., where he practiced till 1881, 
then came to Hancock, Pottawattamie Coun- 
ty. Iowa, where hei.s tie only physician, and 
has a good practice; he and his brother are 
preparing to go into the dtug business in 
Hancock. Dr. Hardman was married, in 
Kansas, in 1879, to Miss Mary Lula Pugh, 
of Chicago, 111.; the}' have one daughter — 
Mary Grace. Dr. Hardman is a member of 
the I. O. O. F., and in politics is a Democrat. 



344 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



JOHN B. HARROD, teacher, Parma, 
was born November 24, 1829, in Logan 
County, Ohio, son of James and Isabel Har- 
rod, both living in Ohio, he born in Knox 
County, Ohio, in 1808, she born in Licking 
County, Ohio, in 1810. Mr. Harrod is the 
oldest of seven boys and one girl, and was 
educated at Geneva Hall College, Ohio; be- 
gan life teaching in 1849; taught three years 
in Ohio, and then went to Indiana and taught 
eight years in Hancock County; then the 
war broke out, and Mr. Harrod enlisted as a 
private, August 13, 1862. in the Ninety-ninth 
Indiana Infantry. He was commissioned 
Quartermaster for the One Hundred and 
Thirteenth Indiana Infantry in September, 

1863. This was called into service for forty 
days, and after they were mustered out, Dr. 
William E. Wall, now of Trader's Point. 
Iowa, J. C. Rardin and Mr. Harrod, or- 
ganized a company of cavalry. Dr. Wall 
was elected Captain; Mi-. Rardin, First Lieu- 
tenant, and Mr. Harrod, Second ^Lieutenant. 
After about a year. Dr. Wall was promoted 
to the position of Major, Mi-. Rardin Captain 
and Ml-. Harrod, First Lieutenant; all served 
through the war and are living yet, Mr. Har- 
rod being the only one wounded. Their regi- 
ment went into the field in the spring of 

1864, and were at once pitted against For- 
rest, Wheeler and Anderson, raiders in the 
rear of Sherman. They first started out in 
Tennessee, and on through Alabama. Mr. 
HaiTod and others were taken prisoners, in 
September, 1864, at Sulphur Branch, seven 
miles north of Athens, Ala., Forrest captur- 
ing them, he having 10,000 men and the 
Federals only 500, but they fought six houi-s 
before surrendering, and the officers were al- 
lowed to retain their side-arms. Loss of 
Federals, ninety-six, in those that were killed 
and died from wounds; confederate loss, 200 
killed and 1,100 wounded. From the field. 



our subject and the other prisoners were taken 
to Meridian, where they were kept in the 
stockade for a week, and then taken to En- 
terprise, Miss. , and kept for a little over two 
months, one of the terms of capitulation be- 
ing that they should be retained in Missis- 
sip[.ii; they were paroled at Memphis, Tenn., 
but remained in the service till their regi- 
ment was mustered out, September 9, 1865. 
at Indianapolis. Mi-. Harrod remained un- 
der medical treatment for over a year before 
being able to do anything, and in September, 
1866, he came to Pottawattamie County, and 
has i-emained here since, most of the time en- 
gaged in teaching, but his health being so 
seriously affected since his being a prisoner, 
he is unable some years to follow his adopted 
profession of teaching. He has, served two 
terms as Justice of the Peace, and has been 
identified with the school interests most of 
the time. His Ikst vote was for Franklin 
Pierce, but since he has not voted for a 
Democratic President; for other officers, he 
votes for what he considers the best man. 
He was married, November 18, 1851, to Miss 
Matilda Ann Hukill. of Ohio, born November 
12. 1833, daughter of Stephen Hukill. 
There is one .son by this marriage — Robert F., 
now living in Ohio. His wife died July 11. 
1853. In May, 1854, Mr. Harrod married 
again, this time to Miss Jane A. Lafiort, born 
Januarj' 1, 1835, daughter of John L. and 
Virlind (Harrison) Laport. There is one son 
and one daughter by this marriage-— Charles 
B. and Maggie M. ; the latter was married, 
m January, 1878, to Mr. Isaiah Morris, son 
of Reuben Moms, of Center Township. 

JOSEPH HEADLEE, farmer, P. O. Avo- 
ca, was born in Pennsylvania in 1826, son of 
Joshua and Dorothy (Jones) Headlee, he a 
farmer, died in Indiana; she is living in 
Avoca, Iowa; the parents had three daugh- 
ters' and five sons. Mr. Headlee removed, 



VALLEY TOWNSHIP. 



345 



with his parents, from Peansylvania to Indi- 
ana, remaining in the latter till he was about 
fifteen years old, when he came to Iowa. 
He lived nine miles fi-om Keokuk till 1S52, 
when he settled in Knox Township, Potta- 
wattamie County; thence, in 1862, he came 
to his present fann of 160 acres, in Valley 
Township. !Mr. Headlee was married, in 
1862, near Keokuk, Iowa, to Esther Lewis, 
born in Ohio; she has blessed him with 
eleven children — five boys and six girls, one 
of each sex being dead. When ]VIr. Headlee 
first came to Pottawattamie County, he had 
a yoke of cattle and a wayon, which he 
bought in a year's time, and 15 cents in 
money; he now has a good property. Mi*. 
Headlee espouses the Republican cause. 

A. C. HOLWAY, farming, P. O. Avoca, 
was born in 1845 in Maine, and came to this 
county in 1870, from Minnesota, where he 
had lived for about five years previous; his 
father and mother are living in Pottawatta- 
mie County. Mr. Holway. was educated in 
Maine, and has always followed farming. 
He came here in 1870, and bought forty 
acres of unimproved land; he now has eighty 
acres, mostly under cultivation. Mr. Holway 
was married, in Maine, in 1865, to Lovina 
Williams; they have one son — Charles L., 
and two daughters — Anna M. and Laura 
Ella. Mr. Holway is a member of the 
A. H. T. A., and his wife of the Presbyter- 
ian Church. Mr. Holway has one brother 
and one sister living in this county. He is a 
Democrat in politics. 

C. O. KING, farming, P. O. Hancock, 
was born in New York State in 1837, son of 
Wells and Jane (Look) King; his father is 
living in Iowa County, Iowa. Mr. King has 
one brother, D. C. King, in Montgomery 
County, Iowa. Our subject was educated in 
New York State and remained there till he 
was twenty-two years of age; he then went to 



Michigan and enlisted in the Third Michigan 
Cavalry, September 17, 1861, being dis- 
charged March 16, 1866; Hamburg Iiand- 
ing, luka, Corinth and Mobile were the 
leading engagements he was in. He entered 
as a private, and subsequently received a com- 
mission from Gov. Crapo, of Michigan; this 
commission was to take effect November 8, 
1865, but the war closing, prevented Mi-. 
King from making use of it; he was Regi- 
mental Commissary when mustered out. 
After the war closed, he soon came to Iowa 
County, Iowa, bought and settled there. He 
remained in Iowa County till 1873, when he 
sold out, came to Pottawattamie County and 
settled on a place which he has since sold; 
he then bought another farm of 240 acres, on 
which he now lives; the farm is well im- 
proved. Mr. King was married, in 1870. to 
Miss Mary L. Archer, born in Ohio; her 
father. Oliver Archer, is dead; her mother is 
in this township. Mr. Kinghas twochildipen 
— Hattie J. and Lucy A.; he has also lost two 
children. Mr. King's business has always 
been that of farming. He is a member of 
the Masonic fraternity and of the A. H. T. 
A. He has held township offices, being As- 
sessor of Knox Township before Valley was 
separated fi'om it ; he is at present Trustee of 
Valley Township. He was one of the most 
active in getting Valley Township set off by 
itself. In politics, Mr. King is a Repub- 
lican. 

JOHN KNIERIEMAN, groceries and 
queens ware, Hancock, was born in Germany 
in 1845, son of F. J. Knierieman, who was a 
farmer by occupation, now dead. Subject's 
mother is also deceased, ilr. Knierieman 
took a complete coui'se in the public schools 
of Germany, and afterward learned the mil- 
ler's trade. He has two brothers who are 
farmers in Germany. Our subject came to 
America in 1868, locating first in Philadel- 



246 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



pliia, where he engaged in milling. Since 
1870, he has lived in Iowa, and for the past 
five years in Pottawattamie County. He came 
from Avoca to Hancock in April, 1882; while 
in Avoca, he conducted a mill. 3\Ii-. Knier- 
ieman was married, in 1879, to Miss Dora 
May Kinney, of Avoca, born in Oskaloosa, 
Iowa, daughter of W. S. Kinney, a Methodist 
minister, who has retired from the pulpit and 
from business on account of his health; he 
owns the grocery, queensware and notion 
store in Hancock, of which our subject has 
charge; they carry a stock of about $2,000. 
]VIi'. Knierieman is Deputy Postmaster of Han- 
cock. He has visited the largest cities of all 
the Northern States, and has crossed the 
ocean three times. He is a member of the I. 
O. 0. F. ; takes no particular interest in poli- 
tics, but generally votes the Democratic 
ticket. 

JOSEPH MOOEE. farming, P. O. Han- 
cock, was born in Ireland in 1816; came to 
America with his parents in 1849, and settled 
in Newry, Blair Co., Penn. In 1858, he 
moved with his parents to Lee County, 111., 
where they remained two years. Of the two 
years oui' subject remained in Lee County, 
he lay twenty-one months with fever and 
ague. In 1860, he again moved with his 
parents to Scott County, Iowa, where his 
parents still live; his mother is seventy-eight 
years old and his father seventy-nine. When 
the war broke out, oiu- subject's three brothers 
enlisted, but Joseph being too young to en- 
list, remained at home with his parents till 
he was of age, and then went to farming. 
In February, 1871, he came to Pottawattamie 
County, and settled eight and a half miles 
south of Avoca and built a house eight by 
ten feet. He lived alone one year, and then 
was married to Miss Hattie H. Sautelle, who 
was born in Bangor, Me. Mr. Moore has 
resided on his farm up to the present time. 



bu.t iiow has built a residence in the town of 
Hancock, and intends to make that place his 
future home. He has a well-improved farm 
of 120 acres, besides his town property. He 
is a Rejiublican and also a member of the I. 
O. O. F., Valley Lodge, No. 439. They 
have live daughters. One of Mr. Moore's 
brothers died in the army; one lives in Dav- 
enport, Iowa, and one in Moline, 111. Mr. 
Moore has always had to depend upon his 
own resources, and has made most of his 
money in raising hogs in Pottawattamie 
County. He was educated in Scott County, 
Iowa, in the common schools. 

ISRAEL MORROW, farmer, P. O. Avoca, 
was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., in 
1831, son of John and Sarah (Hamilton) 
Morrow, he a boatman and farmer by occupa- 
tion, was a native of Westmoreland County, 
Penn. ; the parents had thirteen children, 
ten boys and three girls. Mi\ Mon'ow re- 
ceived an ordinary education in Pennsylva- 
nia, and was there engaged in boating on 
the canal till he became twenty- one years old, 
when he moved to Henry County, 111. After 
settling in Illinois, Mi\ Moitow followed 
farming and also ran a coal mine for some 
time; he next engaged in the milling business 
for about a year, in Geneseo, Henry Co., 111. ; 
thence he went to Scott County, 111., where 
he owned and conducted a flouring-mill for 
eight years. July 4, 1876, Mr. Morrow 
came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and 
purchased his present farm of 100 acres, now 
all under cultivation. "When the late war 
broke out. Mi". Morrow and six of his brothers 
being old enough to enlist, they cast lots to 
see who should remain at home, it being nec- 
essary for one of them to do so; the lot fell 
upon our subject, and his sis brothers enlist- 
ed in Company B, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, one 
entering as a Corporal. Two of his brothers 
died in the army; the others came out, after 



VALLEY TOWNSHIP. 



247 



serving three and foiu- yeara. INIr. Morrow 
was married, March 19, 1857, to Miss Mar- 
garet Ann Linton, born in Philadelphia, 
Penn., daughter of Robert Linton, a boatman 
and mechanic, and for fourteen years a po- 
liceman in Philadelphia. Mr. and Mrs. 
Morrow have been blessed with nine childi-en, 
five boys and four girls; they have lost two. 
Mr. Morrow and wife have been members of 
the M. E. Church for many years. Mr. Mor- 
row is in politics a Republican. 

ROBERT MOTHERAL, farming, P. O. 
Hancock, was born in Pennsylvania in 1834, 
son of Thomas and Martha (Aken) Motheral; 
he, a farmer by occupation, was born in 
Pennsylvania and died in Missouri; she, 
born in Pennsylvania, is also dead; was the 
mother of twelve children, six of whom are 
dead. When live yeara old, Mr. Motheral 
moved, with his parents, to Illinois, where 
he received an ordinary schooling. In 1854, 
he came to Iowa and located in Poweshiek 
County, where he engaged in farming till 
1871, when he located on his present place 
in Pottawattamie County. Mr. Motheral's 
farm consists of 410 acres, mostly under cul- 
tivation, and supplied with good buildings; 
when he fii'st took this farm it was wild 
prairie. He conducts general fai-ming and 
trades some in cattle. Mi-. Motheral was 
married, in Iowa, in ISfiO, to Miss Sarah M. 
Clark, born in New Jersey, daughter of John 
and Mary Clark, residents of Iowa. This 
union has been ble.ssed with foui- children — 
Florence E., Sarah M., R. Franklin and 
Mary J. Mr. Motheral is a Mason and a 
Democrat. 

CHARLES W. NEWMAN, general repair 
shop, Hancock, was born in England June 2, 
1843, son of William and Bridget (Parkin- 
son) Newman, he dead, she still living. Our 
subject's father was the sou of a "gentle- 
man " in England, and. being possessed of 



considerable wealth, never engacjed in labor 

■ Or? 

till he lost his f)''opei-ty and emigrated to 
Canada, where he engaged in milling. Our 
subject has a brother in Ontario, Canada, in 
the shoe business; one sister living in De- 
troit, Mich., and another in Canada. Mr. 
Newman's other relatives all live in England, 
except one iincle, residing near Troy, Mich. 
When Mr. Newman was six years of age, he, 
with his parents, came to Canada, and there 
served an apprenticeship of three years at 
blacksmithing. In 1862, he moved to Michi- 
gan and worked at his trade for several years; 
then retui'ned to Canada and was married, in 
January, 1869, to Miss Mary J. Bingham, a 
native of Canada; her father, Robert Bing- 
ham, is a native of Ireland, and came to Can- 
ada, where he was married. Mra. Newman's 
parents are residents of Valley Township, 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa. After his mar- 
riage, Mr. Newman remained in Canada till 
1876, when he came to Iowa, located in 
Avoca and ran a blacks cnith shop for nearly 
two years, then came to Valley Township, 
purcliased a farm, erected a shop on it, and 
continued at his trade. In the fall of 1880, 
Mr. Newman removed his shop to Han- 
cock, and also engaged in the coal business 
with Ml'. Armstrong. After engaging in 
the coal business a little less than a year, 
he sold out his interest and turned his 
whole attention to his shop, which he still 
continues. Mr. and Mrs. Newman have 
three children, all girls; they are members 
of the Methodist Church. Mr. Newman is 
a member of the Masonic fraternity and is 
a Republican. 

MARION PALilER, farming, P. O. Par- 
ma, born in Mercer County, 111., in 1851, son 
of M. T. and Caroline (Tuel) Palmer. Mr- 
M. T. Palmer was born in Indiana in 1822. 
Mr. Palmer's parents ai-e both living in Pot- 
tawattamie County; he is one of nine chil- 



248 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



di'en, seven still living, seven boys and two 
daughters; two of the boys are dead. They 
came to Conncil Bluffs in 1853, and have 
lived in this county ever since. 'Mi: Palmer 
was educated in the common schools of the 
county. They only lived in Coiincil Bluffs 
for a short time, and then came to near Oak- 
land and bought a farm there. Mr. Palmer's 
father has lived on the original place ever 
since, and in connection with the farm he has 
a store, which he has kept for about twenty 
years. With the exception of one brother 
and sister, in Harlan, Shelby Co. , Iowa, the 
family all live in Pottawattamie County. 
Ml". Palmer started in life as a farmer, and 
has followed the same ever since, escejjt one 
yeai-, when he was in the grocery business at 
Oakland. Mr. Palmer was married, Decem- 
ber 25, 1873, to Miss Susanna Davis, born in 
Illinois, daughter of W. B. and Elizabeth 
Jane Davis, doth dead. ili'. Palmer's wife 
died April 26, 1882. They had one girl, 
who died September 6, 1876, and one son, 
died May 20, 1882. l\Ii-. Palmer came to his 
present farm April 8, 1876. For two years 
before he had farmed on Section 28, Valley 
Township. TV'hen first coming to his pres- 
ent farm, he bought forty acres, paying $8 
per acre. Since, he has added to it till he 
now has a farm of 160 acres, all imjwoved. 
He is a Republican in politics. Is also a 
member of the A. H. T. A. When he start- 
ed in, it was with nothing, and has made 
what he has by farming. Does general 
farming. 

W. H. PATTERSON, attorney, Hancock, 
is a son of Thomas Patterson, and was born 
in Ireland in 1849. In the fall of 1853, he 
came with his parents to America, and set- 
tled in Newry, Blair Co. , Penn. j\L-. Pat- 
terson was educated at Washington and Jef- 
ferson College, Pennsylvania, graduating in 
the class of 1874. He then entered the law 



office of Judge Black, of York, Penn. He 
was admitted to the Blair County bar August 
24, 1877; practiced law in that county two 
years, and then came West, locating in Avo- 
ca, Iowa. He remained in Avocatill the fall 
of 1881, when, his health being poor, he 
farmed for a year. He now has a law office 
in Hancock, and is Justice of the Peace. 
Mr. Patterson's parents, as well as his five 
brothers and four sisters, are living in Penn- 
sylvania. Jlr. Patterson was admitted to the 
Pottawattamie County bar on the motion of 
Col. Keatley, of Council Bluffs. Mr. Patter- 
son is a member of the Presbyterian Church; 
also of the I. O. O. F. ; and in politics is a 
Republican. He is one of he rising young 
men of the county. 

JOHN SCHULZ, farmer, P. O. Avoca, 
was boru in Prussia in 1827. He was edu- 
cated in his native country, and left there 
when twenty-six years of age, coming to this 
country in 1853, and settling in Chicago, 
111., where he lived thi-ee years, employed as 
a musician. In 1856, he moved from Chi- 
cago to Davenport, Iowa, where he contin- 
ued as a musician for almost twelve years. 
He nest moved, in 1868, to Benton County, 
Iowa where for thi-ee years he engaged in 
farming, then returned to Davenport for six 
months, thence to Omaha in 1871, where he 
resided four years, engaged as a musician. 
In 1875, Mr. Schulz came from Omaha to 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa, bought 160 
acres of prairie, erected buildings, and now 
has his farm mostly under cultivation. In 
1861, he joined a military band, thus serving 
his country until receiving an honorable dis- 
charge, in 1862, on account of sickness. Mr. 
Schulz was married, in 1856, in Chicago, to 
Miss Sophia Presler, daughter of John G. 
Presler, of Germany, for many years a soldier 
in the German Army, going with Napoleon 
to Russia, and remaining with his armv uu- 



VALLEY TOWNSHIP. 



249 



til Napoleon was banished. Mr. and Mrs. 
Schiilz have four children — Lizzie, Emily, 
John and Caroline; the eldest is married. 
In politics, Mr. Schulz is a Republican. 

A. W. WARNER, farmer, P. O. Hancock, 
born in Indiana in 1850, son of Alphens and 
Catharine (Hnxford) Warner; was educated 
in the common schools of Indiana; began by 
working by the month; cam» to Iowa in 1874, 
to Marion County, and was in Marion County 
for about sixteen months, then came to Pot- 
tawattamie County and settled on his pres- 
ent place. Parents both dead. When he 
came to present farm, it was partly broken 
oiit, and a house, 12x16, on it; but that was all 
the improvements. Was man-ied, in spring 
of 1877, in Pottawattamie County, to Miss 
Mary Victoria Griffith, born in Iowa. They 
have three children — two girls and one boy. 
His farming is mostly grain -raising. His 
farm here consists of eighty acres, buying in 
December, 1875, when land was high, and 
paid $20 per acre. 

CHARLES WARNER, farmer, P. O. Han- 
cock, bom in Indiana in 1852, son of Alph- 
eus and Catharine (Huxford) Warner; came 
here in 1876, and bought a farm with his 
brother, and farmed together for some years, 
and then sold out to brother, and bought an- 
other farm bj' himself, now having a farm of 
120 acres. Generally votes the Democratic 
ticket; is a member of the I. O. O. F., and of 
the A. H. T. A. His farming is mostly grain- 
raising. He was educated in Indiana, in 
common schools. When he and brother 
bought their first farm, it was partly broken 
and had a house on it 12x16 feet, but no other 
improvements. He is one of four own broth- 
ers and three half-sisters and one half-broth- 
er, but there are now living but the two own 
brothers and one half-brother. 

JOHN WATTS, farmer, P. O. Hancock, 
was bom in Indiana in 1843, son of John 



and Ruth (Cox) Watts; he was born in Vir- 
ginia, and came to Polk County, Iowa, in the 
fall of 1849, being one of the early settlers 
in that county; there he died in 1855. Sub- 
ject's motherwas born in Kentucky; was the 
mother of ten children, and died in 1878. 
In 1849, Mr. Watts came with his parents to 
Polk County, Iowa, where subject received 
an ordinary education, and engaged in farm- 
ing till 1872. when he came to Pottawatta- 
mie County and settled on his present farm 
of 146 acres. When Mr. Watts fu-st settled 
on his farm, it was unimproved; it is now in 
a good state of culti ration, and has good 
buildings erected upon it. He has an or- 
chard of 160 trees, just beginning to bear, 
and other improvements. Mi'. W^atts has one 
brother, a dentist, in Des Moines, Iowa, and 
one sister, Mrs. Carter, who resides in Cali- 
fornia. In 1861, Mr. Watts enlisted in 
Company B, Tenth Iowa Infantry. After 
serving about a year, he received an honora- 
ble discharge, having been incapacitated for 
duty by being shot through the wiist while 
on picket duty at New Madi-id, Mo. Mr. 
Watts was married, in 1866, in Polk Coun- 
ty, Iowa, ta Miss Sarah J. Eairleywine, a na- 
tive of Ohio, daitghter of Abram and Eliza- 
beth Eairleywine, natives of Ohio. The re- 
sult of this union is one daughter, Orie A., 
born September 1, 1868, and one son, Char- 
lie M., born August 22, 1870. Mr. Watts is 
•a member of the I. O. O. F. , and is a Demo- 
crat. 

H. C. WETMORE, farmer, P. O. Hancock, 
was born in Ohio in 1848, son of O. E. and 
M. F. (Williamson) Wetmore. He was edu- 
cated mostly in Ohio, but also attended Ab- 
ingdon College, Illinois. The mother of sub- 
ject is still living. His father died when 
owe subject was but eight year sold. Mr. 
Wetmore attended school till about twenty 
years of age, and then went to teaching and 



250 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



farming, which occupation he has continued 
since. He has two sisters — one near Carson, 
Pottawattamie Co. , Iowa, and the other in 
Michigan. Mr. Wetmore was married, in No- 
vember, 1874, to Miss Emma E. Peterson, born 
in New York; her father and mother are livino- 
in Summit County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. 
Wetmore have no children of their own, but 
have a girl which they are raising. Mr. 
Wetmore came from Ohio to Pottawattamie 
County, Iowa, in the spring of 1878, and set- 
tled on his present farm of eighty acres. Mr. 
and Mrs. Wetmore are members of the Chris- 
tian Chiu-ch. Politically, Mr. Wetmore is a 
Democrat. 

WILLIAM W. WHIPPLE, farmer, P. O. 
Hancock, was born in McKean County, 
Penn. , in 1837, son of Samuel and Mercia 
Whipple; mother died in 1842, father in 
1867; for most of his life, the latter was a 
lumberman, but, a few years before his death, 
he followed farming. Mr. Whipple has one 
brother and two sisters in Wisconsin. He 
received his education in Pennsylvania; 
moved from there when he was seventeen 
years old. and went to Portage County, Wis. , 
and remained five years, engaged in lumber- 
ing. He next went to Adams County, Wis., 
and went to farming; remained in Adams 
County till 1864, when he enlisted in Com- 
pany E, Thirty-seventh Wisconsin Volun- 
teers, and served till the close of the war. 
He was in the battle of Fort Steadman, be- 
fore Petersburg and at its capture. After 
the close of the war, he stayed in Wisconsin 
about one year, and then went to Minnesota, 
where he followed farming most of the time. 
In 1860, Mr. Whipple was married to Miss 
Phylena Seward, born in New York, daugh-, 
ter of Enos Seward, and slightly related to 
William H. Seward. Mrs. Whipple died 
March 11, 1863, and was the mother of one 
son, who died October 17, 1864. Mr. Whip- 



ple was again married, in Minnesota, in 1869, 
to Miss Annie E. Holloway, born in Maine, 
daughter of Levi Holloway. By his second 
wife Mr. Whipi^le has two children — Eugene 
W., born August 6, 1871; and Albert L.. 
born in December, 1876. Mr. Whipple lived 
in Minnesota till 1869, when he moved to 
Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and settled in 
Valley Township, one and a half miles east 
of Hancock. In 1872, he bought eighty 
acres of prairie at $9 per acre, and, in 1874, 
forty acres at SIO per acre. His farm is all 
under cultivation, with good improvements, 
good buildings and orchards. He sold his 
farm in 1882 for i30 per acre. He is a 
member of the A. H. T. A.; also a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
of Hancock, and Superintendent of the Sun- 
day school. In politics, he is a Republican. 
J. M. WHISNAND. dry goods and grocer- 
ies, Hancock, was born in Monroe County, 
Ind., February 9, 1859, son of Granville and 
Louisa Whisnand, natives of Indiana, who 
are living on their farm near Sheridan, Iowa. 
Our subject attended school at Sheridan. 
Iowa, and completed his business education 
at what is known as Mrs. Steward's Academy. 
Mr. Whisnand removed with his parents from 
Indiana to Lucas County, Iowa, about 1865; 
thence, in 1879, he went to Cass County, and 
remained there till coming to Pottawattamie 
County, He has three brothers and two sis- 
ters — one brother in this county, one sister in 
Guthrie County, and the others in Lucas 
County. Mr. Whisnand was engaged in 
farming till early in 1881, when he went into 
a store at Griswold, Iowa, remaining there 
till starting his present store in Hancock, 
December 1, 1881. His tii-st partner was 
Mr. Gordon, who subsequently sold out his 
interest, and the firm is now Whisnand & Ar- 
cher. They keep dry goods, boots and shoes, 
and a comjjlete stock of groceries, their stock 



VALLEY TOWXSHIP. 



231 



invoicing at §3,200. jVIt. Whisnand lias 
charge of the business, his partner being on 
a farm. Mr. Whisnand is a member of the I. 
O. O. F., and in politics he is a Republican. 
R. -M. WHITE, farmer, P. O. Oakland, 
barn in Pennsylvania in 1833; lived in 
Pennsylvania till 1853, and then went to Ill- 
inois, and was there till 1800, and came to 
Kansas and then to his present place the 
same year, and this has been his home ever 
since. He was raised on a farm: was edu- 
cated in Pennsylvania, in common schools. 
He has always followed farming. When 
first .starting for himself, he went to Illinois 
and worked by the month for about a year 
and six months. The first land he ever 
bought was his present place. He is a son 
of Samuel and Mary (Leslie) White; father 
born in Washington County, Penn. ; parents 
both dead. Mr. White is one of seven chil- 
dren — three sons and four daughters. Six 
are still living. He has one brother in Iowa 
now; one sister in Virginia; the other mem- 
bers of family in Pennsylvania. He is Re- 
publican in politics. He had two brothers 
go through the war. Was married, in 1858, 
to Miss Martha Clark, daughter of Charles 
and Sarah Clark, both living. Mr. and Mrs. 
White have five children living and one dead, 
all boys — Charles, Warren, Uriah, Leslie, 
Edmond. Charles is married and lives in 
Valley Township. The others are all at 
home, except what time Warren is off at 
school. When Mr. White came here, he 
bought land, paying §2.50 per acre. He has 
now 800 acres in a body, and his oldest son 
160 adjoining. Besides his home farm, he 
has other lands. When first settling, he only 
bought eighty acres — the remainder after the 
country began to settle up. When Mr. 
AVhite came to Iowa, it was with nothing ex- 
cept a good team of horses, two or three cows 
and a few household goods. He had moved 



in wagon from Illinois to Kansas, and then 
to Iowa. After crossing the Missouri River 
into Iowa, he had only 25 cents in money, 
and provisions for a week. He bought his 
first eighty acres of Ephraim Bird on a year's 
time. Mr. Bird was to pay the taxes the 
first year, and also for recording the deed. 
Mr. White paid for the laud in stock and 
grain in about fifteen months from buying 
it. Mr. White has always followed stock and 
grain raising. When first coming here, he 
did considerable hauling between Big Grove 
and Council Bluffs. While in Illinois, he 
worked by the month till he could buy a team, 
and then rented land and farmed, making 
money pretty fast till going to Kansas; he 
lost all his money, and has made what he 
now has in Iowa. In 1875, Mr. White was 
run by the Republican party for Representa- 
tive for this district for the State Legislat- 
ure, but, it being an otice he did not desire, 
and his other business needing his attention 
at the time, he paid no attention to the can- 
vass, so was beaten by the opposing candi- 
date, Mr. Hunt, of Avoca, by one vote. In 
the first two elections in the district, called 
then No. 3, in Center Township, there were 
only two voters — Mr. White and Mr. Strong. 
This was in 1866 and 1867. Mr. White was 
then Secretary of the School Board, and his 
vote elected Mr. Strong Sub-Director for two 
years. Then Mr. White and Mr. Strong 
voted a 5-mill tax on their subdistrict. Their 
subdistrict then was three by three and a half 
miles. In 1868, they got their schoolhouse, 
and at the time the tax was voted, there were 
but two scholars; but, in 1868, as soon as the 
school was opened, there were eleven scholars, 
for people began to settle near the school. 
Mr. White has been Township Clerk for all 
but one year since 1865. 

PETER WIESE, farmer, P. O. Hancock, 
was born in Holstein, Germanv, in 1848, and 



353 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



received his eduation there. He came to thia 
country in 1868, locating first in Davenport, 
Iowa, where he engaged in farming three 
years; thence he went to West Liberty, Mus- 
catine Co., Iowa, and engaged in farming 
till 1872, when he came to this county and 
purchased eighty acres in Knox Township. 
In 1878, he sold his farm in Knox Township, 
and, coming to Valley Township, bought 
eighty acres in Section 13. Here he has 
since conducted farming. Mr. Wiese was 
married, in Davenport, to Mrs. Sophia L. 
Hansan, daughter of Henry W. T. Bein, a 
farmer of Scott County, owning 200 acres. 
Mr. and Mrs. Wiese have four children — Au- 
gusta T., Jacob H., Eggert and Ida L. — two 
of them being Mi-s. Wiese's children by her 
first husband, Hans J. Hansan. The parents 
of Mr. Wiese are living near West Liberty. 
He has one sister living in Avoca, and one 
brother in Knox Township. Mr. Wiese was 
naturalized May 19, 1882, and votes the Dem- 
ocratic ticket. 



W. S. WILLIAMS, farmer, P. O. Han- 
cocky.was born in Indiana in 1848. His fa- 
ther, S. G. Williams, was born in Maine, and 
emigrated to Indiana when that State was 
almost entirely inhabited by Indians. He 
now lives in retirement, in South Bend, Ind., 
huving been a farmer forty years. He and 
ex- Gov. Garcillon, of Maine, were schoolmates. 
Mr. Williams has one brother and two sisters. 
He received a good education in Indiana, 
and, leaving that State in 1872, came to 
Iowa and located on his present place in Pot- 
tawattamie County. Mr. Williams' farm 
consists of seventy acres, well improved, and 
a 81, 500 residence upon it. Besides his farm, 
he owns considerable town property. He is 
Postmaster of Hancock. Mr. Williams was 
married, in 1873, in Avoca, Iowa, to Miss S. 
E. Sanders, a native of Michigan. They have 
five children — Mabel, Frank, Winfield, Grove 
and Clara. Mr. Williams is a member of 
the I. O. O. F. , serving as Permanent Secre- 
tary. He is a Republican in politics. 



WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 



J. K. ANNIS, farmer, P. O. Taylor Sta- 
tion, was born in the State of Maine in 1835. 
Before he was a year old, his parents moved 
to Knox County, 111. , and that was his home 
till he came to Iowa in 1871. The first two 
years he lived in Mills County, and then came 
into Pottawattamie County, living one year 
in Hardin Township, and since that he has 
lived in Washington Township, and at the 
time of coming there was but little settle- 
ment in the township, there being but about 
sixteen voters. When buying his farm, he 
went back from the main traveled road for 
some distance, thinking that he would al- 
ways have all the range he wanted for his 



stock, but in six months other houses began 
to go up around him, and soon the entire 
prairie was inclosed. Mr. Annis was mar- 
ried, in Illinois, to Miss Drusilla A. Essex, 
in 1867. They have two children, both girls. 
He was educated in Illinois. He enlisted in 
the First Illinois Cavalry in 1861, Col. Thom- 
as A. Marshall. In the same year, they were 
taken prisoners at Lexington, Mo., and were 
paroled, but not exchanged, and were again 
called into service, and were stationed at St. 
Louis most of the time, but were again mus- 
tered out in 1862. He is Republican in pol- 
itics, and is a member of the Masonic frater- 
nity, becoming one in Illinois, and still keeps 



AVASHINGTOX TOWXSHIP. 



253 



his mpmbership there. His farm consists of 
eighly acres, and he does general farming. 
By trade he is a mason, aud followed his 
trade for about fifteen years, and occasion- 
ally since. Mr. Annis has taken an active 
part in township affairs since coming here, 
and is now one of the Trustees of the town- 
ship, and Justice of the Peace. 

A. S. CAJRTER, farming and stock, P. O. 
Neola, was born in Ohio in 1837, son of 
Samuel Carter, who was born and raised in 
Maryland, and is still living and in good 
health, although seventy-eight years old. 
Mr. Carter's mother died when he was young. 
Mr. Carter was educated in Ohio, in common 
schools. He was raised on a farm, and such 
has been his occupation all his life. He was 
married, in Ohio, in 1860, to Miss Malinda 
Hartley, born in Ohio, in the same county as 
Mi\ Carter — Guernsey County. They have 
ten children — seven boys and three girls — 
all at home but one daughter, and she is 
married, and living in New Sharon, Mahaska 
Co., Iowa. Mr. Carter first moved to Noda- 
way County, Mo. , where he lived for three 
years, and then came to his present place, in 
Washington Township, getting here in De- 
cember, 1869. He had bought the land, 
however, before he had moved from Ohio. 
There were no improvements on the farm 
when coming here, so j\Ir. Carter went to 
work to make him a home, planting out 
groves, orchards, and building farm build- 
ings, till now he has a well-improved farm. 



His farm now consists of 360 acres — 160 in 
Section 3, and 200 in Section 4. Mr. Car- 
ter's business is raising corn and feeding 
stock, and has made a success of it. He is 
Republican in politics. In township affairs 
Mr. Carter has taken an active part always, 
and has held most of the township offices. 
When he first started on the place, there were 
no groves, but now has eight acres in culti- 
vated forest trees, besides roads lined with 
trees. His orchard consists of about two 
acres, with trees in bearing. When he set- 
tled in the township, there was no settlement 
in sight, and no roads in this part of the 
township. Mr. Carter has also been land 
agent for a number of years. He was here 
where he could learn the corners of all pieces 
near him, and where such tracts lay, so was 
appointed agent. Although Mi\ Carter is 
not a member of any chvu'ch, yet his stand 
ard is morality. No one ever heard him ut- 
ter an oath, or never was drunk. When he 
came to this place, in December, 1869. he 
had only S37 with which to begin building 
and improving. Of his farm, 270 acres are 
in cultivation, 225 in corn — the remainder in 
pastm-e and grass. His farm is splendidly 
watered — two fine springs, three wells and 
the Middle Silver Creek through the fai-m. 
Neola is the nearest town of importance, 
and he is nine miles south of that place, 
nearly the same distance west of Oakland, 
and eighteen miles northeast of Council 
Bluffs. 



354 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



WA.TELAI^D T0W:JTSHIP. 



HENRY BARNES, farmer, P. O. Elliott 
Montgomery, Co., Iowa, was born in Mont- 
pelier, Vt., August 16, 1836. His father, 
Hanry Y. Barnes, was born in Vermont in 
1796. He was a harness-maker, and died in 
Vermont in 1872. Subject's mother, Caro- 
line (Yale) Barnes, was born in Chittenden 
Coimty, Vt., about 1803, and died in Ver- 
mont in 1881. The parents had nine chil- 
dren, four of whom are living. Mr. Barnes 
began business as a harness- maker in 1857, 
in Vermont, and followed that trade twelve 
years. Then he moved to Iowa and became 
a farmer in Pottawattamie County in 1869, 
and has continued farming since. He has 
held divers offices in the township, such as 
Justice of th<^ Peace, Trustee, etc., etc. He 
was married, fii'st to Miss Mary E. Gentle, 
October 7, 1858; she was born in Canada in 
1835, and died in Vermont in October, 1864; 
her parents are Hiram and Mary (Bateman) 
Gentle, natives of New York State. Mr. 
Barnes was married to Miss Emma S. Sti'at- 
ton, May 23, 1866. She was born in Green- 
wich, Mass., July 26, 1840; her father, Na- 
thaniel H. Stratton, a silver- plater, was born 
in Rutland, Mass., February 12, 1818; her 
mother, Susan H. (Lt^gg) Stratton, was born 
in Orange, Mass., November 25, 1816. Mr. 
Barnesjhas three children by his first wife — 
Henry, born July 21, 1859; Charles, born 
November 1, 1861; and Fred, born Decem- 
ber 3, 1863. By his second wife Mr. Barnes 
has two children — Frank, born June 30,1867; 
and Nellie, born October 21, 1877. Mr. 
Barnes bought eighty acres in Pottawattamie 
County, Iowa, in May, 1869. at about 17.50 



per acre; he now has 185 acres, valued at 
S35 per acre. The family of Mr. Barnes are 
members of the Congregational Church. He 
is a Republican. 

ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, farmer. P. 
O. Griswold, Cass County, was born in 
Northern Scotland in 1845, son of Simon and 
Isabella (McKenzie) Campbell; he was born 
in Scotland in 1822, and now lives in that 
country; she was born in Scotland in 1825, 
and died in Iowa in 1877. ili-. Campbell 
was an only child, and began life as a fisher- 
man. He emigrated to this country and be- 
gan work as a farm hand in Illinois in 1868. 
In 1871, he bought 160 acres of land in 
Waveland Township, Pottawattamie Co., 
Iowa. This farm he moved onto in 1877. 
Mr. Campbell paid $6.50 per acre for his 
farm. He now has 547 acres, valued at about 
$35 an acre. He has two very fine orchards, 
and some artificial groves. He has fifty-five 
head of cattle, ten horses and 100 head of fine 
hogs — a cross between Berkshire and Poland. 
The cyclone of 1873 passed near Mr. Camp- 
bell's place, but he fortunately escaped dam- 
age. In 1876, Mr. Campbell returned to 
Scotland, and, after a thirteen years' separa- 
tion, married Miss Mary Ann McKenzie, born 
in Elgin, Scotland. October 24, 1852, daugh- 
ter of William and Betsey McKenzie; he died 
in Scotland in 1863; she was born in Scot- 
land in 1822. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have 
four children — Bella, William J., Betsey and 
Janet — all born in Pottawattamie County, 
Iowa. When Mr. Campbell came to Iowa to 
buy land in 1S71, there was not a house to 
be seen on Walnut Ridge, and he ha i to use 



AVAVELAND TOWNSHIP. 



255 



his compass to find his way back to a settle- 
ment. He is a member of • the Presbyterian 
Church, and is Independent in politics. 

THOiLlS N. CHRISTIAN, farmer, P. O. 
Griswold, Cass County, was born in Indiana 
February 2, 1836, son of Lewis and Levina 
(Frazier) Christian; he, born in Tennessee 
in 1811, is a farmer by occupation ; she, born 
in Tennessee in 1812, is the mother of ten 
children, two of whom are dead. Mr. Chris- 
tian came to Missom-i with his parents in 
1S49, received a common-school education, 
and afterward taught. In August, 1802, he 
enlisted in Company F, Thirty-fifth Missou- 
ri Infantry, and was mustered out at St. 
Louis in 1863. After returning fi-om the 
army. Mi-. Chi-istian came to Cass County, 
Iowa, in 1866, and engaged in teaming till 
1867, when he moved to Pottawattamie Coun- 
ty and rented land. In 1869, he bought 124: 
acres at $5 an acre. He now has 244 acres, 
valued at ?30 an acre. He has a tine young 
orchard of 100 trees, and small fruits, be- 
sides twenty acres of grove. He raises con- 
siderable stock, now having forty head of 
cattle and fifty hogs. Mr. Chi-istian was 
married, in Missouri, May 23, 1861, to Re- 
becca Cranor, born in Indiana November 24, 
1841, daughter of Joshua and Deborah (Pot- 
ter) Cranor, natives of New Jersey; her moth- 
er died in July, 1882. Mi-, and Mrs. Chris- 
tian have had ten children — Weltha, Ida, 
Newton, Alner, Lewis, Manlove B., Melcina, 
Belle, Alice and Flora; the last two died in 
Missoui-i; the rest of the ehildi-en were born 
in Iowa. Mr. Christian has held some 
township offices; he belongs to the Masonic 
fraternity; is a Baptist in religion, and a 
Republican in politics. 

CHESTER M. CLARK, farmer, P. O. 
Elliott, Montgomery Co., Iowa, was bom in 
Peacham, Vt., September 24, 1845. His fa- 
ther, Gideon H. Clark, was born in Vermont 



February 9, 1805; he is a farmer. Subject's 
mother, Harriett (Watts) Clark, was born in 
Peacham, Vt., September 3. 1825. His par- 
ents had eight children, seven of whom are 
living. At the age of seventeen, Mr. Clark 
began business for himself as a farmer, and 
has thus continued since. He married Miss 
Dora Kinkade March 12, 1870. Her father, 
William D. Kinkade, was born in Belmont 
County, Ohio, February 10, 1819. Her 
mother, Emily (Ross) Kinkade, was born in 
Ohio August 18, 1820. Mrs. Clark was born 
in Rose Hill, Ohio, April 28, 1847. Mr. 
and Mrs. Clark have one child, Jennie, born 
August 31, 1872. In 1870, Mr. Clark moved 
to Boone County, Iowa, from which place he 
moved to Audubon County, Iowa, thence to 
Montgomery County, Iowa. In 1873, he 
moved to Pottawattamie County, where he 
bought eighty acres at $10 per acre. He now 
has 230 acres, worth about $35 per acre. In 
1873, Mr. Clark's residence was completely 
destroyed by a cyclone of that year, which 
damaged him more than $500. 

BARNARD CLUSKEY, farmer, P. O. El- 
liott, Montgomery Co., Iowa, was born in 
Ireland in 1832. His father, George Cluskey, 
was born in Ireland, and died in his native 
country about 1857. Subject's mother, Nancy 
(Conlan) Cluskey, was born in Ireland, and 
resided there until her death, which occm-red 
about 1840. The parents had five children, 
three of whom are still living. In 1851, Mr. 
Cluskey was married, in Ii-eland, to Miss 
Rose Brennen, a native of Ireland, as were 
her parents. Four ofifspring are the result of 
this happy union — Thomas, born in Ireland 
in 1851; George, also born in Ireland; Ann, 
born in Massachusetts in 1863; and Rose, 
born in Illinois in 1867. Mr. Cluskey is a 
member of the Catholic Church He emi- 
grated to this country in 1854, settling in 
Massachusetts, where he pui-sued farming as 



25G 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



a laborer for others. He next remover! to 
Illinois, pursuing the same course of employ- 
ment, until, by economy, he accumulated 
enough to purchase a pleasant home. In 
1S76, he removed to Iowa, Pottawattamie 
County, Waveland Township, where he pur- 
chased a farm of 160 acres, situated in Sec- 
tions 31 and 32. This land cost Mr. Clus- 
key about §10 per acre, and it is now worth 
at least S30 per acre. 

SOLOMON DILLAED, farmer, P. O. 
Griswold, was born in North Carolina No- 
vember 21, 1851, son of James and Polly 
(Spurling) Dillard; he was born in North 
Carolina about ISIO. The parents had ten 
children, four of whom are dead. Sir. Dil- 
lard attended common school, and began the 
business of life as a farmer. In 1869, he 
moved from North Carolina to Hardin Coun- 
ty, Iowa, and rented land till 1875, when he 
and his father bought 160 acres at SI an 
acre. He now has eighty acres, valued at 
about 837 an acre. He has an acre of or- 
chard, and the same amount of grove. His 
farm is well stocked. Mr. Dillard was mar- 
ried, in Iowa, December 21, 1876, to Miss 
Ella Stidham, born in Iowa, daughter of D. 
G. and Susan L. (Winegar) Stidham. Mr. 
Dillaa'd and wife are members of the Chris- 
tian Church. 

CLAEKSON GODFEEY, farmer, P. O. 
Griswold, Cass County, was born in Tippe- 
canoe County, Ind., July 17, 1835. His 
father, Elijah Godfrey, was born in Mary- 
land in 1796, and, when about ten years 
old, emigi-ated to Ohio, settled in Eoss 
C unty (1806), where he married; thence to 
Indiana, where he remained till emigrating 
to Illinois in 1855, when he settled in War- 
ren County, and there remained till his death, 
which occiuTed in October, 1877: he was a 
farmer by occupation. Subject's mother, 
Eleanor Davis, was born in Ohio about 1805; 



was the mother of nine children, of whom 
three are in Illinois, one in Missouri, two in 
Kansas, and the subject in Waveland Town- 
ship, Pottawattamie Co., Iowa. His mother 
died May 22, 1849. He began life in Illi- 
nois by renting land of his father; contin- 
ued this about tive years, then he bought 
forty acres in Warren County, 111., farmed 
it for about three years, then went to the 
army, enlisting in the Forty-seventh Illinois 
Infantry, Corapany H, in which he served 
one year, or till the close of the war. After 
returning from the army, he bought eighty 
acres and went to farming in Illinois, con 
tinned this till 1873,^when he sold out and 
came to where he now lives, in Waveland 
Township, Pottawattamie County, thirty- 
five miles east of Council Bluffs. Here he 
bought 160 acres, to which he has added 285, 
making 445; this was wild land, but is all 
improved now. j\L'. Godfrey married Miss 
Ellen Dehart. in Illinois, March 14, 1868. 
She was born in Indiana March 23, 1844; her 
father, Lai'kin Dehart, born in North Caro- 
lina March 19, 1804, died August 6, 1875; 
her mother. Sarah (Collett) Dehart, was born 
in Kentucky June 20, 1812, and lives in Potta- 
wattamie County, Iowa. Mr. and Mi-,s. God- 
frey have had seven children, five of whom 
are living — Mary Maud, Irene I., Charlotte 
I., Elijah F. and Albert H. Mr. Godfrey is 
a man who votes for principle and not for 
party. He is not a professor of religion, but 
does his utmost to help every good cause. 

E. T. GEAHAM, farmer, P. O. Griswold, 
Cass Co., Iowa, was born in Coles County, 
111., in 1830; his father was born in Ken- 
tucky in 1816, and died in Illinois in 1863: 
his mother, Laurana L. (Sawyer) Graham, 
was born in Kentucky, and is still living; 
the parents followed farming, and had twelve 
children, eight of whom are still living. Mr. 
Graham received a common-school education. 



WAVELAND TCWNSHIP. 



257 



and, at the age of eighteen, began life for 
himself as a farmer on rented land in Illi- 
nois. He afterward pre-empted 160 acres of 
land in Coles County, 111. In 1852, he went 
to California, prospecting, and retarned to 
Illinois two years later. In 1853, he built 
a saw-mill in Coles County, 111. Four years 
later, he sold his mill, and built another, 
which he ran two years, then traded it for 
eighty acres of land in Illinois. He after- 
ward sold this land, and, in 1862, engaged 
in a woolen manufactory in Mattoon, 111., 
the firm name being Linder & Graham, 
■which firm did a flourishing business. In 
1872, he moved to Pottawattamie County, 
Iowa, and rented a farm, on which he re- 
mained nine years. In 1881, he bought a 
beautiful farm of 240 acres at §25 per acre, 
■which is to-day worth at least $10 per acre. 
He was married to Miss Maranda Dickey in 
1849. She was born in Ohio, and died in 
Illinois in 1850. Hor parents were born in 
Ohio, where her father died. Her mother 
died in Kansas about 1878. Mr. Graham 
married his second wife, Miss Emily J. Rog- 
ers, in 1861. She was born in Kentucky in 
1842. Her parents were born in Kentucky, 
and are still living. Mr. Graham has had 
eleven children— four by his first wife and 
seven by his second wife. Eight of the chil- 
dren are living. Mr. and Mrs. Graham were 
formerly members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Chiu'cli. Mr. Graham has eighty head of 
very tine cattle, fifty head of hogs and eleven 
head of first-class horses. 

DR. J. W. HEMSTED, physician, Gris.- 
■wold, Cass County, was born in Johnson Co., 
Iowa, in May, 1849; his father, F. W. Hemsted, 
was born in York Co., Penn., in 1818, emigrat- 
ed to Ohio in 1840, stojDped at Columbus till 
1846, when he came to Iowa, landing at Iowa 
City, where he worked at his trade; has retired 
to private life. Subject's mother, Elizabeth 



(Akers) Hemstead, was born in Wayne Coun- 
ty, Penn., in 1816; she is the mother of seven 
children. Dr. Hemsted first attended the 
district schools of Iowa; then he spent three 
years in the State University of Iowa, after 
which he took , a course in medicine in the 
same institution, graduating in 1873; he first 
practiced one year at Tiifin, Johnson Co., 
Iowa, then moved to Pottawattamie County 
and located where he now lives, on a farm of 
320 acres, situated thirty-eight miles east of 
Council Bluffs, in the Walnut Creek Valley. 
After Dr. Hemsted came to Pottawattamie 
County, he engaged in practice for several 
years, diu'ing -which time he established a 
wide reputation by the many skillful ojaera- 
tions he performed in this section; he is 
doubtless as well equif)ped for siu'gical opera- 
tions as any jjhysician in the West. Dr. 
Hemsted married Miss Eva L. Thorn, of 
Johnson County, Iowa, in 1876, who was born 
November 24, 1854; her father, Graham 
Thorn, born in New York in 1824, emigrated 
to Illinois in 1853, settling in Du Page 
Count}-; in 1864, he came to Johnson County, 
Iowa, where he still lives. Mrs. Hemsted's 
mother, Laura (Bailey) Thorn, was born in 
New Yofk in November, 1831, and died in 
1878. Dr. Hemsted and wife have three 
children — Ellen M., Bessie May and Samuel 
B. The Doctor is a Democrat, and was a 
candidate, in the fall of 1881, for Represen- 
tative on the Democratic ticket, but was de- 
feated. 

JAMES HORNBY, farmer, P. O. Elliott, 
Montgomery Co., Iowa, was born in England 
August 9, 1825; his father was born in Eng- 
land in 1774, and was a farmer; he died in 
1865. Subject's mother, Elizabeth (Bramble) 
Hornby, was born in England in 1769, and 
died in 1844; the parents had twenty children, 
two of whom are living. Mr. Hornby received 
a common-school education, and began life as 



258 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



a farmer, which ha has sincd continued. He 
has never become naturalized, but is of the 
Republican persuasion. He has been twice 
married — first, in 1845, to Miss Minerva Gral- 
tress, whose parents were natives of England. 
Mr. Hornby was married to his second wife, 
Miss Jane Spence, in 1854; her parents were 
English. Mr. Hornby is the father of the 
following childi-en: Robert, born January 25, 
1846; Faithful, August 19, 1849; Faith, Jan- 
uary 31, 1850; Minerva, June 4, 1852; 
Thomas, February 13, 1857; Hope, Febru- 
aiy 5, 1859; Jane, July 14, 1862; Greorge, 
December 25, 1863; Elizabeth, January 14, 
1865; William, March 7, 1867: Harry. May 
24, 1868; Eddie, July 24, 1870; Maiy, Sep- 
tember, 1872; Elsie, July 7, 1873, and James, 
July 1, 1876. Mr. Hornby is a Presbyterian. 
He emigrated to Canada in 1848, and ten years 
later, he moved to Pottawattamie County, 
Iowa, where he now resides. 

J. W. JOHNSON, farmer, P. O. Griswold, 
was born January 31, 1845, in Warren 
County, 111., son of Evander and Edith 
(Reed) Johnson, natives of Kentucky. The 
parents had seven children, two of whom are 
dead. Mr. Johnson began working bv the 
month on a farm in Illinois; he moved from 
that State to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in 
1869, and bought sixty acres at $10 per acre; 
he now has 160 acres, valued at §40 per acre 
and a fine residence. He has an orchard of 
inO trees, besides other fruits; also one acre 
of artificial grove. Mr. Johnson was married, 
in Illinois, in 1869, to Delpha Dehart, born 
in Illinois in 1852, daughter of Larkin and 
Sarah Dehart. Mr. Johnson lost his fu'st 
wife in 1871, and March 31, 1872, in Iowa, 
he married Caroline Stidham, born in Iowa 
May 21, 1853, daughter of David G. and Su- 
san Arm (Winegar) Stidham. Mr. and Mrs. 
Johnson have had four children — Rosetta, 
Edith L. , John D. , who died November 22, 



1881, and Franklin E., the latter born in 
.Pottawattamie County, Iowa, the others born 
in Montgomeiy County. Mrs. Johnson be- 
longs to the Christian Church. 

J. S. JACKSON, farmer, P. O. Griswold, 
Cass County, was born in Sweden in October, 
1843; he came to America in 1868; landed at 
Galesburg, 111., where he remained, employed 
as a day laborer, for about six years; then he 
rented a farm in Illinois one year; then sold 
out and came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, 
with his brother, N. Jackson. They bought 
160 acres in 1874; since then they have add- 
ed 160 acres, all of which they have placed 
in a good state of cultivation. Mr. Jack- 
son's sister Celia came to America in 1873, 
and keeps house for the brothers. Mr, Jack- 
son turns his attention largely to raising and 
feeding stock. Mr. Jackson's father, Swan 
Jackson, born in Sweden about 1813, died in 
1858. His mother, Ellen Peterson, born in 
Sweden about 1822. died in 1860. The par- 
ents' children are J. S., Peter, Nelson, An- 
drew and Celia. In politics. Mr. Jackson is 
a Democrat; religiously, he is a Lutheran. 
These two brothers and their sister are de- 
serving of great credit for their industry, en- 
terprise and improvements. Their parents 
died when the children were small, and left 
them to care for themselves, which they have 
nobly done. 

ROBERT LARINGTON, farmer, P O. 
Griswold, was born in England March 18, 
1830. son of Robert and Ann (Smith) Laring- 
ton, natives of England; he died in England 
about 1838; she died in Minnesota in 1879. 
and was the mother of nine children, two of 
whom are dead. Mr. Larington began life 
as a sailor, at the age of thirteen; he came 
from England to Chicago, 111., in 1849, 
worked in a car foundry one year, and then 
went to Minnesota, thence to Clayton Coun- 
ty, Iowa, and engaged in farm work. About 



WAVELAND TOWNSHIP. 



259 



1S70, he moved to Pottawattamie County and 
bought 120 acres of land. This he has im- 
proved and added to till he now has 226 
acres, worth about S3 2 an acre. He has a 
beautiful grove of maples of about three and 
a half acres, and some fruit He has sixty- 
three head of cattle, ten horses and 135 hogs. 
Mr. Larington was teamster for the Govern- 
ment dui'ing the greater part of the rebellion. 
He was married, in Chicago, 111. , in 1855, 
to Mary Ann Archer, born in Canada in 1833. 
They have foiu- children living — Wilbert, 
Anna, Maiy Jane and Eugene — one of whom 
is an adopted child. They lost two children 
in infancy. Mr. Larington is a Republican. 
W. Z. LLOYD, fai-mer, P. O. Elliott, 
Montgomery Co., Iowa. Was born in Ohio 
Jane 26, 1840. His father. David Lloyd, 
was born in England, and was a farmer; he 
died in Iowa in 1863. Subject's mother, 
Anna (Williams) Lloyd, was born in -Eng- 
land, and died in Kansas in 1872. His par- 
ents had ten children, all of whom are living. 
Mr. Lloyd has a common-school education. 
He began life for himself as a renter in 1865. 
He has served his township in the capacity 
of Postmaster, Justice of the Peace, Treas- 
urer, Collector, etc. He enlisted in Company 
K, Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, Third Brigade, 
Fourth Division and Seventeenth Army 
Corps. He served three years, and was mus- 
tered out at Louisville, Ky., in July, 1865. 
On September 2, 1868, he was married to 
Miss Hannah Hughes, born in Burlington, 
Iowa, November 6, l8-t7; her father, John 
Hughes, was born in England, and died in 
Iowa in 1848; her mother, Winifred (Owens) 
Hughes, was born in England, and is living 
in Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd have five chil- 
dren — Gracie, born January 20, 1871; Win- 
ifred, February 11, 1873; Ernest, March 7, 
1875; Mary Ida, March 17, 1877; and David 
Garfield, September 27, 1880. Mr. Lloyd 



located in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in 
1871, buying eighty acres at $12 per acre, 
and he now has 320 acres, worth about $40 
per acre. His residence is beautifully orna- 
mented on the west by a grove of about two 
and a half acres. He has on his farm seventy 
head of fine cattle and about one hundred 
and fifty head of hogs. He is a Republican. 

LEVI A. PERSONS, farmer, P. O. El- 
liott, Montgomery Co., Iowa, was born in 
Vermont October 10, 1822. His father was 
born in Vermont in 1790; was a fai'mer, and 
served a short time in the war of 1812. Sub- 
ject's mother was born in Vermont in 1793, 
and died in 1860. His parents had five chil- 
dren, four of whom are living. Mr. Persons 
has a common-school education. He was in 
Company H, Forty-ninth Wisconsin Infantry, 
during the rebellion. He was married to 
Miss Betsey Moore in 1850. She was born 
in Vermont, of which State her parents were 
also natives. Mr. and Mrs. Persons have had 
five children — Zedora L., born January 23, 
1851; Susan E., August 27, 1852; Hattie A., 
June 3, 1855; Herbert H., February 27, 
1857; and George A., born April 13, 1859. 
died June 3, 1864. Mr. Persons emigrated 
from Vermont to Wisconsin, thence to Potta- 
wattamie County, Iowa, in 1870, where he 
bought ten acres of land at 110 per acre. 
He no^v has fifty acres, worth at least $40 
per acre. 

H. C. POTTER, farmer, P. O. Griswold, 
Cass County, was born in Genesee County, 
N. Y., July 17, 1816; his father, William 
Potter, born in Boston, Mass., in 1780, set- 
tled in Western New York on a farm, where 
he died in 1864; he served a short time in 
the war of 1312. Subject's mother. Charity 
(Skinner) Potter, born in Kings County, N. 
Y., in 1790, was the mother of thirteen chil- 
dren, of whom but five are living; she died 
in 1846. Mr. Potter began life on his own 



260 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



responsibility in Erie County, N. Y., farming 
the old homestead, which he had purchased 
of the heirs. This he sold, and came to Iowa 
in 1852, settling in Jackson County, near 
Andrew. He remained on this farm for 
four years, then moved to Minnesota; re- 
mained eleven years; returned to Lucas 
County, Iowa: farmed a rented farm three 
years, then came to where he now lives; 
bought the land, but lived on a rented farm 
for three years, while improving the present 
homestead, which consists of "255 acres, val- 
ued at about $30 per acre. Mr. Potter mar- 
ried Miss Caroline Parmely, of Erie County. 
N. Y,, in October, 1S4L She was born in 



Erie County, N. Y., in January, 1823; her 
father, Lemuel Parmely, born in 1779, in 
Maine, died in 1868; her mother, Sally 
(Brown) Parmely, born in Vermont aboixt 
1789, died in 1827. Mr. and Mi-s. Potter 
have had seven children, of whom five are 
living— Ray S., Clark, Sally M., Ellen B. and 
William. Mr. Potter has served his town- 
ship as Justice of the Peace ; has been Town- 
ship xissessor for six years, and Township 
Trustee for several years, thus being a very 
active and useful citizen. He is an active 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
and always votes the straight Republican 
ticket. 



WEIGHT TOWNSHIP. 



S. H. ALBRIGHT, farmer, P. O. Lewis, 
Cass Co., Iowa, was born in Crawford Coun- 
ty, Ohio, November 12, 1845. He is the son 
of Joseph and Catharine (Darger) Albright. 
His father was born in Dauphin County, 
Penn., December 7, 1817, and is still livincr 
in Crawford County, Ohio. He is also a 
farmer. The mother of our subject was a 
native of Pennsylvania, born October 29, 
1815, and died in 1862. Our subject re- 
ceived a common -school education, and began 
working out at the age of eleven. He worked 
in Ohio for about seven years, when, in 
1861, he came to this State, and worked in 
Cedar County for over eight years. He then 
came to Mills County, where he farmed 
rented land for two years. He then pur- 
chased his present farm, which consists of 
180 acres of land, situated in Section 5, 
Township 75, Range 38, where he moved in 
the fall of 1875. With the exception of his 
house, he has made all the imj^rovements 
himself. He was married, at Malvern, Mills 



County, December 31, 1874, to Mary E. 
Snodgrass, born in York County, Penn., Oc- 
tober 2, 1843. She is the daughter of Will- 
iam and Jane Ellen (Johnson) Snodgrass, 
both natives of Penn.sylvania. Her father 
died in his native State, and her mother died 
near Burlington, 111. Mr. and Mrs. Albright 
have had two childi'en — Alva and Alma, 
twins, born July 2, 1876. Alva died July 
29, 1877. Om- subject is an Odd Fellow, 
and in politics is a Republican. 

M. P. BLACK, farmer, P. O. Griswold, 
Cass County, was born in Franklin County, 
Ohio, December 29, 1820, son of John and 
Margaret (Petriej Black, he a native of Vir- 
ginia, and she of German descent. His fa- 
ther died in Union County, Ind., about 1862. 
The mother of our subject is now over eighty- 
thi'ee years of age, and resides in Indiana. 
She sent her son a quilt, which she pieced 
after she was eighty-two years old. Our ' 
subject reeeived his education in a log school- 
house. In 1842, he began farming for him- 



WltlGlIT TOWNSHIP. 



261 



self, on a little 2^iec6 of rented land. He 
left Indiana and came to this State; winter- 
ed in Warren County, and then came to this 
county, locating in Waveland Township in 
1853. He made improvements on Section 
11, Township 74, Range 38, pre-empted the 
same, and entered it the following year. 
Here he lived until the spring of. 1857, when 
he went to Buchanan County, Mo., raised a 
crop, and returned to Warren County, this 
State, in the fail of the same year. In 
1861, he enlisted as First Sergeant, Company 
B, Tenth Iowa Infantry. He was in the en- 
gagements attending the expedition to open 
the Mississippi, under Eosecrans; was also 
with Sherman thi'ough Alabama and Georgia, 
and also in the siege of Vicksburg. His 
time having expired, he was mustered oat at 
Kingston', Ga., in the fall of 1864. He re- 
turned home, sold his place and moved to 
Harrison County, this State, where he lived 
for three years, when he returned to this 
county, in October, 1869, and, after renting 
for three years, he purchased his present 
homestead. He was the first Justice of the 
Peace in Walnut. He was married to Eliza- 
beth Moore, a native of Pennsylvania, by 
whom he had three childi-en — Climpson B., 
Margaret Jane a ad Mary Ann. The mother 
died in 1848. His second marriage was with 
Mary Highner, a native of Indiana; she died 
in 1853. By her he had two children — Ros- 
alinda and John R. Our subject was mar- 
ried a third time, to Mrs. Tabitha Lipp, n^e 
Pierson, a native of Kentucky. By her he 
had seven children — William, Leonard, 
Elizabeth, Rosa B., Cora, Susan and Frank. 
All of the twelve children are now living, out 
of a family of fourteen. In politics, our sub- 
ject is a Democrats 

L. A. BURNHAM, f ai-mer, P. O. Griswold, 
Cass Co., Iowa, born in Oswego County, N. 
Y., September 23, 1834, son of Philo and 



Sarah (Rice) Burnham, he born in Greene 
County, N. Y., September 16, 1793; she a 
native of Connecticut, and died December 15, 
1862, at the age of sixty-eight years. The 
father was a farmer, and followed that voca- 
tion until he was nineteen years of age, when 
he entered the service of the Government in 
the war of 1812. In 1818, he experienced 
religion, and, up to his death, was a devoted 
follovver of Christ. He was married to his 
first wife March 4, 1818. They had six chil- 
dren — Alma, born July 9, 1820; Sarah M., 
born June 23, 1825; John R., born June 24, 
1827; Philo H., born January 1, 1832; Lorin 
A., our subject; and Charles H., bom De- 
cember 9,'1S40. The three latter are living 
— Philo H. and Charles H. are living in 
Scriba, Oswego Co., N. Y. March 18. 1864, 
our subject's father united in marriage to his 
second wife, Lydia Miner, born in Berkshire 
County, Mass., November 22, 1800. He had 
four memberships in the American Bible So- 
ciety, and bequeathed to them $250, aad also 
a like aniount to the Home Missionary So- 
ciety. For sixty years he had been a mem 
ber of the Presbyterian or Congregational 
Church, and died in the faith February 7, 
1878. Oiu: subject received a common-school 
education and worked on his father's farm 
till the age of twenty-one. He came to this 
county in 1857, and, during the summer of 
that year, worked in Lewis, Cass County. 
In the fall he purchased 100 acres in Section 
35, Township 75, Range 38. He added sixty 
acres the following year. He was among the 
first settlers of Wright Township. He was 
married, in Council Bluffs, in July, 1860, to 
Mrs. Caroline Burnham, n6e Miner, born in 
Delaware County, N. Y., March 15, 1882. 
She is the daughter of Isaac and Ann M. 
(Halleck) Miner, both natives of New York. 
Her mother was a niece of Gen. Halleck, and 
died in December, 1880. The father is still 



2G2 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



living in Greene County, N. Y. ; is a miller, 
as are also his three sons. Our subject now 
owns 240 acres of land in Sections 34 and 
35, Wright Township. He is a farmer of 
the first order; has good buildings on his 
place, and feeds most of the grain which he 
raines. He has been Town Trustee for sev- 
eral years. Has three children — Adelbert 
L., born December 9, 1S61; Fred A., born 
December 29, 1863; and Carrie E., born July 
23, 1876. Subject and wife are members of 
the Presbyterian Chxirch of Griswold, Cass 
County, of which he is an Elder. In poli- 
tics, he is a Republican. 

JOHN BLAKELY, farmer, P. O. Lewis, 
Cass Co., Iowa, was born in Peny County, 
Ohio, in 1843. He is the son of Andrew and 
Catharine (Gilchrist) Blakely. His father 
died in Pennsylvania when our subject was 
about ten years old. His mother is a native 
of Pennsylvania, and is now living in Pitts- 
bm-gh of that State. Our subject lived with 
an uncle from the time he was six till he was 
"twenty years of age. He then leai-ned the 
carpenter's trade in Alliance, Stark Co., Ohio, 
and worked at that trade for about eight 
years, part of the time in Ohio and the bal- 
ance in Pennsylvania. He then went to Mis- 
souri and worked at his trade in that State 
for several years. In the spring of 1872, he 
settted down in Cass County, this State, 
where he piu'chased eighty acres of land. 
Here he lived until the spring of 1876, when 
he bought his present place of eighty acres, 
situated in Section 5, Township 75, Range 38. 
He was married, in Cass County, February 4, 
1874, to Lucina Ingram, born in Hamilton 
County, N. Y., March 2, 1855. She is the 
daughter of Clai-k and Lucina (Grinnell) In- 
gram. Her father was born in Massachusetts 
about 1821. When a young man, he moved 
to New York, where he was married. Her 
mother was a native of Vermont, born March 



2, 1825, and died in New Y'ork . State Jan- 
uary 19, 1862. INIrs. Blakely's father moved 
to Henderson County, 111., in the spring of 
1802. He came to Cass County, this State, 
February 25, 1870, and is still living about 
five miles from Griswold. Our subject has 
three children — Ettie Belle, born May 20, 
1875; Lenora, born February 14, 1877; and 
Elizabeth Jane, born January 4, 1879. Mr. 
and Mrs. Blakely are members of the Pres- 
byterian Church of Griswold. He is a mem- 
ber of the I. O. O. F., and in politics a R'r- 
publican. 

JAMES BOILER, farmer, P. O. Griswold, 
Cass Co., Iowa, was born in Pike County, 
Ohio, March 26, 1848. He is the son of 
William and Caroline (Umphreys) Boiler, 
both natives of Ohio, he born AjDril 3, 1808, 
and she (his second wife) May 20, 1822. 
They moved from their native State to Iowa 
in 1850, locating in Muscatine County, where 
they lived till 1865, in that year removing to 
Marshall County, living there for four years. 
They returned to Muscatine County, where 
they remained until 1871. at which time 
they ca7ne to this county, locating on the 
place our subject now owns. It consists of 
320 acres, the south half of Section 20, 
Townshijj 75, Range 38. The parents are 
living, and reside at Walnut Station. Our 
subject received a common-school education, 
and lived with his father till he was twenty- 
one years of age. He began life for himself 
by working at carpentering in Marshall 
County, this State. He afterwai'd went to 
INIuscatine County, and there worked at 
farming with his brother for two years, after 
which he came to this county with his father, 
and worked the farm with him until the lat- 
ter moved to Walnut, since which time he 
hasruu it himself. He was married, in Mus- 
catine County, Iowa, January 25, 1876, to 
Sarah Jane Nolty, born in Jeflerson Connty, 



WRIGHT TOWNSHIP. 



263 



Ind., September 17, 1849. She is the 
daughter of Harmon H. and Sarah Maria 
(Padgitt) Nolty. Her father was born in Ger- 
many January 13, 1822. He came to the 
United States at the age of twenty, and, after 
stopping awhile in Pennsylvania, came to In- 
diana, where he was afterward married to 
Miss Padgitt, born near Cincinnati, Ohio, 
March 25, 1831. They came to Muscatine 
County in 1865, where they still reside. 
They have twelve children — seven sons and 
five daughters, all living. Our subject's par- 
ents have five children living, all sons. Mr. 
Boiler's children are two in number- -Orphe 
L. , born November 1, 1876; and Glen Ira, 
born May 22, 1878. Our subject is a mem- 
ber of the A. H. T. A., and in politics is a 
Democrat. 

GEORGE L. IVOLES, farmer, P. O. 
Lewis, Cass County, war bom in Steuben 
County, N. Y., April 15, 1857. He is the 
son of William and Nancy E. (Parker) Miles, 
both natives of Steuben County. N. Y., he 
bom in 1822 and she in 1829. His father 
has been engaged in the lumber business 
most of his life, part of the time in New 
York, and latterly in Princeton, Bureau Co. , 
111., to which place he removed in 1866. Up 
to the last few years, he dealt extensively in 
lumber and lands in Michigan. He has now 
retired from active life, and is still living in 
Princeton, 111. The mother of our subject is 
also living. Our subject's advantages for an 
education were good. He graduated from 
the Princeton (111.) High School in 1875. 
The following year, he came to this county 
to oversee his father's farm, and ran it in hi^ 
father's interest up to 1881, since which time 
he and his brother have been operating it for 
themselves. Our subject owns 200 acres of 
land in Section 11, and, with his brother, has 
the management of 1,400 acres in Sections 
11. 14 and 15, Township 75, Range 38. 



Their specialty is fine stock, which includes 
Cotswold sheep, Poland-China hogs, Short- 
Horn cattle, and the Percheron breed of Nor- 
man horses. They own the pure-breed Norman 
stallion Marquette, as it i.= their intention to 
breed draft hoi'ses also. Our subject was 
married, in Princeton, 111., in May, 1881, to 
Flora M.' Priestly, born in Princeton July 
25, 1858. Her father is C. M. Priestly, a 
native of Cambria County, Penn. He once 
owned the land on which Johnstown, Penn., 
is now located. He has been in the lumber 
business most of his life, and is now enlaced 
in the hardware business in Princeton, 111. 
Mrs. Miles' mother was a Miss Crissy, a na- 
tive of Ohio. She died about 1864. Our 
subject's parents had seven children — George 
L. , Lucius P., William L., Edwin, James, 
Hattie M. (Mrs. Beach) and Louisa. Our 
subject is a member of the I. O. O. F., and 
in politics is a Republican. The following 
is the pedigree of Marquette as officially re- 
corded: " Marquette (1657), gray, foaled 
1880; got by Valiant (473), dam Julie (568), 
by Malbranche (293): second dam Jeanne 
(560), bred by W. H. Winter, Princeton, 111., 
and sold by him, in the spring of 1882, to 
George L. Miles and Lewis Jones." It is 
claimed that Marquette is the only jsui-e -breed 
Norman stallion in this section of the State. 
WILLIAM MORFORD, farmer, P. O. 
Griswold, Cass Co., Iowa, was born in Ohio 
County, Ind., March 22, 1837. He is the 
son of Thomas and Sarah (Stooj^s) Morford, 
both natives of Greene County, Penn. His 
father was a farmer, born August 13, 1805. 
He moved to Indiana in 1835, and to this 
State in 1838, locating in Muscatine County. 
There^he died December 12, 1868, on the 
same place that he first settled upon. The 
mother of our subject was born June 2'J, 
1810, and is still living on the old homestead 
in Muscatine County. Our subject received 



264 



BIUGUAPIIICAL: 



a common- school education, and afterward 
attended the Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, 
Linn County, this State, for one year and a 
half. At the age of twent^'-one, he began 
life for himself as a farmer. February 23, 
iSfiO, he was married, in Muscatine County, 
this State, to Susan E. Rider, born in Vir- 
ginia February 3, 1839. She is the daugh- 
ter of William C. and Sarah (Callahan) Ei- 
der. Her father was born April 7, 1797. 
He was a farmer, and at present resides in St. 
Joseph, Mo. Her mother was a native of 
Virginia, and was born about 1802, and died 
in McHenry County, 111., at the age of forty- 
eight years. After his marriage, our subject 
followed farming for four years, when he 
moved to Iowa City and was there engaged 
in the insurance business for a like period. 
For the nest six years he was engaged in 
farming in Muscatine County, this State. 
and Knox County, 111. In 1873, he came to 
this county, locating on his present farm, 
which now consists of 120 acres of land, sit- 
uated in Section 15, Township 75, Range 38. 
His farming has been principally in grain. 
He has filled several town offices. He hag 
five children living — William H., born De- 
cember 21, 1860; Edward E., born May 10, 
1862; Frank S.. born March 5, 1864; Clara 
B. , born November 19, 1867; and Mary C, 
born January 15, 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Mor- 
ford are members of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. He is a member of the A., F. 
& A. M., I. O O. F. and A. H. T. A. 

SAMUEL B. PASSMORE, farmer, P. O. 
Whipple, was born in West Nottingham 
Township, Chester Co., Penn., December 27, 
1827. He is the son of John W. and De- 
borah (Brown) Passmore, both natives of 
Chester County, Penn., he born October 31, 
1802. and died in his native county June 26, 
1848; and she born January 12, 1801, and is 
still living. The parents were farmers, and 



had four children. The mother is now re- 
siding in Rising Sun, Cecil Co., Md. She 
visited her son in 1881, coming and return- 
ing by herself. Our subject received a dis- 
trict-school education, and worked on his fa- 
ther a farm till the age of twenty-one, when 
he began life for himself as a farmer. He 
was married, in New Garden Township, Ches-- 
ter Co., Penn., March 28, 1850, to Hannah 
M. Jackrion, born in the same county March 
19, 1829. She is the daughter of Joshua 
and Sarah C. (Cook) Jackson, both natives of 
Chester County, Penn. Her father was a 
physician, born in 1793, and died February 
2, 1842. Her mother was born in 1794, and 
died September 17, 1850. Our subject left 
his native State and moved with his family 
to Bureau County, 111., where he lived until 
1870. when he came to this county, locating 
on his present j'lace. in Wright Townsliij), 
having purchased the land the year previous. 
His farm now consists of 320 acres of land, 
in a good state of cultivation. It is situated 
in the east half of Section 21, Township 75, 
Range 38. Mr. and IVIrs. Passmore have ten 
children — Amos C, born March 12, 1851; 
Ella D. (Mrs. Lipp). born September 17, 
1852; Orlando C.,'born August 6, 1854; Ida 
A. (Mrs. Morris), born July 8, 1856; Elwood 
L., born January 13, 1858; Anna M. \^Mrs. 
Nolta), born September 8, 1859; Ellis P., 
born July 29, I860; William T., born July 
8, 1863; IJmma L. , born January 6, 1866; 
and Lincoln G , born December 22, 1867. 
Our subject has been Town Trustee, and also 
a member of the School Board. He and wife 
are members of the Society of Friends. He 
is an A. H. T, A. , and in politics a Repub- 
lican. 

HENRY W. RAREY, farmer, P. O. Whip- 
ple, was born in Franklin County, Ohio, 
June 2, 1839. He is the soikof W. H. and 
Eliza (Rine) Rarey. His father was born in 



WRIGHT TOWXSHir. 



205 



Franklin County, Ohio, February 22, 1812. 
He was one of the originators of the Rarey 
sTsteoi of training horses, and, according to 
the report of the Ohio State Board of Agri- 
culture in 1855, owned more fine horse stock 
than any other man in the State. He com- 
menced traveling in 1858, which he contin- 
ued until 1870, visiting, during the time, a 
dozen or more States in the Union. He died 
in February, 1877, at his old home in Grove- 
port, Franklin Co., Ohio, a town which he 
laid out himself. He was a brother of J. S. 
Rarey, the great American horse- trainer, but 
who traveled mostly in Europe. The mother 
of our subject was a native of Ohio, and died 
in 1844. Oiu' subject received but a limited 
education, and, at the age of twenty-two, be- 
gan life for himself as a farmer. He was 
married, in Xenia, Greene Co., Ohio, No- 
vember 9, 1801, to Eliza McCoy, born in Ross 
County of the same State. After his mar- 
riage, our subject oj>erated his uncle's (J. S. 
Rarey's) farm for four years. He came West 
in 1871, stopping in Oska.loosa, Mahaska 
County, this State, till the spring of the fol- 
lowing year, when he came to this county, lo- 
cating oil his present farm, in Wright Town • 
ship, July 4 of that year. He has made all 
the improvements himself. He was one of 
the first Justices of the Peace of Wright 
Township. He has three children — Estella, 
William Elmer and Jennie May. Our sub- 
ject joined the Cadets of Temperance at an 
early age, and throughout his life has lived 
up to its obligations. He is also an Odd 
Fellow. He and wife are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics, 
he is Republican. 

JOHN R. SCHOFIELD, farmer, P. O. 
Griswold, C^s Co. , Iowa, born in Yorkshire, 
England, in 1841, son of Joseph and Elea- 
nora (Rhoades) Schofield, both natives of 
Yorkshire, England. His father was a farm- 



er; left his native laud and came to Ra- 
cine, Wis., in July, 1842, where he died 
about five years after. The mother died 
shortly afterward, from a broken heart, caused 
by her husband's death. After the death of 
his parents, our subject lived with a Scotch- 
man by the name of Stenhouse for twelve 
years, after which he worked out by the 
month for two years. He then enlisted in 
the First Wisconsin Infantry, Company C, 
Capt. Sheldon. Their principal engagement 
was at Perryville, Ky., October 8, 1862, where 
three-fourths of the company were either 
killed or wounded. He was also at Stone 
River and Chickamauga, at which latter 
place he was taken prisoner, together with 
C. S. Chapman, T. Anderson, L. McDonald 
and J. Leach, all of Company C. They were 
first taken to Libby Prison, where they re- 
mained about six weeks, during which time 
they were in the " Sugar raid." They were 
then removed to Danville, where they were 
kept until April 20, 1864, when they escaped. 
They were " shipped " from Richmond, Va. , 
in grain cars, with three or four guards in- 
side each car, and others on top. On the 
way, one " reb " lost his haversack, the con- 
tents of which the prisoners had shared. 
He began a search for it, and, while stoop- 
ing over, our subject drew from his (the 
guard's) pocket a dirk, with a lock-spring, 
which was afterward of invaluable service in 
their effort to escape from prison. This 
dirk our subject managed to secrete, though 
the prisoners were carefully ins^jected several 
times. Once he avoided inspection by claim- 
ing to have the small-pox, which, at the 
time, was quite jwevalent. During his im- 
prisonment, he was detected in two " serious 
misdemeanors." One was stealing a loaf of 
bread, and the other was breaking into the 
Sutler's store, which joined the prison. For. 
each of these offenses he was " bucked; " that 



366 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



is, his wrists were tied together and his legs 
put up through his arms, and a stick put 
through under the knees, in which knotted 
condition he was rolled about for a long time. 
There were fifteen other prisoners who es- 
caped at the time om- subject did, including 
all who belonged to Company C. They dug 
a tunnel from the vault of the prison privy 
up into an old shop, from which they cut 
through by means of the stolen dirk. They 
made good their escape just a day or two be- 
fore they were to be removed to that most 
cruel and uncivilized institution, Anderson- 
ville Prison. After his escape, our subject 
rejoined the Union army, and, at the end of 
his service, returned home for a short time. 
He then farmed a few years in Cass County, 
and, in March, 1868, bought and settled on 
bis present farm, situated in Section 34, 
Township 75, Range 38, on which he has 
since resided. It now consists of 280 acres. 
Our subject was first married, August 6, 
1867, in Racine County, Wis., to Almira 
Mead, born in Rochester, Racine Co., Wis., 
in April, 1849, and died in this county April 
26, 1868. His second marriage occurred 
February 22, 1871, in Atlantic, Cass County, 
this State. He wedded Mary E. Bell, born 
in Madison County, this State, January 31, 
1854, daughter of Elisha and Abigail (Wat- 
son) Bell, who were early settlers in Cass 
County. Mr. Bell was twice elected Judge 
of Cass County, but died before the expira- 
tion of his second term. Mrs. Bell is still 
living on a farm in Cass County. The par- 
ents were natives of Greene County, Ohio, 
and came to Wiuterset, this State, thirty- 
three years ago. Mr. and Mrs. Schofield 
have three children- -Edgar A., born July 7, 
1872; Almira B., born August 17, 1874; and 
Ralph F., born January 19, ]876. Our sub- 
ject is a member of the Masonic fraternity, 
and in politics is a Republican. 



W^ILLIAIVI H. SMITH, farmer, P. O. 
Griswold, Cass Co., Iowa, was born in Ver- 
million County, 111... May 16, 1842. He is 
the son of Hiram and Naomi (Dillon) Smith. 
His father was a native of Virginia. He 
came to this State in 1855, locating in Cass 
County, where be died in 1858, at the age of 
about fifty years. The mother of our subject 
was born in Clinton County, Ohio, in 1815, 
and is still living on the old homestead in 
Cass County. Our subject attended the 
common schools until he was twelve years 
old. July 28, 1862, he enlisted in the 
Twenty-third Iowa Infantry, Company I, 
Capt. Coe. He took part in many heavy en- 
gagements, including Vicksburg, Fort Gib- 
son, Black River Bridge and Spanish Fort. 
He was mustered out of service at Daven- 
poit, this State, August 18, 1865. He was 
married, in Grove City, Cass Co., Iowa, 
March 18, 1868, to Amanda Mewhirter. born 
in Van Wert County, Ohio, in March, 1849. 
She is the daughter of William and Eliza- 
beth (Walters) Mewhirter. Her parents left 
Ohio in 1854, aud came to this county, 
where they have lived ever since. After his 
marriage, our subject worked his mother's 
farm for one year, and afterward his broth- 
er's for two years. He then purchased his 
present place in Wright Township, where he 
now resides. It consists of 120 acres of land 
in Section 24, Township 75^ Range 38. Our 
subject has been School Director, Road Su- 
pervisor, and is at present Constable. He 
has six children — Edward A., born January 
20, 1868; Mary E., born October 17, 1869; 
Franklin A., born January 11, 1872; Nora E., 
born March 19, 1875; Maggie M. , born Au- 
gust 2, 1877; and Willie S., born March 5, 
1880. Mr. Smith is an Odd Fellow, and in 
politics a Republican. 

THUSTON S. WRIGHT, farmer, P. O. 
Griswold, Cass Co., Iowa, born in Noble 



WRIGHT TOW^'SHIF. 



267 



Covmty, Ind., September 1, 1855, son of Sim- 
eon and Emeline (Arnold) Wright. (See 
sketch of W. W. AVright, M' right Township.) 
His father, after whom this township takes its 
name, has been Justice of the Peace for ten 
years, and was also a member of the Board 
of Supervisors. Oui- subject received such 
an education as his limited advantages would 
admit. He worked with his father till he 
was eighteen years of age. Was married, at 
home, September 14, 1S73, to Jessie B. Van 
Riper, born in Wright Township May 22, 
1858, daughter of William Van Riper. In 
November of the same year, our subject pur- 
chased his present place, and has resided on 
it ever since. It consists of eighty acres, 
situated on Section 26, Township 75, Range 
38. ]Mr. and Mrs. Wright have two chil- 
di-en — Viola Frances and Edith Pearl. In 
politics, our subject is a Republican. 

WILLIAM W. WRIGHT, farmer, P. O. 
Grriswold, Cass Co., Iowa, was born in Noble 
County, Ind., Sejjtember 9, 1860. He is the 
son of Simeon and Emeline (Arnold) Wright, 
he born in Massachusetts in 1827, she in 
Cattaraugus County, N. Y., in 1832. They 
moved to Indiana with their parents, and 
from there to this county in 1865, locating 
on Section 25, Township 75, Range 38, 
where they lived until the spring of 1882, 
when they went to Griswold, Cass County, 
thi-ee miles fi-om their original location in 
this county, and here they at present reside. 
The father was Justice of the Peace for ten 
years, and has served one term on the Board 
of Supervisors. Our subject had a common 
school education, and worked at home till 
the age of twenty years. He was married, 
at the residence of William Deans, Wright 
Township, September 11, 1881, to Carrie E. 
Strandell, born in Sweden May 13, 1863, 
daughter of Louis A. and Catharine Chris- 
tina Strandell, both natives of Sweden. 



They came to the United States about 1869, 
locating in Cass County, but are at present 
residing in Des Moines, this State. Our 
subject farms principally in grain. In poli- 
tics, he is a Republican. 

JOHN M. WORK, farmer, P. O. Walnut, 
was born in Orange County, Vt., March 21, 
1832. He is the son of Elias and Sarah 
(Tuffts) Work, both natives of Connecticut. 
His father died when he (subject) was four- 
teen years of age, and the mother died shortly 
afterward. The father was a cabinet-maker 
by trade. Our subject was educated in the 
schools of Williamstown, Orange Co., Vt. 
After the death of his parents, he worked with 
his brother in a wagon shop until he (sub- 
ject) came West in 1855. He was married, 
the previous year, in Vermont, to Martha D. 
Conner, born in the same State April 25, 
1832. She is the daughter of Gideon and 
Betsey (Tovmsend) Conner, both natives of 
Vermont, and both died in Bureau County, 
111. The year after his marriage, our sub- 
ject moved to Sheffield, Bureau Co., 111., 
where he started a wagon shop, which he 
operated for about fifteen years. In 1871, 
he came to this county, locating near Walnut, 
where he farmed till the spring of 1881, 
when he traded for his present place, which 
consists of 114 acres in Section 7, Wright 
Township, where he at present resides. He 
has six children living — Charles E., born May 
30, 1855; Laura N., born August 18, 1«858; 
Willie D., born October 18, 1860; Perley M., 
born August 21, 1863; Ella E., born No- 
vember 12, 1869; and Hem-y T., born Sep- 
tember 12, 1873. In politics, our subject is 
a Republican. 

C. C. WEAVER, farmer, P. O. Lewis, Cass 
Co., Iowa, was born in Franklin County, 
Ohio, July 18, 1840. He is the son of Giles 
and M. J. (Webster) Weaver, both natives 
of Franklin County. Ohio, he born in 1813 



268 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



and she about 1S20. Her father was a mer- 
chant, but has now retired, and resides in 
Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, this State. Our 
subject received a common- school education, 
and afterward clerked in his father's dry 
goods store in Ohio, until he was maiTied, in 
his native county, in 1862, to Miss S. J. 
Rarey, born in Franklin County, Ohio. She 
is the daughter of "\V. H. and Eliza (Rine) 
Rarey. (See sketch of H. W. Rarey, of 
Wright Township. ) After his marriage, our 
subject clerked for awhile. He was a Sut- 
ler in the army during most of our late war, 
after which he engaged in farming and gar. 



dening in Ohio, which occupation he fol- 
lowed for three years. He then came to this 
county, locating on his present farm, situat- 
ed in Section 9, Township 75, Range 38. It 
consists of 108 acres, which has been brought 
to its present state of cultivation by his own 
labors. He raises principally grain. He 
has been Township Trustee for seven years, 
and at present fills that position. He has 
three childi-en — M. G., born April 18, 1864; 
W. G., born March 3, 1879; and C. C. born 
March 16, 1880. Mr. Weaver is a member 
of the I. O. O, F., and also the Anti-Horse 
Thief Association. Politically, is Republican. 
f 



YOEK TOWNSHIP. 



S. J. ATKINS, farmer, P. O. ^IJeola, was 
born in Morgan County, Tenn., May 19, 
1888. He is the son of Charles and Sarah 
(Brewer) Atkins. His father was a farmer, 
Ijorn in Tennessee in 1807, and died in 1816. 
His (subject's) mother was born near Athens, 
Clark Co., Ga , in 1811. Our subject re- 
ceived a very limited education in the old 
subscription schools. He lived at home till 
he was twenty-two years of age, when he be- 
gan farming for himself. He was but two 
years old when his father moved to Putnam 
County, Mo. He moved with his parents to 
Texas at the age of fourteen. In 1857, he 
leturned to Missouri by himself. In 1860, 
he went to Arkansas, where he farmed until 
the opening of the war. He joined the First 
Arkansas Cavalry, Company F, and served 
imtil the close of the war. He was at the 
battles of Prairie Grove, Ai'k., Newtonia, 
Mo., and Fayetteville, Ark. He spent thirty- 
seven days with a scouting party, which went 
east from Fayetteville, which was almost 
daily engagea in spirited skirmishes. At the 



close of the war, he returned to Putnam 
County, Mo. , and afterward to Saline County. 
Mo. He came to this county in 1870. His 
specialty is raising grain. His tirst mai'riage 
took place in Crawford County, Ark., where 
he was married to Nancy Childers, born in 
Indiana. She was the daughter of Joel and 
Dolly (Sizemore) Childers. His second mai'- 
riage occurred in 1867, in Missouri. He 
married Nancy Young, born in Missouri in 
1836. She is the daughter of Michael and 
Elizabeth (Stump) Young, both natives of 
Kentucky. Mi". Atkins has seven childi'en — 
Stephen, George F. , John H., James H., Jo- 
sephine, Annie and Nancy E. Mr. Atkins' 
last wife has two sons — Henry S. and Marion 
D. 

WILLIAM H. BUTLER, farmer, P. O. 
Neola, was born in Montgomery County, N. 
Y., March 15, 1833. He is the son of J. 
M. and Ruth (Gates) Butler, both of whom 
were born in Montgomery County, N. Y., he, 
December 17, 1808, and she in the year 1812. 
She is the daughter of William Gates, a 



YORK TOWNSHIP. 



269 



son of Gen. Gates, of Revolutionary fame. 
Our subject received his education in the 
common schools, and afterward taught sch ool. 
He lived at home until he was twenty-one 
years of age. During the holidays, in 1854, 
his parents left New York and came to Adams 
County, 111. They kej)t a hotel in Quincy 
for three years, on the corner of Sixth and 
Hampshire streets. In 1857, his father came 
to this State, and the next year the family 
followed. They were in the hotel business 
in Council Bluffs for three years — two years 
in the old Waverly House, on Main street, 
and one year in the Robinson House, on 
Broadway. They then moved on their farm 
in Union Grove, and afterward to Walk- 
er's Grove, where the father died, Oc- 
tober 5, 1866. He was biu-ied at Union 
Grove. Our subject was married, April 30, 
1861, to Elizabeth Seater, born in the county 
of Orkney, Scotland, January 20, 1832. She 
is the daughter of William and Ellen (Reid) 
Seater. She came to America in 1852. After 
his marriage, our subject followed farming, 
at first working part of his father's place. 
In 1862, he bought forty acres of land on 
Mosquito Creek, in Shelby County. Dm-ing 
the summer of this year, he freighted for 
Charles Bond. He then lived on his farm 
during the year 1863. He sold out and 
bought land at Walker's Grove. From here 
he moved to Honey Creek. While here he 
bought sixty acres of his present place, to 
which he moved in the spring of 1867. He 
now owns 460 acres, besides some fine prop- 
erty in Neola. He raises large quantities of 
grain and also stock. The only child of the 
family is Charles Reid, son of Mrs. Butler 
by a former marriage. Mr. Butler has been 
Town Clerk, and is at present Treasurer of 
the School Board. 

MARY DELANTY, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born at Fox Lake, Dodge County, Wis., 



February 29, 1848. She is the daughter 
of John and Ellen (Mahanoy) Bowe. Her 
father was born in County Kilkenny, Ireland, 
about 1797. He was a farmer, and was also 
engaged in railroading. He came to Wis- 
consin when there was but one house in Mil- 
waukee. Was in the United States Army five 
years, and served in the Florida war against 
the Seminole Indians. He has crossed 
the ocean four times, and is still living in 
Wisconsin. Our subject's mother was born 
in County Cork, Ireland, about 1827; she is 
also living. Our subject was married at the 
age of fourteen, in Wisconsin, Aj)ril 14, 
1863, to John Delanty, born in County Kil- 
kenny, Ireland, about 1835, and died Sep- 
tember 29, 1881. After her marriage, our 
subject, with her husband, lived a short time 
in Minnesota. They came to this county 
about 1874. Mrs. Delanty has lived on her 
present farm about three years; she has had 
twelve children, of whom nine are living — 
William, born December 4, 1864; Mary 
Clarissa, born September 9, 1867; John, 
born March 17, 1869; Michael, born May 1, 
1871; James, born April 25, 1873; Ed- 
ward, born May 25, 1875; Thomas, born 
September 22, 1878; Mark, born September 
29, 1879, and Catharine Agnes, born July 9, 
1880. Mrs. Delanty is a member of the 
Catholic Church. 

JAMES FLYNX. farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in County Kerry, Munster, Ireland, 
May 26, 1827. He is the son of Michael 
and Honora (Murphy) Flynn, both natives of 
Ireland. His father died while he (subject) 
was small. His mother and her father before 
her were born in the same house as our sub- 
ject. She died before her son came to Amer- 
ica. Our subject had no advantages for an 
education. He lived at home till his father 
was turned out of house and home while on 
his sick bed, from which sickness he never 



270 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



recovered. He was turned out by six police- 
men and the landlord, Maj. Daniel Mahoney, 
of Dunlow, for not paying the rent, which he 
was unable to do on aceouut of sickness. At 
this time our subject was nine years and ten 
months old. He was obliged to go out into 
the world and earn a living for hunself and 
parents during the year tha* his father lived. 
He received 72 cents and his board for the 
first three months' work. He labored in this 
manner for one year. As he grew older, he 
received more pay, but the highest he ever 
commanded in Ireland was $24 a year. After 
his parents' death, he helped to send some of 
his sisters to the United States. He came 
himself to this country in 1856. Landed in 
New York City and stayed in Brooklyn, N. 
Y., from. September 13, 1856, to March 5, 
1857. He then came to Dyersville, Delaware 
County, this State. He worked two weeks at' 
loading cord wood for 75 cents per day, pay- 
ing S3 a week for board. He then hired out 
to Dr. Laird, for $150 per year. He worked 
for seven months at this rate of wages; he 
then worked three months for Judge Dyer at 
$1.25 per day, and boarded himself. After 
this, he engaged himself to William Dyer, 
for foui' or five months, at $20 per month. 
Then he was in a livery stable, in the same 
town, receiving $20 per month and board. 
He then worked as a grader on a railroad, 
for six months, at $1.25 per day. After this 
he burned lime for the use of the railroad, 
receiving $3 for a night and a half day, sleep- 
ing the other half day. After this he worked 
for several years at various occupations. He 
rented land and farmed in Jones County, this 
State, until 1868, when he came to this 
county, having traded eighty acres of land in 
Jones County for 120 acres in this. He now» 
owns 560 acres, 300 acres of which is under 
cultivation. Mr. Flynn has male his fai-m 
what it is to-day from out of the raw prairie. 



He raises large quantities of grain and also 
stock. He was married, in Jones County, 
Iowa, August 23, 1859, to Julia Buckley, 
born in County Cork, Ireland, in January, 
1835; she is the daughter of Patrick and 
Catharine (Reirdon) Buckley, both natives of 
County Cork, Ireland, and both died in that 
country, when Mrs. Flynn was nine years 
old. "A lady took her and kept her for two 
years, when her uncle hired her at 1 shilling 
a month. She worked for him two years. 
She then went to London, where she worked 
for five years in a private family. For the 
first three years she received 1 shilling a 
week, after which she was paid 1 shilling 
6 pence. Every summer for three seasons 
she sent 10 shillings to help support her 
brother. Notwithstanding this, she saved 
enough to visit her home and to come to 
America. After her arrival in this country, 
she worked for a private family, in McHenry 
County, 111., for three years, receiving $1.50 
per week, for the first year, and $2 per week 
thereafter. She nest came to Jones County, 
this State, where she worked in a hotel for 
seven months, at $2 per week. Here she met 
Mr. Flynn and they were married. They 
have had twelve children, of whom all, ex- 
cept one, are living — John, born May 27, 
1860; Michael, born November 11, 1861, 
died in October, 1862; Honora, born April 
11, 1863; Mary E., born July 17, 1864; Cath- 
arine, born September 17, 1865; Julia, born 
February 13, 1867; Margaret, born March 2, 
1868; James A., born April 28. 1869; IJaniel, 
born July 12, 1871; Anne, born October 20, 
1872; Patrick; born May 2, 1874, and Mi- 
chael J., born February 18, 1876. The fam- 
ily all belong to the Catholic Church. In 
politics, Mr. Flynn is an Independent. 

J. E. FOLLETT. farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Noble County, Ind., August 14, 
1849. He is the son of M. V. and Laura 



YORK TOWNSHIP. 



271 



(Carothers) Follett. His fathei? was born in 
Ohio in February, 1813. He was a farmer 
and was an early settler in this county; he 
is still living; his (subject's) mother was also 
a native of Ohio, born in 1818, and died in 
this county, December 16, 1881. Our subject 
received his education in the common schools 
of this county, and lived at home till he was 
twenty-three years of age, when he engaged 
in farming for himse!f . He was married, in 
this county, December 30, 1871, to Alice, 
daughter of Phillip and Sarah (Gilbert) Moo- 
maw. Her father was a native of Virginia. 
Her mother was born and raised in Marion 
County, Ind. After his marriage, oiu- subject 
f ai-med two years on his father's place, which 
was situated east of the Bluffs. In the fall 
of 1873, he moved onto his present farm, 
which now consists of 160 acres on Big Keg 
Creek. His specialty is raising grain. He 
has four children — Martin, Laura, Willie and 
Eugene. Mr. Follett belongs to the I. O. 
O. F., and is Republican in politics. 

GEORGE M. GRIFFITH, farmer, P. O. 
Neola, was born in Van Buren County, Iowa, 
May 26, 1850. He is the son of Mahlon and 
Elvira (Mathew) Griffith. His father was a 
potter by trade, was born in Licking County, 
Ohio, in 1817, and is still living in Harrison 
County, Iowa, and is engaged in raising stuck. 
Our subject's mother was born in Virginia, 
near North Pass, in the Alleghanies, in 
March, 1828, and is still living. His parents 
had eleven children, live sons and six daugh- 
ters, all of whom are living. Our subject re- 
ceived a common school education and worked 
at home until he was twenty- one years of 
age. He began life for himself by farming, 
threshing and dealing in stock. He was mar- 
ried, in Knox Township, this county, April 
26, 1875, to Mary Randal, born in Peru, 
Hardy Co., W. Va., September 20, 1858; she 
is the daughter of Jacob and Leah (Stick- 



ley) Randal, both of whom were natives of 
Virginia. Her father was a farmer and an art- 
ist, born in October, 1828, and died in Wash- 
ington County, Iowa, in 1871. Her mother 
was born June 30, 1828, and is living near 
Avoca, in this county. Our subject's parents 
came :rom Ohio in 1850. stopped in Van 
Buren County a short time, and then went to 
Iowa County, finally coming to this county 
in 1853, locating about one mile east of Avo- 
ca. The family went back to Ohio in the 
spring of 1858, but returned the following 
year to this county. In 1876, the father 
moved to Harrison County, Iowa, where he 
still resides. After his marriage, our subject 
settled down to farming on his own place, 
south of Avoca. He sold out, however, and 
moved nearer Avoca, shortly after which he 
moved to Lynn Grove, and farmed the Taylor 
■place, on Silver Creek. After this he bought 
and improved a farm in York Township. 
A year afterward, he sold it and moved back 
to about four miles south of Avoca. After 
this he bought and improved his present farm. 
He has had three children, but one of whom 
is living — Claude, born February 26, 1877, 
died October 4, 1880; Guy, born November 
17, 1878, died September 8, 1880, and Wal- 
do M., born March 10, 1881. Mrs. Griffif.h 
is a member of the church of the United 
Brethren in Christ. In politics, Mr. Griffith 
is a Republican. 

EDWARD E. HARRIS, farmer and teach- 
er, P. O. Neola, was born in New Philadel- 
phia, Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, December 22, 
1849. He is the son of John and Lucinda 
(Edmonds) Harris. His father was born in 
Cumberland County, Penn. , April 1, 1826. 
His (subject's) mother was born in Tuscarawas 
County, Ohio. March 29, 1826. Both of the 
parents are still living in Lucas County, this 
State. Our subject received his early educa- 
tion in the common schools, and afterward at- 



273 



BIOGEAPHICAL; 



tended the High School at New Philadelphia, 
but waa obliged by circumstances to leave three 
months before his time for graduation. He 
lived with his parents during his youth. 
They came to Illinois in 186S, and lived near 
Pana, in Christian County, until 1870, when 
they came to Lucas County, this State. Our 
subject taught school during the winter of 
1868-69. He taught two terms in Illinois and 
two in Iowa. He came to this county Novem- 
ber 11, 1876, and commenced teaching Novem- 
ber 13, of the same year, in District No. 9. 
He has taught one season since, the balance 
of the time being engaged in farming. He 
bought the farm on which he now resides in 
1880. He was married, in Douglas County. 
Neb., December 25, 1876, to Hannah A, 
Richards, born December 19, 185-1; she is the 
daughter of William and I'idelia (Gould) 
Richards. Her father is a native of Eng- 
land, and her mother of New York. Both are 
living in York Township, this county. Mr. 
and Mrs. Harris have four children — Francis 
Burt, born October 25, 1877; Eugenia May, 
born April 25, 1879: George Edward, born 
August 4, 1880, and John Ralph, born Octo- 
ber 3, 1881. Our subject's parents had seven 
children, three sons and four daughters, of 
whom Mr. Harris was the eldest. He is a 
member of the I. 0. O. F. In politics, a Re- 
publican. 

ALBERT HORN, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Hamburg, Germany, May 22, 
1845. He is the son of John F. and Fried- 
erika (Lohnau) Horn. His father was born 
in Oldenburg, Germany, September 18, 1804, 
and died in Council Bluffs December 5, J 
1880. His (subject's) mother was born in 
Hamburg, Germany, January 1, 1803, and 
died in Council Bluffs May 30, 18G8. Our 
subject received a common school education 
in this country. In 1858, he came with his 
parents to Council Bluffs. He lived with 



them on a farm for three years. The family 
then moved to Harrison County, this State, 
while our subject went to teaming on the 
plains. He followed this occupation until 
1864, in which year he went to Montana, 
stopping at Virginia City, where he butchered 
for about one year. The following two 
years he was engaged in the same business in 
Helena, Montana. He then established a 
ranch on the Helena & Diamond City Stage 
Route. In 1868, he went to Salt Lake City, 
and the following year returned to Council 
Bluffs. He was married, in Omaha, Neb., 
April 28, 1870, to Clara Siegismund, born at 
Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany, October 11. 
1853. She is the daughter of August and 
Augusta (Schithauf) Siegismund, both of 
whom were natives of Saxony, Germany. 
Her father was born August 2, 1821, and her 
mother October 3, 1818. The parents came 
to America in 1863, lived in Indiana two 
years, when they came to this county, where 
both are at present living. Our subject was 
engaged in various occupations up to 1873, 
when he went to Texas, returning, however, 
in September of the following year. During 
the year 1875, which was known as t'ae grass- 
hopper year, he was engaged in farming. 
He was variously engaged up to 1880, since 
which date he has resided ot> Mr. Brewer 
Geise's farm, which he (subject) had formerly 
broken and improved in 1870. Mr. andMi's. 
Horn have had ten children, only two of 
whom are living — Augusta and Conradtine. 
Mr. Horn's father, John Horn, established 
and improved " Horn's Park," of Council 
Bluffs. The site of this park was originally 
the bed of Indian Creek, and was brought to 
its present state of beauty by the enterprise 
and energy of its founder. 

JAMES S. HOWARD, farmer, P. O. Oak- 
land, was born in Aurora, Erie Co., N. Y., 
in December, 183^ He is the son of Jo- 



YORK TOWNSHIP. 



273 



seph B. and Lucy B. Howard. His father 

was born at Paris, Oneida Co., N. Y., and 

died in Aurora, N. Y.. about 1840. ITe was 

a prominent merchant in his day. He moved 

to Erie County, N. Y., at an early day, and 

enwaged in merchandising;, afterward becom- 
es O O' 

ing a heavy business man, having as many 
as three branch stores. He manufactured 
the first saleratus in Western New York in 
1818. He was a personal friend of Presi- 
dent Fillmore, and was a leading spirit in 
his native county, being the prime instigator 
in the establishment of the Aurora Academy. 
His (subject's) mother was born in Rome, 
Oneida County, N. Y. , aud died in his na- 
tive State. Our subject received a common 
school education. His father died when he 
(subject) was young. He apprenticed as a 
salesman, and followed this profession in 
New York and several of the Western States. 
He was at one time station-master at Com- 
stbck, Wapello Co., Iowa, on the Des Moines 
Valley Railroad. From 1853 to 1858, he 
was mining in California. He came to this 
county and located on his land, in Lynn 
Grove, which he had pui'chased eight years 
previous. Here he has since ' lived and 
farmed. He has held various township offi- 
ces—Trustee, School Director and Road Su- 
pervisor. He has had six childi-en. four of 
whom are living — two sons and two daugh- 
ters. Mr. Howard has a brother in the Chi- 
cago Post Office, and a sister, who is the wife 
of Hon. William Aldrich, who represents the 
First District of Illinois in Congress. In 
politics, IVIi'. Howai'd is a Republican. 

DAVID T. JONES, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in South Wales August 7, 1838; he 
is the son of John and Jane (Treohorn) 
Jones; his father was a native of Wales. He 
was a farmer, and died in Council Bluifs in 
the fall of 1850. His (subject's) mother was 
also born in Wales in ISOO. She died in 



Norwalk Township, this county. July 12, 
1871. Our subject's advantages for an edu 
cation were very meager, owing to his parents' 
continually traveling during his school years. 
He came to Council Bluffs with his parents 
in 1849. In 1850, the father died. In 
1852, the family moved to Utah, where they 
lived for nine years. In 1857, one of the 
brothers was killed at Gravelly Ford, probably 
by bandits. Our subject was married, in 
Box Elder County, Utah, July 24, 1859, to 
Mary Mason, born in Wales March 15, 1836. 
She is the daughter of John and Anne 
(Davis) Mason, both of whom were in the 
employ of Lord Crosier; her parents came to 
America in 1850, and to Council Bluffs the 
following year. In 1861, our subject retm-ned 
to Council Bluffs, and in the winter of that 
year moved onto his present farm. He 
bouo-ht 120 acres at first, but has since made 
additions, until now he has 400 acres of im- 
proved land, part of which is in timber. His 
farm is situated on a tributary of Keg Creek. 
Mr. and Mrs. Jones have had ten children — 
John, born in Utah June 17, i860; Mary A., 
born in December, 1861; Jane R., born Sep- 
tember 19, 1863; Ida L., born October 1, 1865; 
Albert, born July 28, 1868, died July 12, 
1869; Sarah, born January 31, 1870, died 
November 10, 1881; Ellen, born November 
16, 1871; William H, born February 16, 
1874; Franklin, born December 2, 1875; 
Charles E , born March 16, 1878. In politics. 
Ml'. Jones is a Democrat. 

M. P. KRYSELMIRE, farmer, P. O. Ne 
ola, was born in Rensselaer County, N. Y., 
June 15, 1852: he is the son of Philip A. aud 
Mary Margaret (Deahm) Kryselmire; his 
father was born in Germany October 23, 
1818; he is a farmer, and was a sharpshooter 
in the German Army. He came to America 
about 1844, and is at present living in Mills 
County, this State. His (subjecfs) mother 



374 



BIOGRAPHICAJ.: 



was a native of Germany, and died November 
10, 1S61. Our subject received a common 
school education and lived at home until he 
was twenty-three years of age; his parents 
and family went to Tazewell County, 111., in 
185fi. Four years afterward, they moved to 
Woodford County, in the same State, where 
they lived five years; here the mother died. 
The next move was to McLean County, 
111., where they lived four years and a half, 
and then came to Mills County, this State. 
Our subject has two sisters, older, and two 
brothers, younger, than himself. He was 
married, in Gleuwood, Mills County, this 
State, July 14, 1875. to Margaret S. McLean, 
born in Jackson County, Ohio, March 4, 
1855. She is the daughter of William and 
Susannah (Finfrockj McLean. Her father 
was born in Fayette County, Penn., Decem- 
ber 24, 1814. Her mother was bom in Bel- 
mont Coimty, Ohio, July 4, 1818. Both of 
the parents are still living in this county. 
Since his marriage, om- subject has been en- 
gaged in farming. He farmed a year in 
Mills County, and afterward in several other 
townships in this county, before settling in 
York, where he now resides. He has three 
children living — Olive L., born January 22, 
1877; Emma L., boru December 15, 1878, 
and George L., born March 10, 1882. In 
politics Mr. Kryselmire is a Democrat. 

P. A. KILLION, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Scott County, Iowa, June 29, 
1856; he is the son of John H. and Catha- 
rine Killion. His father was born in Ireland 
in .1827; he was a farmer and an early settler 
in Scott County, Iowa, and also came and lo- 
cated in this county at an early day; he is 
still living in this county; he landed in 
Rhode Island when he came from the old 
country, while he was a boy. He worked in 
the Philip Island Print Works for twelve 
years, when he came to Scott County, as be- 



fore stated. His (subject's) mother was a 
native of Rhode Island, born about 1829, and 
died November 2, 1868. Our subject received 
a common school education. He lived at 
home until he was twenty -two years of age, 
when he began farming for himself in this 
county; he is unmarried: he has five brothers 
and two sisters — James, John, Henry, Charles, 
George, Annie and Emily. John lives in 
Speartish Valley, Dakota, Charles in Cass 
County, this State, while the rest are in this 
county. Annie is the wife of Samuel Gay- 
man, and Emily keeps house for our subject, 
who owns 120 acres of improved land in Sec- 
tion 3, York Township. 

C. D. MARTIN, farmer, P. O. Minden, 
was born in Franklin County, Mass., in 1834; 
he was the son of Orra and Polly (Mitchell) 
Martin; his father was born in Connecticut 
in 1791; he was a minister by larofession, but 
has engaged in farming during the latter 
part of his life; he is still living in Wiscon- 
sin, an active man for his age. His (sub- 
ject's) mother was born in Bristol, Conn., in 
1799 : she was a niece of the original publisher 
of " Mitchell's Atlas," and a cousin of the 
present one. She died in W'isconsin in Jan- 
uary, 1875. Our subject received his .early 
schooling at home, afterward attending, for 
two terms, at the Janesville Academy, and 
two terms at Lawrence University, at Apple- 
ton, W'is. He began life for himself by 
working his father's place, in Walworth 
County, Wis., to which State his father 
moved when our subject was but six \ ears 
old. He was one of the earliest settlers in 
Wisconsin. In 1870, our subject came to 
Cedar County, Iowa, and shortly afterward 
to Jones County, this State, where he stayed 
for four years. In 1875, he came to Council 
Bluffs. He lived for three years on a farm 
in Lewis Township, adjoining the latter city. 
In 1878, he bought eighty acres of land in, 



YORK TOWNSHIP. 



275 



aud moved into. York Township, this county, 
where ~ he now resides. He is at present 
(1882) a Trustee of ihe township and Justice 
of the Peace; has been President of the 
School Board. He was married, in Wiscon- 
sin, in January, 1859. to Mary J., born in 
New York December 21, 1832, daughter of 
Solomon and Naomi Westfall, both of whom 
were natives of New York. Her father still 
lives at the age of seventy-five. Her mother 
died in the spring of 1876, aged seventy- 
eight. Our siibject's parents had nine chil- 
(b'on, five of whom — four sons and one daugh- 
ter — are still living. Mr. and IVIrs. Martin 
have two children — Frank Orra, born July 
9, 1861, and Ella S., born July 30, 1864. 
The parents are members of the Baptist 
Church. In politics. Mr. Martin is a Demo- 
crat. 

UEIAH McLEAN, farmer, P. O. Neola, 
was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, Sep- 
tember 7, 1846. He is the son of William 
and Susana McLean, of York Township, this 
county. He had the advantages of a com- 
mon-school ediication. He lived at home 
until he was twenty years of age, when, until 
1868, he was engaged in teaming across the 
plains. During this latter year, he farmed in 
this county, north of Glenwood. The follow- 
ing year, he crossed the plains to Denver, 
Colo., where he hired out as a teamster on 
the " fast " freight line between that city and 
Georgetown. He retiu'ned to Mills County, 
this State, in the spring of 1870, and farmed 
that season for his father, after which he 
started in for himself. In 1872, he put out 
a crop in Mills County in the spring, and 
then went to Efiingham County, 111., and 
sowed some land to winter wheat. He was 
married, at Altamont. Effingham Co. . 111. , 
January 2, 1873. He farmed in that county 
with poor success until 1877, when he came 
to this county and rented land for three years 



of James Tate, in Minden Township. In 
August, 1880, he bought his present farm of 
eighty acres, situated in Section 22, York 
Township. Oui- subject's wife was Eliza 
Ellen Fry. born in Effingham County, 111., 
September 17, 1855. She is the daughter 
of Frederic and Susana (Stallings) Fry. Her 
father was born in Franklin County, Penn., 
and her mother was raised in Jasper County, 
111. Mr. and Mi's. McLean have five chil- 
dren — Ida Maranda, James Harvey, Sarah 
Elizabeth, Nellie Susana and Madie Ella. In 
politics, Mr. McLean is a Democrat. 

AVILLIAM McLEAN, farmer, P. O. Oak- 
land, was born in Fayette County, Penn., 
December 24, 1814. He is the son of Will- 
iam and Mary Anne (Biu-ker) McLean. His 
father was born in Fayette County, Penn. 
He was a tanner by trade, but was generally 
engaged in farming. He died in Louisiana 
while on a visit to his two sons in that State. 
His (subject's) grandfather, Alexander Mc- 
Lean, was one of the early settlers in West- 
ern Pennsylvania. He was a surveyor, and 
assisted in running the " Mason and Dixon 
Line." He took the line at the western ex- 
tremity of Mai-yland, and carried it thi'ough to 
the lakes. He held the offices of Register 
and Recorder of Fayette County, Penn. , for 
over fifty years. He was also a Colonel in 
the Revolutionarj- war, and died in Fayette 
County in his eighty- eighth year. His (sub- 
ject's) mother was born in Lancaster County, 
Penn., the daughter of George Bui-ker, who 
was a native of Germany, and who came to 
America when he was a babe. Our subject's 
pai'ents had eleven children — six sons and 
five daughters. Their circumstances dm-ing 
his boyhood prevented our subject from get- 
ting any education. He made a start in the 
world for himself at the age of seventeen. 
He teamed over the mountains to Pennsyl- 
vania, and worked at whatever he could get. 



276 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



He went to Muskingum County, Ohio, at the 
age of twenty- one. Here he was engaged in 
farming and teaming for about six years. In 
1838. he made a trip to Jackson County, 
Iowa. He returned to Portsmouth, Ohio, 
where he worked on a farm about eighteen 
months. He went to Wheeling, W. Ya., and 
came back again to Muskingum County. 
Here he lived until the fall of 1852. He was 
married, ten miles east of Zanesviile, Ohio, 
on March 12, 1844, to Susana Finfrock, born 
near St. Clairsville, Ohio, July 4, 1818. She 
is the daughter of John and Rebecca 
(Haines) Finfrock, both of whom were na- 
tives of Lancaster County, Penn. They 
were of French descent, and moved to Ohio 
at an early day. After his marriage, our sub- 
ject worked by the month most of the time 
that he stayed in Ohio. In 1853, he moved 
to Jackson County, Ohio, where he lived for 
four and a half years. He came to Iowa in 
the spring of 1858. He was compelled by 
high water to stop in Montgomery County 
from July 17 till the March following, when 
he came to Mills County and moved onto S. 
D. Davis' farm. Shortly afterward, he bought 
land and went to farming for himself. He 
lived in Mills County till 1877, when he sold 
out and came of this county, near Lynn 
Grove, where he still resides, on a farm con- 
taining 160 acres. Mr. and Mrs. McLean 
are a pleasant old couple. They have had 
seven children, five of whom — three sons and 
two daughters — are living — Robert, Uriah, 
James, Samantha Jane (deceased), William 
(deceased), Margaret Susana and Sarah Eliza- 
beth. James is the only child at home. He 
has charge of the whole farm business, and 
is industrious and energetic. The balance 
ot the children are all married. In politics, 
Mr. McLean is a Democrat, and, with his 
wife, is a member of the Christian 
Church. 



MICHAEL MINAHA.N, farmer. P. O. Ne- 
ola, was born in County Cork, Ireland, Sep- 
tember 29, 1845. He was the son of Jere- 
miah and Mary (McCarthy) Minahan. both 
natives of Ireland. His father was a farm- 
er; was born about 1820, and came to this 
county in 1872; he died in October, 1878. 
His (subject's) mother was born about 1824, 
and is living with her daughter in Neola 
Township, this county. Our subject received 
his education in the common schools of Ire- 
land, and was raised in that country, living 
at home till 1868. In May of that year, he 
came to the United States, locating in Penn- 
sylvania. He came to this county in 1871. 
For several years up to the spring of 1872, 
he had followed railroading. In that yeai", 
he bought eighty acres of his present farm 
and commenced farming. He now owns 200 
acres of impioved land, most of which is un- 
der cultivation. He was married at Council 
Bluffs, January 27, 1878, to Mary Stawart. 
born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in March, 1858. 
She is the daughter of Francis and Ellen 
(Crampton), Stawart. Her father is a native 
of Ohio, and her mother of Ireland. They 
are both living in Neola. Mr. and Mrs. 
Minahan have one child, James, born Febru- 
ary 19, 1879. ilr. Minahan has held the 
office of Township Clerk for four years, and 
has also been Treasm'er of the School Boai-d 
for two years. He is a Catholic in religion, 
and a Democrat in politics. 

R. H. RUCKER, farmer, P. O. Oakland, 
was born in Highland County, Ohio, October 
27, 1835. He is the son of J. and Antoi- 
nette (Cowthon) Rucker. His father was born 
in Rockbridge County, Va., near the re- 
nowned Natural Bridge, in March, 1808. 
He moved from Virginia to Ohio, from there 
to Minnesota in 1855, and died in the latter 
State in March, ''872. His (subject's) moth- 
er was born in 1809, in the same county as 



YORK TOWNSHIP. 



377 



her husband. She is at present living in 
Olmsted County, Minn. Our subject re- 
ceived a common-school education in Ohio 
and Minnesota. He lived at home till he 
was twenty-two years of age, when he began 
life for himself. He hired out for five 
months, after which he purchased 120 acres 
of land for $116 in Minnesota. He was en- 
gaged in buying and selling land until the 
opening of the civil war. He enlisted in the 
Eighth Minnesota Regiment, and served three 
years, under Col. Thomas and Maj. Camp. 
He was in the engagement at Murfreesboro 
December 8, 1864, and at the battle of Kings- 
ton, N. C. He was mustered out of service 
in the fall of 1865. He retui'ned to Minne- 
sota and farmed one season in that State, 
when he came to Buchanan County, Iowa. 
Here he bought and broke land, afterward 
selling it. He then went to Jackson County, 
Minn., where he acquired about five hundred 
acres of land. The winter of 187 1-7 2 was 



unusually severe. The storms raged for 
days at a time. The snow, assisted by the 
wind, came down in blinding sheets, rendering 
the house invisible at a distance of ten feet. 
Mr. Kucker had to connect his house and 
barn with a rope cord, in older totindhis 
way to and fi'o. The following spring, the 
grasshopjiers carried away his entire crop, 
whereupon he came to Council Bluffs. In 
the fall of 1872, he rented a farm of Pleas- 
ant Taylor for two years. In 1877, he pm-- 
chased 120 acres of his present farm, and the 
balance the following year. He now owns 
240 acres and rents lifty acres. His spe- 
cialty is corn and stock. He has eight chil- 
dren, the result of two marriages — John, 
Levi. Eugene. William, Jay, Cora, ElKe and 
Nettie — all of whom are at home. Mr. 
Rucker is a member of the Masonic frater- 
nity. . In politics, he is a Republican. At 
one time he was School Treasttrer for two 
townships in Minnesota. 




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